sustainable tourism business

Sustainable tourism

Related sdgs, promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable ....

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Publications.

Tourism is one of the world's fastest growing industries and an important source of foreign exchange and employment, while being closely linked to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of many countries, especially developing countries. Maritime or ocean-related tourism, as well as coastal tourism, are for example vital sectors of the economy in small island developing States (SIDS) and coastal least developed countries (LDCs) (see also: The Potential of the Blue Economy report as well as the Community of Ocean Action on sustainable blue economy).

The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities".

Based on General assembly resolution 70/193, 2017 was declared as the  International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development SDG target 8.9, aims to “by 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”. The importance of sustainable tourism is also highlighted in SDG target 12.b. which aims to “develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”.

Tourism is also identified as one of the tools to “by 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries” as comprised in SDG target 14.7.

In the Rio+20 outcome document The Future We want, sustainable tourism is defined by paragraph 130 as a significant contributor “to the three dimensions of sustainable development” thanks to its close linkages to other sectors and its ability to create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities. Therefore, Member States recognize “the need to support sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building that promote environmental awareness, conserve and protect the environment, respect wildlife, flora, biodiversity, ecosystems and cultural diversity, and improve the welfare and livelihoods of local communities by supporting their local economies and the human and natural environment as a whole. ” In paragraph 130, Member States also “call for enhanced support for sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building in developing countries in order to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development”.

In paragraph 131, Member States “encourage the promotion of investment in sustainable tourism, including eco-tourism and cultural tourism, which may include creating small- and medium-sized enterprises and facilitating access to finance, including through microcredit initiatives for the poor, indigenous peoples and local communities in areas with high eco-tourism potential”. In this regard, Member States also “underline the importance of establishing, where necessary, appropriate guidelines and regulations in accordance with national priorities and legislation for promoting and supporting sustainable tourism”.

In 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg called for the promotion of sustainable tourism development, including non-consumptive and eco-tourism, in Chapter IV, paragraph 43 of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

At the Johannesburg Summit, the launch of the “Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) initiative was announced. The initiative was inaugurated by the World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with UNCTAD, in order to develop sustainable tourism as a force for poverty alleviation.

The UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) last reviewed the issue of sustainable tourism in 2001, when it was acting as the Preparatory Committee for the Johannesburg Summit.

The importance of sustainable tourism was also mentioned in Agenda 21.

For more information and documents on this topic,  please visit this link

UNWTO Annual Report 2015

2015 was a landmark year for the global community. In September, the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a universal agenda for planet and people. Among the 17 SDGs and 169 associated targets, tourism is explicitly featured in Goa...

UNWTO Annual Report 2016

In December 2015, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. This is a unique opportunity to devote a year to activities that promote the transformational power of tourism to help us reach a better future. This important cele...

Emerging Issues for Small Island Developing States

The 2012 UNEP Foresight Process on Emerging Global Environmental Issues primarily identified emerging environmental issues and possible solutions on a global scale and perspective. In 2013, UNEP carried out a similar exercise to identify priority emerging environmental issues that are of concern to ...

Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom, We recognize that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for su...

15 Years of the UNWTO World Tourism Network on Child Protection: A Compilation of Good Practices

Although it is widely recognized that tourism is not the cause of child exploitation, it can aggravate the problem when parts of its infrastructure, such as transport networks and accommodation facilities, are exploited by child abusers for nefarious ends. Additionally, many other factors that contr...

Towards Measuring the Economic Value of Wildlife Watching Tourism in Africa

Set against the backdrop of the ongoing poaching crisis driven by a dramatic increase in the illicit trade in wildlife products, this briefing paper intends to support the ongoing efforts of African governments and the broader international community in the fight against poaching. Specifically, this...

Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 1970-2012

Previous Caribbean assessments lumped data together into a single database regardless of geographic location, reef environment, depth, oceanographic conditions, etc. Data from shallow lagoons and back reef environments were combined with data from deep fore-reef environments and atolls. Geographic c...

Natural Resources Forum: Special Issue Tourism

The journal considers papers on all topics relevant to sustainable development. In addition, it dedicates series, issues and special sections to specific themes that are relevant to the current discussions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)....

Thailand: Supporting Sustainable Development in Thailand: A Geographic Clusters Approach

Market forces and government policies, including the Tenth National Development Plan (2007-2012), are moving Thailand toward a more geographically specialized economy. There is a growing consensus that Thailand’s comparative and competitive advantages lie in amenity services that have high reliance...

Road Map on Building a Green Economy for Sustainable Development in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Grenada

This publication is the product of an international study led by the Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in cooperation with the Ministry of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs and the Ministry of Environment, Foreig...

Natural Resources Forum, a United Nations Sustainable Development Journal (NRF)

  Natural Resources Forum, a United Nations Sustainable Development Journal, seeks to address gaps in current knowledge and stimulate relevant policy discussions, leading to the implementation of the sustainable development agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable...

UN Ocean Conference 2025

Our Ocean, Our Future, Our Responsibility “The ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and to our future. The ocean is an important source of the planet’s biodiversity and plays a vital role in the climate system and water cycle. The ocean provides a range of ecosystem services, supplies us with

UN Ocean Conference 2022

The UN Ocean Conference 2022, co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal, came at a critical time as the world was strengthening its efforts to mobilize, create and drive solutions to realize the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

58th Session of the Commission for Social Development – CSocD58

22nd general assembly of the united nations world tourism organization, world tourism day 2017 official celebration.

This year’s World Tourism Day, held on 27 September, will be focused on Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development. Celebrated in line with the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the Day will be dedicated to exploring the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Deve

World Tourism Day 2016 Official Celebration

Accessible Tourism for all is about the creation of environments that can cater for the needs of all of us, whether we are traveling or staying at home. May that be due to a disability, even temporary, families with small children, or the ageing population, at some point in our lives, sooner or late

4th Global Summit on City Tourism

The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the Regional Council for Tourism of Marrakesh with support of the Government of Morroco are organizing the 4th Global Summit on City Tourism in Marrakesh, Morroco (9-10 December 2015). International experts in city tourism, representatives of city DMOs, of

2nd Euro-Asian Mountain Resorts Conference

The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and Ulsan Metropolitan City with support of the Government of the Republic of Korea are organizing the 2nd Euro-Asian Mountain Resorts Conference, in Ulsan, Republic of Korea (14 - 16 October 2015). Under the title “Paving the Way for a Bright Future for Mounta

21st General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization

Unwto regional conference enhancing brand africa - fostering tourism development.

Tourism is one of the Africa’s most promising sectors in terms of development, and represents a major opportunity to foster inclusive development, increase the region’s participation in the global economy and generate revenues for investment in other activities, including environmental preservation.

• January 2017 International Year of Tourism In the context of the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the International Year aims to support a change in policies, business practices and consumer behavior towards a more sustainable tourism sector that can contribute to the SDGs.
• January 2015 Targets 8.9, 12 b,14.7 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development commits Member States, through Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.9 to “devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”. The importance of sustainable tourism, as a driver for jobs creation and the promotion of local culture and products, is also highlighted in Sustainable Development Goal target 12.b. Tourism is also identified as one of the tools to “increase [by 2030] the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries”, through Sustainable Development Goals Target 14.7.
• January 2012 Future We Want (Para 130-131) Sustainable tourism is defined as a significant contributor “to the three dimensions of sustainable development” thanks to its close linkages to other sectors and its ability to create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities. Therefore, Member States recognize “the need to support sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building that promote environmental awareness, conserve and protect the environment, respect wildlife, flora, biodiversity, ecosystems and cultural diversity, and improve the welfare and livelihoods of local communities” as well as to “encourage the promotion of investment in sustainable tourism, including eco-tourism and cultural tourism, which may include creating small and medium sized enterprises and facilitating access to finance, including through microcredit initiatives for the poor, indigenous peoples and local communities in areas with high eco-tourism potential”.
• January 2009 Roadmap for Recovery UNWTO announced in March 2009 the elaboration of a Roadmap for Recovery to be finalized by UNWTO’s General Assembly, based on seven action points. The Roadmap includes a set of 15 recommendations based on three interlocking action areas: resilience, stimulus, green economy aimed at supporting the tourism sector and the global economy.
• January 2008 Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria The Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria represent the minimum requirements any tourism business should observe in order to ensure preservation and respect of the natural and cultural resources and make sure at the same time that tourism potential as tool for poverty alleviation is enforced. The Criteria are 41 and distributed into four different categories: 1) sustainability management, 2) social and economic 3) cultural 4) environmental.
• January 2003 WTO becomes a UN specialized body By Resolution 453 (XV), the Assembly agreed on the transformation of the WTO into a United Nations specialized body. Such transformation was later ratified by the United Nations General Assembly with the adoption of Resolution A/RES/58/232.
• January 2003 1st Int. Conf. on Climate Change and Tourism The conference was organized in order to gather tourism authorities, organizations, businesses and scientists to discuss on the impact that climate change can have on the tourist sector. The event took place from 9 till 11 April 2003 in Djerba, Tunisia.
• January 2002 World Ecotourism Summit Held in May 2002, in Quebec City, Canada, the Summit represented the most important event in the framework of the International Year of Ecosystem. The Summit identified as main themes: ecotourism policy and planning, regulation of ecotourism, product development, marketing and promotion of ecotourism and monitoring costs and benefits of ecotourism.
• January 1985 Tourism Bill of Rights and Tourist Code At the World Tourism Organization Sixth Assembly held in Sofia in 1985, the Tourism Bill of Rights and Tourist Code were adopted, setting out the rights and duties of tourists and host populations and formulating policies and action for implementation by states and the tourist industry.
• January 1982 Acapulco Document Adopted in 1982, the Acapulco Document acknowledges the new dimension and role of tourism as a positive instrument towards the improvement of the quality of life for all peoples, as well as a significant force for peace and international understanding. The Acapulco Document also urges Member States to elaborate their policies, plans and programmes on tourism, in accordance with their national priorities and within the framework of the programme of work of the World Tourism Organization.

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How to be a sustainable tourism business

For most European tourism providers today, embedding sustainability into all aspects of their business has become common practice. Before COVID-19, sustainable tourism was becoming increasingly important to the travelling public. Climate change leading to soaring temperatures, wildfires, floods, and other extreme weather events is now widely accepted to be a direct result of human behaviour. Countries, governments and citizens are urgently seeking to reduce carbon emissions, which impacts every industry in the world, including tourism.

Contents of this page

• Responsible travel choices are growing amidst climate crisis and post-COVID
• What is sustainable tourism?
• Eight elements of a sustainable tourism business
• Become certified as a sustainable tourism provider

1. Responsible travel choices are growing amidst climate crisis and post-COVID

Despite the challenges, large-scale leisure travel is still highly likely to resume once the pandemic subsides. New routines and shifting personal priorities because of COVID-19 has led to consumers reconsidering what is important to them, and the health of the planet is attracting global attention. As a result, the traveller mindset is stimulating changed travel behaviour as tourists are keen to minimise the negative effect of their travel while making a positive contribution to the destinations and communities they visit.

What does this changed tourist behaviour mean in practice?

• Choosing greener forms of transport, such as the train.
• Reducing the number of long-haul trips but staying longer.
• Contributing to carbon offsetting schemes or other community development schemes to offset their carbon footprint.
• Choosing low impact activities that are less harmful to the planet, such as outdoor sports like walking, hiking and cycling, rural tourism, wildlife watching, non-motorised water sports and cultural activities.
• Choosing service providers, such as inbound and local operators and accommodation providers, that are committed to responsible and sustainable tourism practices across their business.
• Upon arriving at a destination, staying longer, staying local.
• Engaging more fully with local communities through community-based tourism activities, staying locally rather than in large, generic hotels, eating local food.
• Avoiding ‘exploitative’ tourism that harms the environment, people and/or animals.
• Seeking authentic, unique, and small group tourism experiences.
• Learning about new cultures through immersive experiences such as food, festivals, cultural events, homestays, meeting local people.

