USTOA SIR Education Series: People-Centered Responsibility in Travel
Photo Credit: Polish Tourism Organization
Thursday, April 23rd, 2026
2:00pm to 3:00pm ET
Join Tingting Guo, VP Business Development at Tours4Fun for an in-depth conversation on ethical storytelling, community benefit, and accessibility.
Audience Promise Attendees will leave with a simple framework + ready-to-use content standards to improve trust, reduce the risk of misrepresentation, and help travelers make more informed decisions—especially across cultures and source markets.
Why I think this topic is important right now In a world shaped by geopolitical tension, economic pressure, and shifting cultural dynamics, travelers are more sensitive to representation and belonging. Many travelers are asking—implicitly and explicitly—“Will I feel welcome?” and “Can I trust what I’m being told?”
That’s why inclusive storytelling and accessibility clarity have become business-critical. They reduce fear, increase confidence, and create a sense of welcome that directly influences booking decisions. When product content is vague or relies on clichés, travelers hesitate. When accessibility information is buried or unclear, it leads to avoidable cancellations, complaints, and negative reviews. The opportunity for operators today is to build trust through the way we describe people, places, and lived experiences—while giving travelers the details they need to choose responsibly.
This session could be highly practical for USTOA members—operators and marketers will walk away with:
A clear lens for ethical, conversion-friendly storytelling across cultures
A simple way to describe community benefit in plain, verifiable language
A straightforward approach to accessibility clarity that reduces confusion, complaints, and cancellations while building trust
Why Tingting believes she can bring value to this topic
"I bring both lived cross-cultural experience and real-world business outcomes to this conversation. I was born and raised in China and came to the U.S. at 22 as an au pair—so I understand the cultural nuances travelers bring with them and the expectations they carry when they arrive. Today, as Global VP of Business Development at Tours4fun, I see every day how the words on a product page can either create a sense of welcome—or create doubt. Tours4fun has served 3.5 million travelers over the past 20 years. More than 50% of our customers are Asian American, including Chinese American and Indian American travelers, and we also serve a significant base of travelers who live in Asia. Because we support multicultural audiences at scale, we’ve learned—through measurable outcomes—how to tell stories that are both ethical and conversion-friendly. I’ve also worked closely with operator partners to refine storytelling and product details so experiences feel respectful, accurate, and trustworthy—without stereotypes, vague claims, or unclear accessibility information."
A zoom link will be sent out prior to the webinar.
Thank you to the USTOA SIR Education Series sponsor, Crum & Forster.
LOGIN BELOW TO REGISTER TODAY
You must be logged in as a USTOA Member to view details and register.
Our website is set to allow the use of cookies — for more information click here. If you consent to cookies please click "Proceed" or simply continue browsing
