2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Travel Lifestyle Network (TLN) – a milestone in longevity and proof that our founding principle still holds true: local expertise creates global impact.
What began as a small alliance of independent agencies has grown into a globally coordinated network shaped by cultural intelligence and built to help brands thrive across borders.
In an industry where transformation is constant – from digital disruption to rapidly evolving traveller behaviours – the network’s belief has remained steadfast: if you want to resonate globally, you must first connect locally.
“TLN was born from friendship and shared ambition,” says Hanna Kleber, Founder and President of KLEBER Group in Germany, and Founder of TLN. “We wanted to build a trusted network that could deliver global reach with cultural authenticity – and this is still what drives us today.”
Local expertise drives global relevance
Recent research by McKinsey confirms what we’ve long known at TLN: when choosing where to go next, travellers prioritise local experience almost as much as they do safety and cost. The range and quality of on-the-ground activities rank amongst the top decision-making factors, highlighting travellers’ growing appetite for immersive content and culturally rooted storytelling.
This is echoed in the projected growth of global cultural tourism, which is expected to more than double from USD 1.2 trillion in 2025 to USD 2.6 trillion by 2035, according to Future Market Insights – a clear signal that demand for authentic, locally grounded experiences will only intensify in the decade ahead.
This demand translates directly into how brands need to communicate. Unfortunately, too many destination campaigns still use direct translation over transcreation – which ignores cultural associations that influence traveller decision-making
Today’s most successful destination campaigns are not simply broadcast globally; they’re adapted sensitively and strategically for each market. Language nuance is just one layer – tone, timing, values alignment, and media preferences vary widely across regions, too.
This is where TLN stands out.
With over 350 professionals across 23 member agencies operating in 37+ markets worldwide (and more than 500 clients served), TLN functions as both a collaboration platform and an extension of each client’s brand voice. Each agency brings deep market knowledge while operating under shared values: trust, excellence, innovation, and integrity in communication.
“Every agency contributes its unique strengths while aligning with our shared vision,” says Kleber. “It’s this decentralised but coordinated model that allows us to deliver truly impactful work at scale.”
A network built for agility
One key reason TLN has endured where other networks might falter is its ability to remain agile without compromising consistency. Unlike holding companies or siloed regional teams, TLN encourages open collaboration between independent entrepreneurs who are deeply invested in delivering results for both their clients and their fellow members.
This agility proved essential during moments of disruption – most notably during COVID-19.
“One of my proudest moments was seeing how our members supported each other through this crisis,” recalls Kleber. “While borders closed physically, we stayed connected virtually, sharing ideas across countries about how best to respond locally.”
The strength of these relationships goes beyond business transactions; many members have become close friends through years spent building trust face-to-face at AGMs held around the world and through countless virtual meetings in between.
Celebrating legacy while looking forward
Twenty years ago, TLN was founded on vision, but it has thrived because it evolved alongside its members’ needs and market realities without losing sight of its founding purpose: enabling great ideas built locally, to shine globally.
For senior marketers, tourism boards and destination leaders looking ahead: ask yourself honestly: is your global strategy informed by real-time insights from within communities… or by assumptions made thousands of miles away?
Are your campaigns attuned to shifting traveller expectations in each market, or are they still built around outdated personas designed in HQ boardrooms?
And perhaps most critically: do your agency partners challenge you with uncomfortable truths about what resonates locally… or do they simply translate what you’ve already decided?
Thinking big fuels ambition. Global impact unlocks scale. But it’s local insight that brings humanity – and resonance – to your message. When you combine global vision with local understanding, you don’t just reach audiences. You move them.
And that’s when the real magic happens.