European tourism companies are required to implement sustainability into their businesses under the European Green Deal legislation in order to meet the commitment to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. Given that European travellers are also increasingly keen to embrace sustainability, local tour operators and other tourism SMEs can improve their competitive position by investing to embed sustainability in their businesses.

For local tour operators that can meet these challenges, there are good opportunities to help save the planet and bring benefit to local communities while providing meaningful and authentic experiences to the growing number of responsible travellers.

2. What is sustainable tourism?

Sustainable tourism is defined formally by the UN Environment Programme and the UN World Tourism Organisation as, “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry and host communities”.

Sustainability in tourism is strongly connected to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), developed by the UN as a call to action to promote global prosperity while protecting the planet. Tourism is recognised as a key sector in the challenge to meet the 17 SDGs.

Figure 1: UN Sustainable Development Goals

Source: UNWTO

What that means is that sustainable tourism is concerned with all the activities that are conducted by and in the tourism industry. It is about understanding and acknowledging that tourism has both negative and positive impacts on the planet, the natural environment, people and places, and taking the appropriate action to minimise the negative and maximise the positive impacts.

Table 1: Examples of Positive and Negative Impacts of Tourism

Source: Acorn Tourism Consulting

• Find out how adventure tour operators manage sustainability in tourism. The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), in association with Switzerland Tourism, has released the first report in a series of sustainability research reports that features case studies, lessons learned and best practices from all over the world, set to be published at regular intervals over the next two years. Download the first report on High Moments, Low Impact: Rethinking Adventure Travel’s Sustainability Efforts .

3. Eight elements of a sustainable tourism business

There are many ways to incorporate sustainability into your business, whether you run tours or manage tourism accommodation. It is important to understand that embedding sustainability into your business is a process that will take time. However, it should be your goal to achieve as high a level of sustainability as possible within a realistic timeframe.

If you don’t know whether your business is sustainable, use this free sustainability check to help you find out.

Figure 2: Eight Elements of a Sustainable Tourism Business

The higher the level of sustainability and the more responsibly you run your business, the greater the positive impact you will have on your environment, your community, the quality of your tourism product and client experience, and the more confidently you can promote your green credentials.

Element 1: Energy efficiency

Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, conserving energy, and improving energy efficiency play a key role in managing the human impact on the environment. Types of energy from renewable sources, also referred to as renewables, are being adopted more widely around the world and new technologies are being developed all the time. While many systems are still very expensive, there are a wide range of small, practical steps that SMEs can take to improve their energy efficiency and monitor energy consumption.

Steps to take:

• Use renewable energy, such as electricity from solar panels or wind power, as much as possible. Choose energy suppliers that provide energy from renewable sources if possible.
• Make sure appliances such as fridges, washing machines and ovens are energy-efficient.
• Install energy-saving lightbulbs everywhere.
• Install thermostats for heating (if needed) and hot water, and a ‘smart’ meter to track your energy use to help you keep it as low as possible.
• Use electric vehicles instead of vehicles with combustion engines.
• Ask your customers/guests to be mindful, turning off lights, air conditioning and/or heating when they leave their rooms.

Figure 3: Example of Customer Notice to Conserve Energy

Source: Recycle Reminders

• Establish formal monitoring processes to measure your energy consumption on a monthly basis.

Element 2: Water conservation and waste management

The effective management of waste is at the core of any sustainable scheme. Tourism providers that adopt responsible waste practices demonstrate a high level of commitment to the preservation of the environment.

‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ are the key activities in waste management, and the phrase is highly recognisable by consumers these days.

Figure 4: Recycling Waste Scheme in Action

The global problem of plastic pollution is well publicised in Europe and consumers are very familiar with images of oceans and beaches contaminated with vast amounts of plastic waste. Single-use plastic, commonly used for plastic bags, water/drinks bottles, straws and plastic plates/cutlery, is widely considered to be a major culprit. Many countries have banned the use of some single-use plastics and others, such as Tanzania, have banned travellers from bringing in plastic bags to the country .

Water is an increasingly precious resource that must be managed carefully in many countries that have limited rainfall or are prone to drought conditions. As well as encouraging your customers to use water responsibly for washing and so on, you should also encourage them to use reusable water bottles and provide a supply of filtered water. This is essential in places where tap water is not safe to drink.

• “Waste is only waste when you waste it” - ensure you have a waste separation scheme in place for recycling paper and cardboard, plastics and aluminium and ensure it is all disposed of responsibly according to the regulations in your destination.
• Consider whether you could support a ban on single-use plastics in your business or commit to working towards an outright ban.
• Compost food and garden waste appropriately.
• Install low-flow taps and shower heads.
• Install a rainwater harvesting system for crops/gardens, and/or flushing toilets.
• Install a water filtering system to encourage guests to limit their use of plastic bottles. Provide (loan, sell or give) your clients reusable bottles. They can be company-branded souvenirs.
• Display customer signs to use water sensibly and turn off taps.
• For accommodation providers, implement a reuse towels and bedlinen scheme.
• Encourage visitors to take part in a litter collection initiative.

Figure 5: Customer Notices: Reuse Bedlinen/Towel Scheme and Conserving Water

Source: Acorn Tourism Consulting/Key Signs

• Make sure you are aware of the regulations surrounding waste and recycling in your destination. Check what initiatives there may be to help you improve your waste management practices.
• Establish a formal monitoring process to measure your water usage on a monthly basis.

Element 3: Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon offsetting schemes

Reducing carbon emissions is the most important factor to address climate change. Carbon dioxide (CO2) accounts for around 80% of greenhouse gas emissions and its presence in increasingly high concentrations is the major cause of climate change. Burning fossil fuels, commonly practised in the manufacturing and aviation sectors, deforestation, and intensive farming practices are major contributors to harmful levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

The effects of climate change are causing serious problems for human life all over the world due to floods, storms, wildfires, and extreme temperatures. Rising sea temperatures are devastating coastal communities and damaging delicate ecosystems that cannot adapt quickly enough, which in turn threatens the many species that live in them.

To compensate for the emissions caused by tourism activities, many European tour operators make contributions to carbon offsetting schemes. Travellers also like to know that operators they use and places they visit are helping to address the issue by contributing to schemes and actively choose providers that make a conscious effort to minimise the impact of travel.

However, carbon offsetting is a controversial topic. It is becoming more widely understood that for carbon offsetting to work, activities must be carried out in addition to any existing scheme. Therefore, it is important to select offsetting schemes that really consider the positive impact they make towards addressing climate change.

You can see how UK operator Much Better Adventures carefully considers which reforestation and rewilding schemes to support for maximum benefit to the planet.

• Measure your carbon footprint using an online calculator such as Carmacal , developed specifically to measure the carbon footprint of tour and travel packages.
• Read more about the effects of climate change so that you are knowledgeable about the global issue. Greenpeace is a good source of information.
• Do your own research into companies that you can sign up with for carbon offsetting schemes, like Earthly . Some schemes, such as German organisation Atmosfair , support the development of tourism practices using renewable energy.
• Research what carbon offsetting schemes exist in your country or destination.

Element 4: Community relations, labour practices and human rights

Employing local people in your business is crucial for tourism to be sustainable. Local individuals benefit both economically and from a personal development perspective. It can also have a positive impact on their whole family and help foster a sense of local and national pride.

However, it is important to ensure that everyone involved in your business, including staff and volunteers, are treated fairly, do not work excessive hours or in poor conditions. They should have at least one full rest day a week and receive adequate training for the work they are expected to do.

It is also important to involve and consult with other local stakeholders, both in the planning and implementation stages. You must build strong relationships with them to ensure success at a community level and to be able to deliver an immersive experience for the traveller.

A Code of Conduct that encompasses all your business practices is essential. It should clearly state your support of human rights, that you distance yourself from child abuse and, if applicable, your commitment to animal welfare in tourism. You should research other companies’ Codes of Conduct to help you write your own, for instance:

• Intrepid Travel Responsible Travel Code of Conduct
• Rainbow Tours Code of Conduct
• ABTA’s Welfare of Animals in Tourism
• GAdventures’ Child Welfare and the Travel Industry – Global Good Practice Guidelines
• If you are setting up a community tourism project, identify all the stakeholders and what role they will play in the project, whether a supplier, buyer, community, family, group/organisation or employee or consultant.
• Employ staff from the direct community whenever you can, followed by the local area and region. Ensure that each role is supported by a formal job description and that training is provided as necessary.
• Build a network of knowledgeable and experienced guides who are enthusiastic and speak the language of the travellers to a good standard. They must be able to bring the product alive, whether guiding a walking trail, identifying bird life, conducting community village or historical tours, and so on. Offer training as necessary.
• Pay a fair wage for the work they do and the skills they have.
• Do not exploit children. They should not be employed by the business or be involved in anything dangerous, or if it means they miss school. For more advice on establishing a Code of Conduct, consult The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Exploitation in Travel and Tourism .

Element 5: Maximising positive impact on local cultures

Maximising the authenticity of an experience for a visitor through meaningful interactions with local cultures and communities is at the heart of sustainable tourism activities. Community-based tourism (CBT) is a fast-growing niche market within the tourism industry, driven by travellers keen on unique and authentic experiences.

For instance, a guided walk or tour through a village combined with a traditional activity like cooking with a local family, or taking part in hands-on village activities like handicraft making or harvesting fruit or flowers. It is important to ensure the whole community is involved in supporting or providing the experience – and that a structure is in place that enables everyone in the community to benefit from selling the experience.

If your business serves food, it is important to ensure that produce is locally grown, harvested and/or produced, and is seasonal. Local and seasonal is a key part of sustainability. Sourcing from local producers and growers under fair terms and conditions ensures positive impact.

Other examples of activities, trips and experiences that can be organised sustainably to the benefit of both community and visitor include:

• Birdwatching
• Wildlife watching
• Nature walks, learning about unusual flora and fauna or traditional plant-based medicines
• Visiting a coffee or sugar cane farm
• Visiting a local community and joining in with traditional activities
• Guided walks with storytelling, visiting interesting historic sites
• Sharing local music and culture, such as traditional performances or visits to local festivals
• Opportunities to try traditional food and drink
• Language classes
• Watching and learning about traditional handicrafts, including the opportunity for tourists to try it themselves
• Food tasting
• Traditional cookery classes including a trip to the local market to buy ingredients
• Art, painting or photography  

Element 6: Health and safety

Ensuring guests’ health and safety is of paramount importance for all tourism providers. It has become even more important because of the pandemic, and you must establish some robust cleaning and sanitising protocols, making sure you are very clear what they are. If you supply travel products to European tour operators, they will also expect you to be very clear how you will keep their customers safe.

Your website is the best place to promote your COVID-19 safety protocols. Take a look at this comprehensive COVID-19 Operating Plan for staff and guests drawn up by local Indian operator Village Ways to give you some ideas for developing yours.

You can also consider signing up to join the World Travel & Tourism Council’s Safe Travels stamp, a self-certify scheme to help rebuild confidence among travellers so safe travel can resume once restrictions are eased. It is free to use, provided that you commit to the implementation of and ongoing compliance with the Safe Travels protocols. Download the WTTC Safe Travels Protocols to find out more.

• For more information about managing your business during COVID-19, download the CBI study on How to respond to COVID-19 in the tourism sector.

