The Tourism Society

What The Tourism Society does

The Tourism Society, founded in 1977 and structured as a Company Limited by Guarantee in England, is a UK-based professional membership organization representing all sectors of the tourism and visitor economy across disciplines, geographies, and career stages. The Society operates from an administrative office in Old Hatfield, Hertfordshire and a registered office in London (SW11), with a third office in East Molesey supporting its Tourism Consultants Network (TCN) sub-brand. With 22 employees, it is a small, mature non-profit whose core product is a unified membership program offering MTS (Member) and FTS (Fellow) professional designations, access to a 20,000+ LinkedIn networking group, think tanks, bi-monthly e-journals, market intelligence, regional chapters, specialist interest groups (Digital Network, PR group, TCN), and event programming that includes the Big Thinkers interview series and the newly launched Talking Tourism webinar series.

The Society serves a horizontal membership base spanning senior executives, self-employed entrepreneurs, consultants, academics, students, and educational establishments across tour operators, hotel chains, PR/marketing and representation companies, tourist attractions, national/regional/local tourist boards, restaurants, trade media, and charities. Its technology footprint is limited to a WordPress-based website, a Members Area portal for self-serve enrollment, and a LinkedIn networking group; it does not operate a SaaS product, public API, or proprietary software platform.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual membership fees (subscription model), supplemented by corporate partnerships with industry players such as WTM, Simpleview, Travel Uni, Sykes Holiday Cottages, Quality in Tourism, Kemosabe, and Broadcast Revolution, alongside event-related and award-related income. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the organization has no disclosed funding rounds, investors, or parent entity, consistent with its independent Company Limited by Guarantee structure.

Name

The Tourism Society

Legal name

Tourism Society

Website

https://thetourismsociety.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Tourism Society, founded in 1977, is a UK professional membership organization representing all sectors of the tourism industry. It offers MTS/FTS credentials, networking, think tanks, webinars, and e-journals to executives, consultants, academics, and students, funded by membership fees and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Old Hatfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The Tourism Society operates as a professional membership organization generating revenue through annual membership fees. Members pay for access to professional identity credentials (MTS/FTS designations), networking opportunities, think tanks, discussions, market intelligence, and specialist interest groups.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Tourism Society is a UK-based professional membership organization founded in 1977 that represents all sectors of the tourism industry. It sells annual memberships providing professional identity credentials (MTS/FTS designations), access to a 20,000+ LinkedIn networking group, participation in think tanks and specialist interest groups, bi-monthly e-journals and newsletters, events and webinars, and market intelligence.

Product overview

The Tourism Society is a professional membership organization founded in 1977 that represents all sectors of the tourism and visitor economy. It offers a unified membership product providing professional identity (MTS/FTS designations), access to its Tourism Consultants Network (TCN), LinkedIn networking group with over 20,000 contacts, and event programming including the Big Thinkers interview series and Talking Tourism webinars. Members receive bi-monthly e-journals, market intelligence, and can participate in think tanks and specialist interest groups. The organization does not operate a software platform or SaaS product, but rather provides professional development, networking, and industry thought leadership services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tourism Consultants Network (TCN): A specialized network within the Tourism Society for tourism consultants, providing professional development and networking opportunities.
• Big Thinkers in Tourism

Products and services

• Tourism Society Membership Annual professional membership providing MTS (Member) and FTS (Fellow) designation credentials, access to think tanks, specialist interest groups, bi-monthly e-journal, networking events, and market intelligence for tourism professionals across all sectors.
• Tourism Consultants Network (TCN) A specialized sub-network within the Tourism Society for tourism consultants, providing a find-a-consultant directory, declaration of good practice guidelines, and professional development resources for independent tourism consultants.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• WTMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting the Tourism Society's mission. WTM (World Travel Market) is a leading global travel industry event.
• Gotham NewcastleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing support to the Tourism Society.
• Visit Isle of ManminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDestination marketing organization partner supporting tourism industry initiatives.
• Land, Leisure & Tourism ShowminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry event partner for land, leisure and tourism sectors held annually at NEC Birmingham.
• Quality in TourismminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with hospitality, tourism and leisure businesses to provide expertise in quantifying and improving business performance and profile.
• Travel UniminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLargest global training and engagement platform for the travel trade with over 80,000 members in UK & Ireland and 300,000+ members across 70+ countries.
• Sykes Holiday CottagesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of the UK's leading and fastest-growing independent holiday cottage providers with 30 years experience and over 20,000 holiday homes. Winner of British Travel Award for Best Large UK Holiday Cottage Booking Company for eight consecutive years.
• KemosabeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFull services creative agency specializing in insight, strategy, advertising, branding, and live events.
• Broadcast RevolutionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBroadcast consultancy providing quality broadcast coverage for brands across TV, Radio and owned channels, founded by Phil Caplin with over 20 years experience.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Simpleview: US-headquartered DMO technology, creative, and data company serving 900+ destination marketing organizations. A corporate partner of The Tourism Society, included as an adjacent ecosystem vendor rather than a direct peer.
• Travel Uni: Global training and engagement platform for the travel trade with 300,000+ members. A corporate partner of The Tourism Society, comparable as a tourism professional engagement platform but with a private-sector training model rather than a not-for-profit professional body.

Emerging players

• Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE): Global membership organization for professionals in the incentive travel industry. Comparable as a tourism-focused professional body offering credentials and events, but narrower in scope (incentive travel only).
• Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA): Global cruise industry trade association with individual and agent membership programmes. Comparable as a tourism segment trade body with credentialing and education offerings, but category-specific.

Direct peers

• ABTA - The Travel Association: UK-based travel trade association providing membership, standards, and advocacy primarily for travel agents and tour operators. Most direct UK peer to The Tourism Society in mission and structure, though more focused on the agent/operator supply chain.
• Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT): UK-based professional body for the travel and tourism industry. Direct peer to The Tourism Society, with overlapping membership and similar credentialing/networking mission. The two organizations have historically been seen as competing UK professional bodies.
• UKInbound: UK trade association representing the inbound tourism sector. Direct UK peer to The Tourism Society, though narrower in focus (inbound operators and suppliers vs. all tourism disciplines).
• World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC): Global tourism industry council representing the broader travel and tourism private sector. Most direct global peer to The Tourism Society, with whom it has collaborated (WTTC Safe Travels Stamp). Differs in being a CEO-led private-sector advocacy body rather than a professional membership organization.
• ETOA - European Tourism Association: Pan-European trade association for tourism suppliers, tour operators, and destinations. Comparable as a membership-based tourism trade body operating at a broader geographic scope than The Tourism Society.

Broad incumbents

• UN Tourism (UNWTO): United Nations World Tourism Organization promoting responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism. Comparable as a globally recognized tourism body but a UN agency rather than a private professional membership organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tourismsociety
• Facebookfacebook.com/The-Tourism-Society-130654753719004
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-tourism-society

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Tourism Society