Introduction to the thematic issue: from trends to meaning: understanding the changing and evolving faces of global tourism

Purpose This study aims to analyze the structural metamorphosis of global tourism in the post-pandemic era, exploring its transition from a volume-based recovery to a value-driven, hybrid ecosystem. It specifically examines the convergence of digital transformation, regenerative sustainability and the increasing demand for meaning-oriented, eudaimonic travel experiences. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides a comprehensive synthesis of contemporary global tourism research and emerging trends. It adopts an interdisciplinary and ecosystemic perspective to evaluate the integration of advanced digital architectures, such as AI, with lifestyle mobilities like digital nomadism and experiential segments including luxury rail and spiritual tourism. Findings The research identifies four pivotal shifts: (1) the transition from harm-mitigating “sustainability” to proactive “regenerative” tourism that restores social and natural fabrics; (2) the emergence of the “AI paradox,” where hyper-personalization coexists with a growing demand for “connective labor” and human empathy; (3) the blurring of work-leisure boundaries through digital nomadism and the rise of “workspitality” and (4) a significant trend toward eudaimonic travel, where segments like solo travel and spiritual retreats serve as tools for individual empowerment and psychological transformation. Originality/value The paper offers a novel framework by shifting the industry’s strategic imperative from harm-mitigating “sustainable tourism” to proactive “regenerative tourism”. It provides critical insights into the “AI paradox” – the tension between technological efficiency and human empathy – and conceptualizes tourism as an “industry of meaning” that balances high-tech infrastructure with authentic human connection and individual transformation.