Element 7: Animal welfare

The welfare of animals in tourism is an emotive topic for European travellers. There is a lot of negative publicity surrounding poorly managed animal wildlife attractions that promote unacceptable practices, including forced animal performances and the handling of wild animals. There are many campaigning organisations in Europe and around the world that actively encourage wildlife tourists to stay away from such attractions, for instance Four Paws and Animondial .

Increasingly, European tour operators will only work with suppliers that promote very high standards of animal welfare, both for animals that live in the wild and those living in captivity, such as conservation sanctuaries. They will not buy from you if you cannot prove you are a responsible wildlife tourism provider.

• You should familiarise yourself with what are acceptable practices in animal tourism these days. Consult ABTA’s Animal Welfare Guidelines for more information.
• Assess your tourism product thoroughly to ensure it complies and make changes if it does not.
• For more information about requirements for wildlife tourism products, including detailed information about developing sustainable wildlife tourism products, consult the CBI study on Entering the European market for wildlife tourism products .

Element 8: Responsibility Statement

To communicate your commitment to sustainable tourism, you should write a Responsibility Statement for your business. The statement should clearly outline all the sustainable activities that you practise, but it is important that you are honest about what you do and that you don’t exaggerate or make any false claims. You will seriously harm your business and reputation if your claims are discovered to be false.

The statement must provide your visitors with a clear view of the proactive environmental and social measures that your businesses has adopted and others that you aspire to reach. This is important as it shows that you are aware there is always more that can be done, and it is a good thing to have goals.

This is a good example of aspirational thinking.

Figure 6: Next Steps

Source: Much Better Adventures

For inspiration when writing one for your business, look at these examples of responsibility statements from tour operators and tourism providers:

• Intrepid Travel – as one of the world’s leading tour operators of sustainable holidays to destinations all over the world, its responsibility statement is extremely comprehensive and covers many themes of responsible and sustainable tourism practices.
• Responsible Travel – is an Online Travel Agent (OTA) of responsible holidays. Its mission is to ‘make the travel and tourism industry more caring’ and it has a very detailed responsible tourism policy.
• Village Ways, India – has a strong but simple responsibility statement that focuses on five main themes.
• The Black Sheep Inn, Ecuador – this ecolodge in the Andes Mountains has an impressive goal to be self-sufficient in energy, water and food production. It clearly outlines all the sustainable and conservation activities it undertakes, including detailing the reasons why composting toilets and harnessing solar energy is a good idea.
• Lapa Rios Ecolodge, Costa Rica – sustainability is the core value of this ecolodge with nature conservation and community development at the forefront of its activities.
• Make sure the statements you make are clear and honest.
• Do not exaggerate your claims or make vague statements.
• Avoid ‘ greenwashing ’ – do not pretend you are doing something that you are not. It will harm your reputation when it is discovered.
• Avoid 'greenhushing' – by underreporting your sustainability achievements to your clients

4. Become certified as a sustainable tourism provider

Being certified as a sustainable business sends out a strong message to your customers that you understand the issues and are working hard to minimise negative impacts and maximise positive impacts of your tourism business.

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council , commonly referred to as the GSTC, manages the global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, and acts as the international accreditation body for sustainable tourism certification.

Figure 7: Global Sustainable Tourism Council Logo

Source: GSTC

The GSTC Criteria are applicable to all sectors of the tourism industry and organised around four main themes:

• Effective sustainability planning
• Maximising social and economic benefits for the local community
• Enhancing cultural heritage
• Reducing negative impacts on the environment

There are two sets of GSTC Criteria:

• Industry Criteria for Hotels and Accommodation Providers , and Tour Operators
• Destination Criteria for policymakers and destination managers.

Tour operators and accommodation providers may apply for sustainable certification directly with GSTC or apply to join a scheme that has adopted the GSTC Criteria within its own system and has been recognised by GSTC as GSTC-Recognised Standards.

Table 2: Examples of GSTC-Recognised Standards

Source: GSTC/Acorn Tourism Consulting

To illustrate the importance of sustainability certification to adventure tour operators around the world, the Adventure Travel and Trade Association (ATTA) 2021 Adventure Tour Operator Snapshot Survey identified that 40% of respondents were either working towards sustainability certification or were certified already.

Figure 8: Sustainability Certification among Adventure Tour Operators

Source: ATTA

• Do your own research into the different sustainability certification schemes to see which would be most suitable for your business. Make sure you explore any national schemes that are available in your country too.
• Have a look at this website, bookdifferent.com , an OTA (online travel agent) offering a range of sustainable hotels and other eco-friendly accommodations all over the world. If you want to list your property on this OTA, you will be referred to a partner-ecolabel to begin the certification process.

TO BECOME CERTIFIED AS A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS, OR NOT?

If you cannot afford to become certified sustainable at this stage, you should incorporate sustainable practices in all your businesses activities as far as you are able to, and make sure that you record your activities and use your website to tell the story about your sustainability. Although certification is desirable, travellers will also be interested to know that your activities are sustainable and have a positive impact on the environment, people and local economy.

Travelife for Tour Operators

Travelife is an internationally recognised GSTC-accredited training, management and certification initiative for tour operators committed to reaching sustainability, with more than 400 members worldwide. Travelife is one of the best known sustainable tourism certification systems and widely adopted in Europe, so many operators in developing countries choose this standard for their business.

Travelife offers two separate but interrelated sustainability systems, one for tour operators and travel agencies, the other for hotels and accommodation providers. Benefits of joining the tour operator scheme include:

• Guidelines and templates for sustainability policies and contracts for internal and external implementation of sustainability.
• A personal coach (or trainer) to advise and support your organisation through the implementation stage.
• An online assessment of your activities and verification of your sustainability report.
• Seven online training courses for your staff and suppliers.
• The Travelife Award (subject to compliance with the Travelife requirements and standards).
• Five free calculations for your tour package’s carbon emissions.

Travelife Standard, Criteria and Tools

The Travelife Standard integrates management and performance criteria and is based on leading international sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) guidelines. These include the GSTC criteria ; ISO 14001 in Environmental Management and ISO 26000 in Corporate Social Responsibility Guidelines and Principles. The Travelife criteria have been developed around the major sustainability themes, detailed in the following table. In addition, specialist tools have been created to help members address these issues.

Table 3: Travelife Sustainability Themes and Tools to Address Sustainability Issues

Source: Travelife/Acorn Tourism Consulting

Travelife Certification Process

There is a three-stage approach to achieve sustainability certification under the Travelife scheme. Applicants usually complete each stage before progressing to the next.

Figure 9: The Stages of Travelife Sustainable Certification

To find out more about the three stages, also known as packages, visit Travelife’s membership packages page.

Travelife members are found across the tourism industry and include travel trade associations which promote Travelife to their members, such as ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) and ANVR (Netherlands Travel Trade Association). You can also browse Travelife’s current tour operator and travel agent members, arranged by country here .

When it comes to accommodation providers, many leading companies have joined Travelife to help improve sustainability in their own accommodation supply chain, like TUI and Hotelplan .

• If you organise trips, tours and experiences, consult the Travelife website to make sure you understand the requirements for certification.
• For more information about the Travelife sustainability programme for accommodation providers such as guest houses, hotels, hostels, and other tourism accommodation, visit the website, Travelife Accommodation Sustainability .

This study was carried out on behalf of CBI by Acorn Tourism Consulting Limited .

Please review our market information disclaimer .

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Sustainability in tourism is on the edge of a breakthrough. Present day consumers expect companies to minimize their environmental impact and maximize their social returns. More and more outbound operators expect their partners to work on sustainability. This offers a major competitive advantage for inbound operators who have reached certification. Certification is achievable for all companies, large and small and in all destinations. We do not expect you to do the impossible or anything which does not make business sense. To help businesses we have developed a comprehensive and inspirational training and tool package to lead you through the process and provide international recognition. Naut Kusters – General Manager, Travelife for Tour Operators

My advice to local tour operators would be to build sustainability into the heart of your business. Think carefully about all the positive and negative impacts your business has on the environment and communities where you operate.  Make and implement a clear plan to maximise the benefits and minimise the burdens. This will mean you can confidently communicate your approach, your progress and successes to the companies you do business with. Work closely with others in the destination where you operate to share challenges and solutions, and most of all emphasise how being a sustainable travel company offers a better customer experience – one that’s local, authentic, special and memorable.   Rebecca Armstrong, Destinations Programme Office,  The Travel Foundation

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The five steps to becoming a sustainable tourism business

• April 5, 2023

Image provided by Sandals Resorts

By Melinda Watt, Chief Scientist and Vice President Relationship Management

The tourism industry has a critical role to play in promoting sustainable development and protecting the natural and cultural resources that make travel possible. Here’s what it takes to become a sustainable tourism business. 

Sustainability has evolved into an essential component for long-term success within the tourism industry. Embracing sustainable practices demonstrates a commitment to responsible and enduring growth, benefiting both businesses and the environment.

With 55 per cent of visitors wanting to leave the places they visit better than when they arrive, sustainable tourism is not only good for the environment and local communities, it’s also good for business. Sustainable tourism businesses are simply better positioned to attract guests who are increasingly concerned about the impact of their travel choices. 

But it’s one thing to aspire to sustainability, and another to actually implement sustainable management practices in your business. 

To begin with, it’s important to define what we’re talking about when we talk about sustainability. According to the global standard definition used by the United Nations, sustainability means “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”. 

It’s about not taking more than your fair share, and making sure everyone around the world has the same access to a great quality of life – both now and into the future. 

In 2015, the United Nations established 17 goals as part of The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was signed by all United Nations member states. The goals cover the following themes:

• No poverty 
• Zero hunger 
• Good health and wellbeing 
• Quality education 
• Gender equality 
• Clean water and sanitation 
• Affordable and clean energy  
• Decent work and economic growth 
• Industry, innovation and infrastructure 
• Reduced inequalities 
• Sustainable cities and communities 
• Responsible consumption and production 
• Climate action 
• Life below water 
• Life on land 
• Peace, justice and strong institutions 
• Partnerships for the goals 

These goals can be related to any business – but the tourism industry, which represents about 10 per cent of the global workforce and is responsible for about 8 per cent of global carbon emissions , has a particularly significant role to play. 

Sustainability management is the combination of business strategies, operations and behaviours you use to complement your business performance with your sustainability outcomes. 

In short, it’s about managing your resources throughout your business with future generations in mind. 

EarthCheck is committed to supporting businesses to make positive, lasting change, which is why we developed EarthCheck Certified almost 25 years ago. 

It’s a certification program for environmental and social sustainability used by hundreds of travel and tourism-related organisations in more than 70 countries, from resorts and hotels to convention centres, tour operators and transportation. 

By following the steps laid out in the EarthCheck Company Standard , you are building a sustainability management system (SMS) for your business enabling you to achieve your sustainability goals and positively impact the world around you. 

Step one: Commitment 

Your business should appoint a sustainability champion and supporting green team whose role is to ensure the SMS is developed and implemented. The sustainability champion’s role should also include reporting on the business’ performance to management and key stakeholders, using the metrics identified in the SMS. 

The first step in an organisation’s journey towards sustainability is a commitment that sustainability isn’t an add-on, but an integral part of the vision and mission of your business. 

To demonstrate this commitment, you need a sustainability policy. This policy should strategically outline your commitment to sustainability by highlighting your goals, and how you’ll achieve them.  

To write your policy, you’ll need to identify your business scope – the areas your business has control over. 

Your policy should include the following commitments within your scope. 

Protection of the environment 

Your sustainability policy should commit your business to preventing adverse environmental impacts from your operations, and reducing your consumption of natural resources. 

Continuous Improvement 

Your policy should commit your business to developing and improving your environmental, energy and social sustainability efforts over time, and assessing your performance by setting annual targets and goals. 

