The presentation of the 2027 edition of the International Hospitality Film Festival brings together international experts at Lazareto Menorca to reflect on the future of tourism, communication and hospitality services
Menorca, 16 June 2026. Lazareto Menorca hosted on Tuesday the presentation of Terres CHECK-IN 2027 – International Hospitality Film Festival, an initiative promoted by Terres Landscape and Travel Communication that aims to become a leading international platform for exploring how audiovisual communication can help build a more sustainable, authentic and people-centred tourism model.
The event brought together tourism communication professionals, institutional representatives and international experts to discuss the challenges facing the tourism industry in a context marked by technological transformation, growing sustainability demands and the need to create narratives capable of connecting with the expectations of today’s travellers.
During the opening session, Begoña Mercadal, manager of the Menorca Tourism Promotion Foundation, recalled that “millions of people discover destinations through a screen before visiting them in person.”
In this regard, Santi Valldepérez, director of Terres CHECK-IN, stressed that “audiovisual content is no longer a complementary tool. Audiovisual storytelling is now the primary language through which we communicate tourism.”
Both Valldepérez and Mercadal defended the need to identify and give visibility to those territories, companies and projects that are helping define the tourism of the future: “The great debate in tourism is no longer how to attract visitors. The real debate is another one: what should tourism of the future look like? A form of tourism capable of generating prosperity while preserving the territory; a tourism industry that creates opportunities while also enhancing quality of life.”
Mercadal also highlighted Menorca’s tourism model: “Above all, we are a community that understands tourism must generate prosperity, well-being and opportunities without compromising the preservation of what makes us unique.”
One of the highlights of the event was the conference “Hospitality 360: Communicating the Tourism of the Future”, featuring Hugo Marcos, Secretary General of CIFFT (International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals), and Alberto Fernández, CEO of Normmal Agency.
During his presentation, Alberto Fernández emphasised the need to evolve traditional tourism promotion messages in order to connect with increasingly demanding and participatory travellers: “Tourism communication and hospitality communication for the future must stop selling perfect paradises and start telling real stories and experiences, because that is what travellers are truly looking for.”
Fernández also highlighted the growing importance of sustainability in building relevant tourism brands, particularly within the premium segment. “Experiences that leave a positive impact and respect the territory are becoming the most sought-after by discerning travellers. Today’s demanding traveller no longer wants to be a spectator; they want to participate.”
For his part, Hugo Marcos underlined the significance that specialised hospitality-focused initiatives have for the international tourism sector. “The fact that an international festival dedicated to hospitality is being born in Menorca says a great deal about the moment tourism is experiencing. Projects such as Terres CHECK-IN demonstrate that specialisation and authenticity are the way forward.”
The CIFFT representative noted that tourism communication is undergoing a profound transformation, shifting from showcasing places to conveying experiences. “For decades, destinations competed by displaying landscapes and monuments. Today, travellers seek experiences, emotions and meaning, and this is where hospitality becomes the true protagonist.” He added: “We no longer communicate what a destination has; we communicate what it feels like to experience it.”
Artificial intelligence was also part of the discussion. Although inspiration, planning and booking processes are changing rapidly, participants agreed that the ability to move and inspire people will remain tourism communication’s greatest asset. “Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we get inspired, plan and book trips, but there is one thing it cannot automate: the desire to travel. That emotion will continue to be born from great stories.”
In this context, Marcos reaffirmed the role of specialised festivals and high-quality audiovisual productions as tools for building memorable tourism brands. “In a world of infinite content, authentic audiovisual storytelling and the festivals that recognise it are more necessary than ever.”
The presentation also served to unveil the main pillars of Terres CHECK-IN 2027, which will take place on 29 and 30 April 2027 and will be structured around three key themes: learning, experimentation and recognition of audiovisual excellence linked to hospitality and tourism services.
During his speech, Valldepérez highlighted the role Menorca will play within this international initiative. “We have not come to Menorca because it is a beautiful setting. We have come because Menorca possesses something far more valuable: credibility.”
The festival director pointed out that the island represents one of the strongest examples of how tourism activity, territorial preservation and authenticity can coexist, making it an international case study of great interest.
“While many destinations have incorporated sustainability into their narratives, Menorca has incorporated it into its very way of understanding and managing its territory.”
The event concluded with a shared reflection on the role destinations such as Menorca can play in shaping new tourism benchmarks. “The destinations that leave a lasting mark will be those capable of inspiring, teaching and leading the way. That is why we believe Menorca is much more than the host location of Terres CHECK-IN 2027. It is a place from which it is possible to show the world that another way of doing tourism is possible.”
About Terres CHECK-IN – International Hospitality Film Festival
Terres CHECK-IN is an international initiative promoted by Terres Landscape and Travel Communication that explores the role of hospitality and tourism services in creating memorable experiences through audiovisual storytelling.
The project brings together professionals from tourism, hospitality, gastronomy, communication, marketing and audiovisual production to identify, recognise and promote the stories, initiatives and best practices that are helping shape the tourism of the future.