Compliance 

Your business needs to commit to being in compliance with all international, national and local laws and regulations that apply to it. This includes not only environmental laws, but also human rights and health standards.

Employment 

Your policy should include your commitment to hiring local people, including for management positions, and contributing to local employment and economic development. 

Procurement 

Finally, your policy should commit your business to supporting local products and services, and giving preference to products and services that follow fair trade principles. 

Once you have your policy, it needs to be supported and signed off on by the person at the highest managerial level – usually the CEO or General Manager – to ensure it will be adopted by the entire business. 

It should be promoted and communicated to all key stakeholders – including employees, customers and suppliers – and it should be made publicly available. 

Your policy should be reviewed annually, to ensure it still aligns to your sustainability journey, and staff should receive training as required so they can meet the requirements of the policy as it evolves over time. 

Step two: Measuring and benchmarking your performance 

At EarthCheck, there’s one simple credo that we live by – what gets measured gets managed. 

If you have an understanding of how you’re currently performing, and how that performance compares to your competitors, you can identify areas where your business might be able to improve your sustainability practices. 

To help understand your performance, the EarthCheck Certified program uses these 10 key performance areas (KPAs). These KPAs, which include a range of environmental, economic and social metrics, are aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. 

• Greenhouse gas emissions 
• Energy efficiency, conservation and management 
• Management of freshwater resources 
• Ecosystem conservation and management 
• Social and cultural management 
• Land use planning and management 
• Air quality protection 
• Wastewater management 
• Solid waste management 
• Environmentally harmful substances 

Measuring your performance 

Before you start collecting data, it’s important to get your methodology correct up front, so you’re consistently measuring and monitoring your performance. It’s important to keep your methods simple and replicable, so other team members can repeat them in the future. 

First, decide on a suitable data collection period. At EarthCheck, we recommend a 12-month period – this will help you to recognise trends over time and avoid overreacting to seasonal changes. 

Next, identify the data you want to collect and how. Make sure you incorporate any existing data collection methods – for instance, if you’re already collecting water meter readings, make this part of your methodology for monitoring water consumption. You can also collect water consumption data from water bills. 

Similarly, energy consumption can be collected from energy or gas bills, meter readings or utility reports. You can also measure the waste your business is disposing of by reviewing waste disposal bills or weighing it over a defined period. 

The EarthCheck steps help you to develop your methodology, and identify what’s missing in the data you’re currently collecting.

As well as monitoring the 10 KPAs, businesses can nominate optional indicators to other campaigns and initiatives they may support or work on.

For instance, you may want to track the number of trees you plant, the number of hours you volunteer, or the number of turtle hatchlings you release into the wild.  

Benchmarking your performance 

Once you know how you’re performing, you can compare your performance to your peers.

EarthCheck uses benchmarks to gauge your performance against other businesses. But not just any other businesses – you are compared to businesses within your sector, country, region and climate zone.

Using applicable activity measures – measures that reflect the key operations of your business, e.g. guest nights for accommodation operators – EarthCheck compares your performance to similar businesses. 

EarthCheck has carried out comprehensive global research, gathering over 100 million data points over two decades. This research has been used to establish benchmarks for over 30 travel and tourism industries. To keep up with the latest best practices, EarthCheck updates these benchmarks each year.

Actions you can take to improve your performance and reach your benchmarks include: 

• Implementing energy-efficient practices and reducing the use of non-renewable resources. 
• Using eco-friendly products and services wherever possible, such as recycled paper and eco-friendly cleaning products. 
• Promoting water conservation practices and implementing water-efficient technologies.
• Implementing recycling and composting programs and minimising the use of disposable products. 
• Using sustainable transport options, such as electric or hybrid vehicles, and encouraging guests to use public or alternative transport options. 
• Engaging with local communities positively and meaningfully, respecting local customs and traditions while promoting cultural exchange. 
• Promoting sustainable food practices, such as using locally sourced, organic and seasonal ingredients and minimising food waste. 
• Promoting relevant conservation initiatives and participating in environmental restoration projects. 
• Educating guests about sustainable tourism practices. 
• Partnering with other sustainable tourism businesses and organisations to promote sustainability and share best practices. 

Jamey Ford, Director of Global Engineering & Asset Management at Kerzner International, has been using EarthCheck’s performance benchmarks to make improvements to the group’s properties for the last four years. 

“As an organisation with a global footprint, it’s extremely important for us to have a globally recognised framework to adhere to,” he says. “And because EarthCheck’s platform is specifically tailored to the travel and tourism industry, the partnership works very well between us. 

“The EarthCheck Certified program has given us a framework to enter all of our data into, which gives us a clarity we have not had before. From our Global HQ in Dubai, I now have access to a dashboard that gives me insight into the performance of all of our properties across the world. Having that structure in place really helps to drive us forward and ensure we’re improving year-on-year.”

Step three: Governance and risk management 

Governance establishes a framework for your business to promote sustainability while operating within legal and ethical boundaries. This includes complying with all applicable local, national and international laws and regulations, and keeping a legal register of the legislation that applies to your business – and it also includes identifying and mitigating risk.

Risk, in this context, is the potential for ecological harm or adverse environmental impact as a result of the activities your business undertakes. 

The first step is to identify risks, and break them down into categories. These can include: 

• Environmental, social and cultural risks 
• Risks to business processes and systems 
• Legal and regulatory compliance risks
• Risks from external influences, such as extreme weather and cost increases 
• Financial risks 
• Health and safety risks 
• The risks of emergencies and accidents 
• Reputational risks 

Once you’ve identified risks, you need to assess them by applying a risk assessment matrix. In other words, you need to consider how likely the risks are, and what the consequences would be if they were to occur. This will help you to determine which risks you need to prioritise. 

To do your own risk assessment for your business, ask yourself these three questions: 

• How likely is the risk to impact the environment and/or the business? 
• How severe will the consequences be for the social, cultural and ecological environment? 
• Can the risk be mitigated or prevented, and at what cost? 

Your risk assessment should be reviewed and updated annually, because the likelihood and consequences of risks are ever-changing. For instance, you’re almost certainly more likely to face a data breach now than you were five years ago, and you’re probably more likely to encounter a disruption to your supply chain now than you were before the pandemic. 

Conducting this assessment regularly helps you to be proactive, rather than reactive, in developing strategies to minimise, mitigate and manage risks, increase operational efficiency, and enhance your business’ social and environmental performance. 

It also directly informs your next step – the development of a sustainability management system. 

Step four: Developing a sustainability management system 

Now that you have your policies and plans, it’s time to create a formal structure to put them into place.

An SMS is the framework for documenting all of your policies, procedures and plans relating to the 10 KPAs. 

It should include your sustainability policy and risk assessment, as well as your goals, targets, legal register, standard operating procedures, waste management plan, complaints policy and procedures, benchmarking methodology, and communication plan. 

It should include the metrics that you use to measure and monitor your performance, and details about which teams are responsible for which of your sustainability practices. 

An SMS, such as the one contained within the MyEarthCheck portal, keeps all of this documentation in one place

It’s important to remember that sustainability is everyone’s responsibility. All staff should be engaged with the development and implementation of the SMS, and receive periodic training – from their induction onwards – to ensure they know their responsibilities and can fulfil their role in the SMS’ requirements. 

It’s also important to keep in mind that developing your SMS is an ongoing process, and it will continually improve as you embark on your sustainability journey. 

Step five: Communication 

The final step is to communicate that your business is committed to making tourism a positive contributor to the environment, the economy, and the community. 

Of course, everybody loves a quiet achiever, but communicating your sustainability story is important. 

Effective communication can be a powerful tool in engaging your business stakeholders – your team, suppliers, communities and visitors – to support you to achieve the sustainability outcomes you’re striving for. 

According to Unily’s Decade of Disruption: Future of the Sustainable Workplace report , only 16 per cent of workers believe their employers have clearly communicated their sustainability policies – despite the fact that 65 per cent of those same respondents are more likely to work for a company with a strong sustainability policy. 

And at a time when 61 per cent of travellers want to know more about how to travel sustainably, and 80 per cent are expressing a desire to learn about local culture when on vacation, effective communication can encourage visitors to change their behaviour while visiting national, cultural and heritage sites, and to participate in your sustainability initiatives. It can also influence the decision-making of future visitors who see that your business’ values align with their own. 

It can turn your visitors and staff into your best ambassadors, and give you a competitive advantage against other businesses who don’t share your strength on social, cultural and environmental issues. 

Effective communication can lead to increased word-of-mouth business, repeat visitation, and additional media publicity and coverage. 

EarthCheck’s tips for effective sustainability communication include: 

• Align your messages to different audiences when communicating your sustainability goals, outcomes and processes. For instance, your communication with your own team will look different to your communication with visitors. 
• Be authentic and transparent in your communication. Be accurate, and don’t ever promise more than you can deliver. 
• Respond to any feedback you receive, and listen to different points of view. 
• Make your communications engaging. For instance, don’t just share the details of your initiatives or your activity measures – put them in context and tell people what they mean and why they’re important. 
• Acknowledge every win! 

Sustainability certification is an effective tool for communicating your sustainability story to visitors, suppliers and other stakeholders. With 84 per cent of consumers actively seeking positive environmental commitments from the companies they do business with, it’s important to have your sustainability policies, activities and initiatives verified and assessed by an independent third party such as EarthCheck. 

EarthCheck’s independent audit creates a sense of trust in the marketplace, and our science-based approach can help your business to achieve your sustainability vision and goals. 

EarthCheck is here to help tourism businesses like yours increase your efficiencies, maximise your visitor experience, and minimise your footprint on an ongoing basis. 

Learn more about EarthCheck’s sustainability certification programs for tourism businesses here . 

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Read our acknowledgement of country.

© 2023 EarthCheck

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© 2022 EarthCheck

Acknowledgement of country.

There are more than 476 million Indigenous Peoples, found in all regions of the world, from the Arctic to the tropical forests. They make up more than 6 per cent of our global population.

In the spirit of reconciliation, EarthCheck acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout the world and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous Peoples today.

EarthCheck acknowledges that Indigenous Peoples are guardians of the forests and biodiversity hotspots we all depend on. Research shows that lands managed by Indigenous Peoples, with secure rights, experience lower deforestation rates, store more carbon, hold more biodiversity, and benefit more people than other lands — including protected areas.

We recognise and support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration is a positive document that maps out a path for Indigenous Peoples to be free from discrimination and secure in their identities and life choices.

EarthCheck Certified: Aligned globally

EarthCheck science and products were developed by the Australian Government Sustainable Tourism Co-operative Research Centre (STCRC) over ten years. Our science is reviewed annually to ensure that it meets international standards relative to greenhouse gas protocols, responsible tourism, and certification.

EarthCheck products and services are built on the Agenda 21 principles for Sustainable Development endorsed by 182 Heads of State at the United Nations Rio De Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992 and aligned to the SDGs.

EarthCheck Certified provides a framework for organisations to achieve the desired outcomes for sustainable development as set out in the final report of the World Summit for Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002.

EarthCheck Certified complies with the Mohonk Agreement (2000), which outlines the guidelines and principles for an international sustainable tourism certification program. It is also a Recognised program of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

EarthCheck Certified is a verification standard accepted by CDP. It is also an approved program of the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA), London & Partners, the Mexican Secretary of Tourism (SECTUR) and the City of Sydney.

EarthCheck Certified is an approved program for meeting the EU Energy Directive for the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle – BAFA) in Germany and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy) in the Netherlands.

EarthCheck partners with international research organisations to maintain the currency of EarthCheck science and our benchmarking systems.

The EarthCheck brand signifies scientific excellence, better environmental, economic, and social performance, improved community interactions, and savings through more efficient use of resources. It provides recognition and promotional support to a global consumer market.

How global tourism can become more sustainable, inclusive and resilient

A sanitary mask lies on the ground at Frankfurt Airport Image:  Reuters/Ralph Orlowski

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Stay up to date:, travel and tourism.

• Tourism rose to the forefront of the global agenda in 2020, due to the devastating impact of COVID-19
• Recovery will be driven by technology and innovation – specifically seamless travel solutions, but it will be long, uneven and slow
• Success hinges on international coordination and collaboration across the public and private sectors

Tourism was one of the sectors hit hardest by the global pandemic. 2020 was the worst year on record for international travel due to the global pandemic, with countries taking decisive action to protect their citizens, closing borders and halting international travel.

The result was a 74% decline in international visitor arrivals, equivalent to over $1 trillion revenue losses , and an estimated 62 million fewer jobs . The impact on international air travel has been even more severe with a 90% drop on 2019 , resulting in a potential $1.8 trillion loss. And while the economic impact is dire in itself, nearly 2.9 million lives have been lost in the pandemic.

The path to recovery will be long and slow

Countries now face the challenge of reopening borders to resume travel and commerce, while protecting their populations’ health. At its peak, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reported in April 2020 that every country on earth had implemented some travel restriction , signalling the magnitude of the operation to restart travel.

Have you read?

Tourism industry experts fear long road to recovery, how we can prioritize sustainability in rebuilding tourism, covid-19 could set the global tourism industry back 20 years.

Consequently, the path to recovery will be long and slow. The resurgence of cases following the discovery of new variants towards the end of last year delivered another disappointing blow to the travel industry. Any pickup over the summer months was quashed following a second wave of lockdowns and border closures . Coupled with mixed progress in the roll-out of vaccination programs, I predict that we will not see a significant rebound in international travel until the middle of this year at best.

Others echo my fears. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts a 50.4% improvement on 2020 air travel demand, which would bring the industry to 50.6% of 2019 levels . However, a more pessimistic outlook based on the persistence of travel restrictions suggests that demand may only pick up by 13% this year, leaving the industry at 38% of 2019 levels. McKinsey & Company similarly predict that tourism expenditure may not return to pre-COVID-19 levels until 2024 .

How to enhance sustainability, inclusivity and resilience

Given its economic might – employing 330 million people, contributing 10% to global GDP before the pandemic, and predicted to create 100 million new jobs – restoring the travel and tourism sector to a position of strength is the utmost priority.

The Great Reset provides an opportunity to rethink how tourism is delivered and to enhance sustainability, inclusivity and resilience. We must also address the challenges – from climate change and “ overtourism ” to capacity constraints – that we faced before the pandemic, while embracing traveller preferences, as we rebuild.

A 2018 study found that global tourism accounted for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions from 2009 to 2013 ; four times higher than previous estimates. Even more worryingly, this puts progress towards the Paris Agreement at risk – recovery efforts must centre around environmental sustainability.

Furthermore, according to a study on managing overcrowding, the top 20 most popular global destinations were predicted to add more international arrivals than the rest of the world combined by 2020 . While COVID-19 will have disrupted this trend, it is well known that consumers want to travel again, and we must address the issues associated with overcrowding, especially in nascent destinations, like Saudi Arabia.

The Great Reset is a chance to make sure that as we rebuild, we do it better.

Seamless solutions lie at the heart of travel recovery

Tourism has the potential to be an engine of economic recovery provided we work collaboratively to adopt a common approach to a safe and secure reopening process – and conversations on this are already underway.

Through the G20, which Saudi Arabia hosted in 2020, our discussions focused on how to leverage technology and innovation in response to the crisis, as well as how to restore traveller confidence and improve the passenger experience in the future .

At the global level, across the public and private sectors, the World Economic Forum is working with the Commons Project on the CommonPass framework , which will allow individuals to access lab results and vaccination records, and consent to having that information used to validate their COVID status. IATA is trialling the Travel Pass with airlines and governments , which seeks to be a global and standardized solution to validate and authenticate all country regulations regarding COVID-19 travel requirements.

The provision of solutions that minimize person-to-person contact responds to consumer wants, with IATA finding that 85% of travellers would feel safer with touchless processing . Furthermore, 44% said they would share personal data to enable this, up from 30% months prior , showing a growing trend for contactless travel processes.

Such solutions will be critical in coordinating the opening of international borders in a way that is safe, seamless and secure, while giving tourists the confidence to travel again.

Collaboration at the international level is critical

The availability of vaccines will make this easier, and we have commenced our vaccination programme in Saudi Arabia . But we need to ensure processes and protocols are aligned globally, and that we support countries with limited access to vaccinations to eliminate the threat of another resurgence. It is only when businesses and travellers have confidence in the systems that the sector will flourish again.

In an era of unprecedented data and ubiquitous intelligence, it is essential that organizations reimagine how they manage personal data and digital identities. By empowering individuals and offering them ways to control their own data, user-centric digital identities enable trusted physical and digital interactions – from government services or e-payments to health credentials, safe mobility or employment.

The World Economic Forum curates the Platform for Good Digital Identity to advance global digital identity activities that are collaborative and put the user interest at the center.

The Forum convenes public-private digital identity collaborations from travel, health, financial services in a global action and learning network – to understand common challenges and capture solutions useful to support current and future coalitions. Additionally, industry-specific models such as Known Traveller Digital Identity or decentralized identity models show that digital identity solutions respecting the individual are possible.

The approach taken by Saudi Arabia and its partners to establish consensus and build collaborative relationships internationally and between the public and private sectors, should serve as a model to be replicated so that we can maximize the tourism sector’s contribution to the global economic recovery, while ensuring that it becomes a driver of prosperity and social progress again.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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What Is Sustainable Tourism and Why Is It Important?

Sustainable management and socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental impacts are the four pillars of sustainable tourism

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What Makes Tourism Sustainable?

The role of tourists, types of sustainable tourism.

Sustainable tourism considers its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts by addressing the needs of its ecological surroundings and the local communities. This is achieved by protecting natural environments and wildlife when developing and managing tourism activities, providing only authentic experiences for tourists that don’t appropriate or misrepresent local heritage and culture, or creating direct socioeconomic benefits for local communities through training and employment.

As people begin to pay more attention to sustainability and the direct and indirect effects of their actions, travel destinations and organizations are following suit. For example, the New Zealand Tourism Sustainability Commitment is aiming to see every New Zealand tourism business committed to sustainability by 2025, while the island country of Palau has required visitors to sign an eco pledge upon entry since 2017.

Tourism industries are considered successfully sustainable when they can meet the needs of travelers while having a low impact on natural resources and generating long-term employment for locals. By creating positive experiences for local people, travelers, and the industry itself, properly managed sustainable tourism can meet the needs of the present without compromising the future.

What Is Sustainability?

At its core, sustainability focuses on balance — maintaining our environmental, social, and economic benefits without using up the resources that future generations will need to thrive. In the past, sustainability ideals tended to lean towards business, though more modern definitions of sustainability highlight finding ways to avoid depleting natural resources in order to keep an ecological balance and maintain the quality of environmental and human societies.

Since tourism impacts and is impacted by a wide range of different activities and industries, all sectors and stakeholders (tourists, governments, host communities, tourism businesses) need to collaborate on sustainable tourism in order for it to be successful.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) , which is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of sustainable tourism, and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) , the global standard for sustainable travel and tourism, have similar opinions on what makes tourism sustainable. By their account, sustainable tourism should make the best use of environmental resources while helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity, respect the socio-culture of local host communities, and contribute to intercultural understanding. Economically, it should also ensure viable long-term operations that will provide benefits to all stakeholders, whether that includes stable employment to locals, social services, or contributions to poverty alleviation.

The GSTC has developed a series of criteria to create a common language about sustainable travel and tourism. These criteria are used to distinguish sustainable destinations and organizations, but can also help create sustainable policies for businesses and government agencies. Arranged in four pillars, the global baseline standards include sustainable management, socioeconomic impact, cultural impacts, and environmental impacts.

Travel Tip:

The GSTC is an excellent resource for travelers who want to find sustainably managed destinations and accommodations and learn how to become a more sustainable traveler in general.

Environment 

Protecting natural environments is the bedrock of sustainable tourism. Data released by the World Tourism Organization estimates that tourism-based CO2 emissions are forecast to increase 25% by 2030. In 2016, tourism transport-related emissions contributed to 5% of all man-made emissions, while transport-related emissions from long-haul international travel were expected to grow 45% by 2030.

The environmental ramifications of tourism don’t end with carbon emissions, either. Unsustainably managed tourism can create waste problems, lead to land loss or soil erosion, increase natural habitat loss, and put pressure on endangered species . More often than not, the resources in these places are already scarce, and sadly, the negative effects can contribute to the destruction of the very environment on which the industry depends.

Industries and destinations that want to be sustainable must do their part to conserve resources, reduce pollution, and conserve biodiversity and important ecosystems. In order to achieve this, proper resource management and management of waste and emissions is important. In Bali, for example, tourism consumes 65% of local water resources, while in Zanzibar, tourists use 15 times as much water per night as local residents.

Another factor to environmentally focused sustainable tourism comes in the form of purchasing: Does the tour operator, hotel, or restaurant favor locally sourced suppliers and products? How do they manage their food waste and dispose of goods? Something as simple as offering paper straws instead of plastic ones can make a huge dent in an organization’s harmful pollutant footprint.

Recently, there has been an uptick in companies that promote carbon offsetting . The idea behind carbon offsetting is to compensate for generated greenhouse gas emissions by canceling out emissions somewhere else. Much like the idea that reducing or reusing should be considered first before recycling , carbon offsetting shouldn’t be the primary goal. Sustainable tourism industries always work towards reducing emissions first and offset what they can’t.

Properly managed sustainable tourism also has the power to provide alternatives to need-based professions and behaviors like poaching . Often, and especially in underdeveloped countries, residents turn to environmentally harmful practices due to poverty and other social issues. At Periyar Tiger Reserve in India, for example, an unregulated increase in tourists made it more difficult to control poaching in the area. In response, an eco development program aimed at providing employment for locals turned 85 former poachers into reserve gamekeepers. Under supervision of the reserve’s management staff, the group of gamekeepers have developed a series of tourism packages and are now protecting land instead of exploiting it. They’ve found that jobs in responsible wildlife tourism are more rewarding and lucrative than illegal work.

Flying nonstop and spending more time in a single destination can help save CO2, since planes use more fuel the more times they take off.

Local Culture and Residents

One of the most important and overlooked aspects of sustainable tourism is contributing to protecting, preserving, and enhancing local sites and traditions. These include areas of historical, archaeological, or cultural significance, but also "intangible heritage," such as ceremonial dance or traditional art techniques.

In cases where a site is being used as a tourist attraction, it is important that the tourism doesn’t impede access to local residents. For example, some tourist organizations create local programs that offer residents the chance to visit tourism sites with cultural value in their own countries. A program called “Children in the Wilderness” run by Wilderness Safaris educates children in rural Africa about the importance of wildlife conservation and valuable leadership development tools. Vacations booked through travel site Responsible Travel contribute to the company’s “Trip for a Trip” program, which organizes day trips for disadvantaged youth who live near popular tourist destinations but have never had the opportunity to visit.

Sustainable tourism bodies work alongside communities to incorporate various local cultural expressions as part of a traveler’s experiences and ensure that they are appropriately represented. They collaborate with locals and seek their input on culturally appropriate interpretation of sites, and train guides to give visitors a valuable (and correct) impression of the site. The key is to inspire travelers to want to protect the area because they understand its significance.

Bhutan, a small landlocked country in South Asia, has enforced a system of all-inclusive tax for international visitors since 1997 ($200 per day in the off season and $250 per day in the high season). This way, the government is able to restrict the tourism market to local entrepreneurs exclusively and restrict tourism to specific regions, ensuring that the country’s most precious natural resources won’t be exploited.

Incorporating volunteer work into your vacation is an amazing way to learn more about the local culture and help contribute to your host community at the same time. You can also book a trip that is focused primarily on volunteer work through a locally run charity or non profit (just be sure that the job isn’t taking employment opportunities away from residents).

It's not difficult to make a business case for sustainable tourism, especially if one looks at a destination as a product. Think of protecting a destination, cultural landmark, or ecosystem as an investment. By keeping the environment healthy and the locals happy, sustainable tourism will maximize the efficiency of business resources. This is especially true in places where locals are more likely to voice their concerns if they feel like the industry is treating visitors better than residents.

Not only does reducing reliance on natural resources help save money in the long run, studies have shown that modern travelers are likely to participate in environmentally friendly tourism. In 2019, Booking.com found that 73% of travelers preferred an eco-sustainable hotel over a traditional one and 72% of travelers believed that people need to make sustainable travel choices for the sake of future generations.

Always be mindful of where your souvenirs are coming from and whether or not the money is going directly towards the local economy. For example, opt for handcrafted souvenirs made by local artisans.

Growth in the travel and tourism sectors alone has outpaced the overall global economy growth for nine years in a row. Prior to the pandemic, travel and tourism accounted for an $9.6 trillion contribution to the global GDP and 333 million jobs (or one in four new jobs around the world).

Sustainable travel dollars help support employees, who in turn pay taxes that contribute to their local economy. If those employees are not paid a fair wage or aren’t treated fairly, the traveler is unknowingly supporting damaging or unsustainable practices that do nothing to contribute to the future of the community. Similarly, if a hotel doesn’t take into account its ecological footprint, it may be building infrastructure on animal nesting grounds or contributing to excessive pollution. The same goes for attractions, since sustainably managed spots (like nature preserves) often put profits towards conservation and research.

Costa Rica was able to turn a severe deforestation crisis in the 1980s into a diversified tourism-based economy by designating 25.56% of land protected as either a national park, wildlife refuge, or reserve.

While traveling, think of how you would want your home country or home town to be treated by visitors.

Are You a Sustainable Traveler?

Sustainable travelers understand that their actions create an ecological and social footprint on the places they visit. Be mindful of the destinations , accommodations, and activities you choose, and choose destinations that are closer to home or extend your length of stay to save resources. Consider switching to more environmentally friendly modes of transportation such as bicycles, trains, or walking while on vacation. Look into supporting locally run tour operations or local family-owned businesses rather than large international chains. Don’t engage in activities that harm wildlife, such as elephant riding or tiger petting , and opt instead for a wildlife sanctuary (or better yet, attend a beach clean up or plan an hour or two of some volunteer work that interests you). Leave natural areas as you found them by taking out what you carry in, not littering, and respecting the local residents and their traditions.

Most of us travel to experience the world. New cultures, new traditions, new sights and smells and tastes are what makes traveling so rewarding. It is our responsibility as travelers to ensure that these destinations are protected not only for the sake of the communities who rely upon them, but for a future generation of travelers.

Sustainable tourism has many different layers, most of which oppose the more traditional forms of mass tourism that are more likely to lead to environmental damage, loss of culture, pollution, negative economic impacts, and overtourism.

Ecotourism highlights responsible travel to natural areas that focus on environmental conservation. A sustainable tourism body supports and contributes to biodiversity conservation by managing its own property responsibly and respecting or enhancing nearby natural protected areas (or areas of high biological value). Most of the time, this looks like a financial compensation to conservation management, but it can also include making sure that tours, attractions, and infrastructure don’t disturb natural ecosystems.

On the same page, wildlife interactions with free roaming wildlife should be non-invasive and managed responsibly to avoid negative impacts to the animals. As a traveler, prioritize visits to accredited rescue and rehabilitation centers that focus on treating, rehoming, or releasing animals back into the wild, such as the Jaguar Rescue Center in Costa Rica.

Soft Tourism

Soft tourism may highlight local experiences, local languages, or encourage longer time spent in individual areas. This is opposed to hard tourism featuring short duration of visits, travel without respecting culture, taking lots of selfies , and generally feeling a sense of superiority as a tourist.

Many World Heritage Sites, for example, pay special attention to protection, preservation, and sustainability by promoting soft tourism. Peru’s famed Machu Picchu was previously known as one of the world’s worst victims of overtourism , or a place of interest that has experienced negative effects (such as traffic or litter) from excessive numbers of tourists. The attraction has taken steps to control damages in recent years, requiring hikers to hire local guides on the Inca Trail, specifying dates and time on visitor tickets to negate overcrowding, and banning all single use plastics from the site.

Traveling during a destination’s shoulder season , the period between the peak and low seasons, typically combines good weather and low prices without the large crowds. This allows better opportunities to immerse yourself in a new place without contributing to overtourism, but also provides the local economy with income during a normally slow season.

Rural Tourism

Rural tourism applies to tourism that takes place in non-urbanized areas such as national parks, forests, nature reserves, and mountain areas. This can mean anything from camping and glamping to hiking and WOOFing. Rural tourism is a great way to practice sustainable tourism, since it usually requires less use of natural resources.

Community Tourism

Community-based tourism involves tourism where local residents invite travelers to visit their own communities. It sometimes includes overnight stays and often takes place in rural or underdeveloped countries. This type of tourism fosters connection and enables tourists to gain an in-depth knowledge of local habitats, wildlife, and traditional cultures — all while providing direct economic benefits to the host communities. Ecuador is a world leader in community tourism, offering unique accommodation options like the Sani Lodge run by the local Kichwa indigenous community, which offers responsible cultural experiences in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest.

" Transport-related CO 2  Emissions of the Tourism Sector – Modelling Results ." World Tourism Organization and International Transport Forum , 2019, doi:10.18111/9789284416660

" 45 Arrivals Every Second ." The World Counts.

Becken, Susanne. " Water Equity- Contrasting Tourism Water Use With That of the Local Community ." Water Resources and Industry , vol. 7-8, 2014, pp. 9-22, doi:10.1016/j.wri.2014.09.002

Kutty, Govindan M., and T.K. Raghavan Nair. " Periyar Tiger Reserve: Poachers Turned Gamekeepers ." Food and Agriculture Organization.

" GSTC Destination Criteria ." Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Rinzin, Chhewang, et al. " Ecotourism as a Mechanism for Sustainable Development: the Case of Bhutan ." Environmental Sciences , vol. 4, no. 2, 2007, pp. 109-125, doi:10.1080/15693430701365420

" Booking.com Reveals Key Findings From Its 2019 Sustainable Travel Report ." Booking.com.

" Economic Impact Reports ." World Travel and Tourism Council .

• Regenerative Travel: What It Is and How It's Outperforming Sustainable Tourism
• How to Be a Sustainable Traveler: 18 Tips
• What Is Ecotourism? Definition, Examples, and Pros and Cons
• Some Advice on How to Travel More Intentionally
• 'The Last Tourist' Film Will Make You Approach Travel Differently
• Best of Green Awards 2021: Sustainable Travel
• Costa Rica’s Keys to Success as a Sustainable Tourism Pioneer
• What Is Community-Based Tourism? Definition and Popular Destinations
• What Is Overtourism and Why Is It Such a Big Problem?
• What Is Experiential Tourism?
• What Is Voluntourism? Does It Help or Harm Communities?
• Food Sovereignty: Definition, Principles, and Importance
• Best of Green Awards 2021: Eco Tech
• 10 Ways to Be an Eco-Conscious Tourist
• Travel + Leisure's Global Vision Awards Are a Win for the Planet
• Spain Starts a School for Shepherdesses

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GSTC2024 Global Conference

Royal djurgården, stockholm, sweden - april 23-26, public consultation, revision of the gstc accreditation manual for certification of hotel/accommodation & tour operator v.4.0, gstc criteria, the global sustainability standards in travel and tourism, for hotels & accommodations, for tour operators, for destinations & governments, for corporate & business travel, for certification bodies, for travelers, recent news.

GSTC Sustainable Tourism Trainings in five destinations sponsored by JTA concluded successfully

Stefi 2024-03-28T18:28:20+08:00 March 28th, 2024 |

GSTC was present at ITB Berlin 2024

Stefi 2024-03-28T17:23:51+08:00 March 28th, 2024 |

GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training sponsored by DASTA in Thailand concluded successfully

Stefi 2024-03-27T17:27:26+08:00 March 27th, 2024 |

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Greenview: Climate crisis and the tourism industry | May 9th, 2024

Adriana Pizzi 2024-03-22T22:43:18+08:00 May 12th, 2022 |

Responsible Practices for Small Tour Operators: Insights from the Karakoram Region | May 15th, 2024

Adriana Pizzi 2024-03-22T22:48:56+08:00 May 11th, 2022 |

GSTC Webinar Recording: Accessible & Inclusive Travel

rariel 2023-07-07T22:53:57+08:00 June 14th, 2019 |

UPCOMING TRAININGS

GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course (Bahasa Indonesia) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 14-16 May, 2024

Jisun Kim 2024-03-07T19:23:31+08:00 February 29th, 2024 |

Σεμινάριο Αειφόρου Τουρισμού GSTC (Ελληνικά) στην Αθήνα, Ελλάδα, 28-29 Μαρτίου, 2024

Jisun Kim 2024-02-09T17:47:06+08:00 February 9th, 2024 |

Σεμινάριο Αειφόρου Τουρισμού GSTC (Ελληνικά) στην Αθήνα, Ελλάδα, 27-28 Φεβρουαρίου 2024

Jisun Kim 2024-02-09T17:26:09+08:00 February 9th, 2024 |

CURRENT PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS

GSTC Attraction Criteria Development Public Consultation (until March 15th)

Public Consultation on GSTC Accreditation Manual Revision v.4.0 (until April 6th)

“The St. Kitts Sustainable Destination Council was founded based on the principles of the GSTC Criteria for Destinations following St. Kitts and Nevis’s GSTC destination sustainability assessment.” Diannille Taylor‑Williams St. Kitts Ministry of Tourism

“We have been using the GSTC Criteria to prepare service providers and DMOs for possible future certifications.” Annika Sandström Tourism Manager, Region Västerbotten (Sweden)

“Taking WWF’s recommendation of GSTC also simplified processes for RCL and promises to do the same for consumers.” Stephanie DeMars Corporate Responsibility Specialist, Royal Caribbean Cruises

“ Certifications give travelers reassurance and orientation. However, we also know there are certifications of varying quality in the tourism sector. That’s why we have been working with the GSTC, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, for our hotels since 2012. We only accept sustainability certifications that are recognised by the independent GSTC and meet its strict standards .” Ian Corbett Head of Sustainability in TUI Group’s international sustainability team

“ The GSTC certification is a testament to Marina Bay Sands’ ongoing commitment to minimize our environmental impact while providing our guests with a luxurious experience. Being the largest hotel in Singapore to be GSTC-certified shows our commitment in raising the bar for the industry and inspiring other players to adopt more sustainable practices. “ Meridith Beaujean Executive Director of Sustainability, Marina Bay Sands

“ With members spanning across the world, GSTC’s rigorous accreditation program not only elevates our initiative but also ensures that the hospitality sector worldwide moves toward a unified vision of sustainability .” Julia Simpson WTTC President & CEO

“ We are honored to be among the first U.S. destinations to join the GSTC . We look forward to collaborating with GSTC and the Los Angeles City Tourism Department to build a thriving industry that improves the quality of life for all Angelenos. “ Adam Burke President and CEO, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

“ Joining the GSTC signifies our unwavering commitment to ensuring our activities are consistent with the long-term health of the communities and ecosystems where we operate. Through the GSTC community, we look forward to further collaboration with our partners across the travel and tourism industry to pave the way for a more sustainable and vibrant future . “ Caitrin O’Brien Vice President, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

“There can be hundreds of different sustainable tourism standards to choose from. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council has a reliable guide, and maintains recent sustainability criteria for hotels, destinations and tour operators.” Erik Solheim  Previous Executive Director, UN Environment

“ Japan Airlines is honored to become a member of the GSTC. JAL places ESG strategy at the core of its management plan and strives to make various efforts. We expect to learn a lot from the council and make progress in our efforts to realize a sustainable society. “ OCHI Kenichiro Managing Executive Officer of Japan Airlines

“We want to increase consumer awareness of GSTC as the leading tourism sustainability standard. In the future, we hope that all certified suppliers will be able to use the GSTC logo.” Jim Sano Vice President for Travel, Tourism and Conservation, WWF

“ Being part of the GSTC provides us with ongoing connection to a global framework and network of professionals who are looking to solve the same challenges. We are really motivated to be part of it, and to learn, share and work together to ensure the industry we all love stays protected and respected for our future generations to enjoy. “ Jemma Fastnedge  Chief Sustainability Officer, Big Red Group

“ The GSTC’s Industry Criteria played an important role from the very beginning in terms of how we set that measure and approached the overall development of the program. For the Travel Sustainable program and all the relevant interconnected systems we have in place at Booking.com to support it to have achieved GSTC-Recognized status is something we are incredibly proud of and encourages us to continue evolving the program further in line with these high standards .” Danielle D’Silva Head of Sustainability at Booking.com

“ Collaborating with an esteemed body like GSTC reinforces our dedication to leading the industry towards a more sustainable future. It’s imperative that we work with key global players like GSTC to drive change, set benchmarks, and inspire others to follow.” Julia Simpson WTTC President & CEO

“There are lots of different certification bodies offering eco-certifications around the world. We’d recommend selecting one that is officially recognised or accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)” Booking.com

“No other organization than GSTC stands for such a diverse and global group of sustainable tourism players. The regular exchange with GSTC has significantly helped us to strengthen our approach and to learn from the best practices of the international network GSTC unites.” Switzerland Tourism

“Think carefully about where to stay. Look for leading eco certification badges, such as the non-profit Global Sustainable Tourism Council” The Guardian

“We continue to identify opportunities to achieve GSTC certification for our hotels to ensure the sustainability of our operations.” Hilton

“To evaluate a certification program, check to see if it has been reviewed by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council – GSTC, an independent nonprofit that has established standards for sustainability in travel” The New York Times

“Accredited Certification Bodies certify hotels, tour operators, and destinations to the GSTC Criteria. GSTC supports destinations in implementing the Criteria through trainings and assessments” McKinsey & Company

“The GSTC Criteria are the most credible global standards for sustainable tourism based on a highly inclusive development process. They provide a holistic definition of sustainability in tourism” One Planet Network

“We have aligned our LightStay management system with the criteria of the UN-founded Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), the most respected seal of approval for sustainable travel and tourism practices.” Hilton

“For the past two years, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has been busy accrediting certification bodies to certify highly sustainable operators” Lonely Planet

“The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a comprehensive resource for learning about tourism businesses and destinations that strive to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources.” The Globe and Mail

“To find a destination that’s officially certified as taking sustainability issues seriously, visit the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) website” Skyscanner

“For a list of global vendors, destinations, and hotels that abide by certain sustainability standards, explore the database at the Global Sustainable Tourism Council” Condé Nast Traveler

“We’re working with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and other sustainability experts to share what properties like yours can do to make positive change in the industry.” Agoda

“TUI encourages all hotels offered to its 27 million customers to obtain certification that meets the GSTC Criteria. Sustainability expectations for accommodation suppliers are set in contracts.” TUI Group

“The ATTA believes in the universal standards put forth by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and that tourism businesses and destinations should adopt the criteria specifically in these four areas.” ATTA

“Planning a getaway? Consider destinations, hotels, and tour operators that meet Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) standards. By doing so, you can minimize your environmental impact and send a powerful message to the travel industry about sustainable travel choices.” World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

“By the end of 2021, we aim for all tour operators used by MSC Cruises at our frequent destinations to be certified to a GSTC certification programme, or to be engaged in the process.” MSC Cruises

“RCL has endorsed the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), regarded by WWF as the leading standard for global sustainable tourism” Royal Caribbean Cruises

“TUI delivered 10.3 million ‘greener and fairer’ holidays through 1,688 hotels that were certified to a standard recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council in 2019.” TUI Group

“Accredited Certification Bodies certify hotels, tour operators, and destinations to the GSTC Criteria. GSTC supports destinations in implementing the Criteria through trainings and assessments” World Travel & Tourism Council

GSTC followers receive once a month updates of important developments and opportunities

• Business Management

12 most innovative sustainable travel and hospitality start-ups

May 20, 2021 •

5 min reading

In response to consumer concerns over sustainability and to give industry players an edge in an increasingly competitive market, hotels, airlines, booking agents and tour operators —among others— have been developing a host of innovative sustainable travel start-ups.

In fact, sustainable innovation has become so sought-after that in July, in the midst of the pandemic, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)— the UN agency responsible for promoting sustainable, accessible and inclusive tourism—launched a startup competition to identify particularly promising new businesses. The competition attracted more than 10,000 participants from 138 countries; winners were announced in February . As UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said, “The winners show the power of new ideas for transforming our sector.” Winning startups will receive support to develop their ideas further through guided mentorship programs with Amadeus, Google, IE University and FarCo.

EHL's Innovation Village

EHL has been at the forefront of innovation in the hospitality sector for years and in 2009, launched an incubator for the development of new concepts. The initiative was so successful, that nine years later, EHL’s own Innovation Village was launched with the goal of supporting entrepreneurship and disrupting the hospitality industry, with a particular emphasis on sustainability. Over the years, the Village has evolved into a dynamic learning and experimentation center for students and a source of research and talent for companies.

Showcasing the sustainable travel and hospitality start-ups launched at EHL 

One-StepUp , an initiative founded by Jeanne Guerlais to encourage businesses to rethink packaging and reduce the use of plastic that is polluting oceans, soils and compromising the health of future generations. The firm works only with European companies to find alternative packaging solutions including, for example, bags made from compostable cellulose and homecompostable certified hot beverage cups. R-PET is the direction that the food industry is taking to go further. Today the start-up with a team of 3 is providing big company names in Switzerland such as Manor.

I am not saying that this is the end of plastic, but our wish is to find a strategy for a sustainable management of plastics in the sense of a circular economy. - Jeanne Guerlais, One-StepUp

• With a team of 12, Swiss start-up KITRO uses AI provide food waste data collection and analysis to companies. By providing an automated overview of their waste stream, KITRO enables businesses us to make targeted changes to increase efficiency and reduce waste and cost.
• Initially supported by EHL during a pilot program that started in 2012, Beelong was founded in 2014 to bring greater transparency, traceability and sustainability to the food industry. Today, the firm works with food companies and caterers concerned about the future of our planet and who want to gain greater insight into the environmental impact of the foods they’re sourcing.

Providing simple environmental information is key to helping our society move towards a greener future, and the current lack of transparency on food products is what drives me to raise awareness on the major environmental issues of our actual diets. The EHL incubator provides us the perfect environment to carry out our mission. - Charlotte de La Baume, Beelong

Sustainable travel and hospitality start-ups

Meeting a growing demand for authentic travel experiences.

Sustainable innovation reaches far beyond the boundaries of EHL, with exciting new start-ups launching all the time. Among the hottest areas in sustainable innovation is experiential tourism. While the pandemic has created pent-up demand to travel, the social isolation that people have endured during the past year means they’re looking forward to not just touring cities and relaxing on beaches but connecting with people. And a growing number of startups are responding to that desire for authentic connection. Here are a few examples; there are dozens more.

• French start-up Partasam recently launched  com , a collaborative platform that allows travelers to get in touch with locals for tips and advice. Within six months, the multilingual platform already registered members from more than 25 countries.
• Tastemakers Africa brings together artists, chefs, musicians and creative entrepreneurs to host tours and activities that go beyond stereotypical safaris and allow visitors to discover music, arts and cuisine.
• The B-Certified, Barcelona-based online startup Authenticitys designs local experiences that drive social change.
• I Like Local runs tours in 19 countries across Asia and Africa with the goal of creating a source of sustainable income for guides and hosts while providing travelers with off-the-beaten track experiences including family homestays with indigenous communities, cycling, crafts and cooking.
• And Fair Voyage is on a mission to make sustainable travel easyby connecting travellers with verified local companies

While the pandemic has given operators plenty of time to rethink their business objectives and reinvent themselves, a number of them are responding to travelers’ desire to stay close to home and avoid air travel. For example, a new British operator founded  Byway specializing custom journeys by train, boat and bike to off-the-beaten corners of Europe.

And banking on people’s desire to share their experiences with their social networks, the Portuguese company Live Electric Tours provides self-drive experiences in electric vehicles equipped with internet and camera, which allows travelers to keep friends and family up to date if not bring them along on a virtual tour.

Start-ups helping airlines to reduce and offset carbon emissions

In response to the increased pressure on airlines to reduce and offset their carbon emissions, most airlines have adopted zero-net emissions targets and are working to develop alternative biofuels. A number of start-ups are facilitating that transition.

• Since 2006, Toulouse-based OpenAirlines has been supporting reduced fuel consumption for airlines by using big data from flight recorders to optimize flight paths.
• Bulgarian startup  CO2 Cards offers a carbon-offsetting solution enabling online travel agencies, car and delivery services, for example, to calculate the carbon footprint of their clients’ orders and integrate offsetting options into their ticketing systems.

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Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Sustainable tourism worldwide - statistics & facts

What are the effects of global tourism on the climate, traveler awareness of social and environmental responsibility, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Ecotourism market size worldwide 2022-2028

Tourism-related transport's share of carbon emissions worldwide 2016-2030

Global travelers who believe in the importance of green travel 2022

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• Premium Statistic Ecotourism market size worldwide 2022-2028
• Premium Statistic Global travelers who believe in the importance of green travel 2022
• Premium Statistic Sustainable initiatives travelers would adopt worldwide 2022, by region
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Market size of the ecotourism sector worldwide in 2022, with a forecast for 2028 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Share of travelers that believe sustainable travel is important worldwide in 2022

Sustainable initiatives travelers would adopt worldwide 2022, by region

Main sustainable initiatives travelers are willing to adopt worldwide in 2022, by region

Conscious travelers' challenges when traveling in a sustainable manner worldwide 2022

Challenges of travelers when trying to travel in a sustainable and socially conscious manner worldwide as of March 2022

Environmental impact

• Basic Statistic Global carbon dioxide emissions from energy 1965-2022, by region
• Premium Statistic Tourism-related transport's share of carbon emissions worldwide 2016-2030
• Premium Statistic Carbon footprint of tourism-related transport worldwide 2005-2030
• Premium Statistic Carbon footprint of international tourism transport worldwide 2005-2030, by type
• Premium Statistic Carbon footprint of domestic tourism transport worldwide 2005-2030, by type

Carbon dioxide emissions from energy worldwide from 1965 to 2022, by region (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide)

Tourism-related transport's share of carbon emissions worldwide 2016-2030

Share of carbon dioxide emissions coming from tourism-related transport worldwide in 2016, with a forecast for 2030

Carbon footprint of tourism-related transport worldwide 2005-2030

Carbon dioxide emissions from tourism-related transport worldwide in 2005 and 2016, with a forecast for 2030 (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide)

Carbon footprint of international tourism transport worldwide 2005-2030, by type

Transport-related emissions from international tourist arrivals worldwide in 2005 and 2016, with a forecast for 2030, by mode of transport (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide)

Carbon footprint of domestic tourism transport worldwide 2005-2030, by type

Transport-related emissions from domestic tourist arrivals worldwide in 2005 and 2016, with a forecast for 2030 (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide), by mode of transport

International tourism figures

• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 1950-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 2005-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Countries with the highest number of inbound tourist arrivals worldwide 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Global air traffic - number of flights 2004-2023
• Premium Statistic Global air traffic - scheduled passengers 2004-2022

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 1950-2023

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide from 1950 to 2023 (in millions)

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 2005-2023, by region

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide from 2005 to 2023, by region (in millions)

Countries with the highest number of inbound tourist arrivals worldwide 2019-2022

Countries with the highest number of international tourist arrivals worldwide from 2019 to 2022 (in millions)

Global air traffic - number of flights 2004-2023

Number of flights performed by the global airline industry from 2004 to 2022, with a forecasts for 2023 (in millions)

Global air traffic - scheduled passengers 2004-2022

Number of scheduled passengers boarded by the global airline industry from 2004 to 2022 (in millions)

Opinions and behavior

• Premium Statistic Main drivers for visiting a country by people worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Share of outbound travelers planning to spend more worldwide 2022, by category
• Premium Statistic Share of global travelers that want to use green lodging in the next year 2016-2022
• Premium Statistic Interest in accommodation with high sustainability standard globally 2023, by country
• Premium Statistic Reasons global travelers stayed in sustainable lodging at least once last year 2022
• Premium Statistic Demand for sustainable hotels by global corporate travel managers 2022

Main drivers for visiting a country by people worldwide 2023

Reasons to visit a country according to respondents worldwide in 2023

Share of outbound travelers planning to spend more worldwide 2022, by category

Share of travelers planning to spend more on trips abroad in selected countries worldwide in 2022, by type of expenditure

Share of global travelers that want to use green lodging in the next year 2016-2022

Distribution of global travelers intending to stay at least once in an eco-friendly or green accommodation when looking at the year ahead from 2016 to 2022

Interest in accommodation with high sustainability standard globally 2023, by country

Share of travelers who look for accommodation with impressive sustainability innovation worldwide as of July 2023, by country

Reasons global travelers stayed in sustainable lodging at least once last year 2022

Main reasons travelers stayed in sustainable accommodation at least once over the past year worldwide in as of February 2022

Demand for sustainable hotels by global corporate travel managers 2022

Importance of hotel sustainability for business travel buyers worldwide as of October 2022

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14 sustainable travel companies you can feel good about booking with

Do some good while seeing the world when you book with these ethical and sustainable travel companies

While we don’t want to labour on the negatives, you don’t need to be an expert or activist to understand that we are in a climate pinch. It seems a little contradictory to fear for the future while excitedly encouraging international travel, but we humans are an innovative bunch. Exploring the globe doesn’t need to be devastating, and being a responsible traveller doesn’t mean lectures and negativity. Whether you call it eco-travel, sustainable, ethical, regenerative or eco-travel, there is plenty to get excited about.

An increasing number of sustainable travel companies are creating itineraries that allow curious minds to see the world while keeping the impact down. The experiences are awe-inspiring, from hiking remote mountaintops to embracing the world’s most impressive national parks, allowing visitors to engage with destinations in a way that extends far beyond the superficial. If you’re looking for an ethical and environmentally driven travel company for your next adventure, look no further.

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Sustainable travel companies

1.  Byway Travel

In an ambitious mission statement, UK travel platform Byway declares that its goal is to make flight-free holidays a mainstream holiday choice. Their way of doing so? By helping people discover the beauty of slow, overland travel across the British Isles and Europe . Founder and CEO Cat Jones launched the now B Corporation-certified company during the first Covid lockdown, determined to find a way to reduce flight emissions. Her explanation was simple: If we continue on the current trajectory, emissions from flying are due to triple by 2050. 

2.  Gondwana Ecotours

Named after the ancient supercontinent that gradually split to become the land masses we recognize today, Gondwana Ecotours says its mission is to bring people from different continents closer together, one trip at a time. The New Orleans -based company specializes in small group and private tours that take on exhilarating experiences around the globe, such as gorilla trekking in Rwanda and eco-adventures in Patagonia and Mendoza.

A key component of Gondwana is its network of guides who live in the communities visited, adding personal knowledge, depth and authenticity to the experience while providing tourism-generated income. The company is also committed to limiting its carbon footprint through sustainable travel practices and is recognized for offsetting more than 580 tons of carbon emissions. Since 2021, its tours have been 100-percent carbon-neutral, as certified by the Cooler emissions tracking organization.

3.  Intrepid Travel

Australian-owned Intrepid has always been forthright in declaring its commitment to ethical and responsible practices. In 2018, it became one of the first global travel operators to be B Corporation-certified. Since 2010, it has been operating as the world’s largest carbon-neutral company, carefully measuring and offsetting all unavoidable carbon emissions for 13 years. 

Their trips are just as impressive. From 15-day expeditions traversing the extraordinary gorges and remote villages of northern Pakistan’s Hunza Valley to nine-day itineraries centred around baby gorilla naming ceremonies in Rwanda’s spectacular Volcanoes National Park, Intrepid offer true bucket list travel adventures suited to guests of all interests and abilities. In 2020, as a part of the Tourism Declares A Climate Emergency initiative, the company published a seven-point climate commitment plan – revealing its intention to transition to 100% renewable energy use in offices by 2025 and on all trips by 2030.

4.  Experience Travel Group

Operating on the belief that ‘travel should be about reciprocation’, Asia travel specialist Experience Travel Group holds responsible travel at its core, enabling guests to interact with the community and experience real cultural immersion on every trip. Another B Corporation-certified company, the team is dedicated to creating experiences that divert away from trendy hubs and big hotels. Instead, they build personalised itineraries with initiatives to give back to the community included in the package. 

On adventures in Indonesia , Laos, Cambodia , Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam , for example, guests can enjoy delicious local dishes at ‘social enterprise’ restaurants that support vulnerable young people through job training and employment. In Cambodia, a trip to the Phare Circus in Siem Reap sends funds directly to a performing arts school for underprivileged children in nearby Battambang. A three-day hike along sections of Sri Lanka ’s Pekoe Trail follows the old horse and cart routes that carried tea to the ports, bringing vital income to little-visited communities. 

5.  Seacology

In 1990, American ethnobotanist Dr Paul Cox was conducting forest research in Samoa when village leaders told him 30,000 acres of pristine rainforest were about to be logged due to a government decree to fund a school. Cox was horrified and quickly devised a proposal to raise the needed money to conserve the forest in perpetuity. His plan worked and has come to define the Seacology model: Provide material benefits to villages that pledge to protect their natural resources.

Today, Seacology offers unique ecotourism adventures throughout the world’s islands, where travelers visit active projects, interact with local people and are part of the formula that helps conserve both habitats and communities. Seacology guests also explore intriguing island environments, from the coral reefs of  Fiji to the rainforests of Borneo, while staying at well-appointed resorts and visiting important cultural sites. With all this tropical splendour, expect plenty of opportunities to scuba dive, snorkel, hike and kayak.

6.  Discover Corps

Discover Corps is the leader in the rapidly growing field of 'volunteer vacations' focusing on children, schools, animals and wildlife conservation. Yes, 'voluntourism' has often become a buzzword to cash in on thinly veiled claims, earning criticism and scrutiny over the years. However, Discover Corps operates with complete transparency and has become something of a gold standard for the model.

Trip itineraries are designed to connect travellers to local communities and provide a deeper understanding of the culture, issues, and ways of life in locations around the world. Many projects are in Africa , Asia , and Latin America and can range from caring for elephants in Thailand to helping to protect the animals in South Africa's Greater Kruger National Park region.

7.  ROW Adventures

From its beginnings as a whitewater rafting company in the US's Pacific Northwest, ROW Adventures has evolved into an adventure travel company that advocates the transformative nature of human-powered experiences. According to ROW, connecting people with nature results in positive impacts, and the company adheres to conducting business in an inclusive and sustainable way while promoting social equity, environmental stewardship and accountability. Human-powered activities allow participants to fully observe the surroundings, whether white water rafting in Idaho's Salmon River, sea kayaking the orcas in Canada, or trekking across Machu Picchu.

ROW also recognizes that travel is a large contributor to the world’s carbon footprint and subsequently mitigates the impact by offsetting carbon-producing activities whenever possible. At the same time, trips also educate guests to be advocates for locations visited, with special recognition given to the awareness of Indigenous communities and honouring their legacies, lives and connections to the land.

8.  Natural Habitat Adventures

Conservation through exploration is the credo of Natural Habitat Adventures , the official travel partner of the World Wildlife Fund. Nat Hab, as it’s called, is committed to environmentally friendly nature travel, stressing that its travellers become a force for change in addressing the planet's most pressing conservation challenges. Polar bear tours in the Canadian Arctic , African safaris and South American nature tours are examples of the company’s itineraries where tourism dollars become an influential incentive for communities to protect their natural resources.

Nat Hab also acknowledges that its 8,000 annual travellers on all seven continents expend plenty of CO2. To mitigate travel’s carbon output, the company leans into offsetting measures. From 2007 to 2019, Nat Hab offset 49,418 tons of carbon dioxide and has become the world's first 100-percent carbon-neutral travel company. They’ve also provided more than $4.5 million to support WWF’s global conservation efforts and continue to give one-percent of gross sales plus $150,000 annually in support of WWF’s global mission. 

9.  Cheeseman's Ecological Safaris

Ecology safaris catering to wildlife enthusiasts looking for an in-depth nature experience is what husband-and-wife founders Doug and Gail Cheeseman envisioned when they started their namesake company in 1980. Doug, a college zoology and ecology professor, and Gail, a naturalist, turned their passion for nature into a travel company focusing on comprehensive wildlife tours all over the globe. Working with local guides and wildlife researchers, tours are designed for hardcore animal lovers who are obsessed with travel and enjoy learning about the animals they encounter.

For example, Cheeseman’s  Palau National Marine Reserve diving trip in the western Pacific Ocean offers 12 days of snorkelling, paddling, sailing and diving among the awe-inspiring tropical islands in the region.

10.  Quark Expeditions

Quark Expeditions co-founders Lars Wikander and Mike McDowell took the first group of commercial travellers to the North Pole in 1991, completing the first-ever tourism transit of the Northeast Passage. That inaugural expedition proved a game-changer and positioned the company at the forefront of polar explorations. In the three decades since, its polar travellers have visited remote parts of the Arctic and Antarctic. 

With the Earth’s polar regions threatened by climate change, Quark is committed to raising awareness of these delicate ecosystems through environmentally responsible tourism. A facet of that commitment is the company’s Polar Promise to reduce its footprint and work with other industry leaders, as well as guests, to address the complex and challenging issues facing the regions. Coordinating with a global network of scientists, community leaders and sustainability innovators, the company plans to contribute a minimum of $500,000 each year in support of key environmental initiatives and sustainable development projects.

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Sustainable tourism

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Tourism Australia is the Australian Government agency responsible for influencing international visitors to travel to and through Australia for leisure and business events to foster a sustainable tourism industry. In striving to achieve this goal, Tourism Australia places great importance on respecting and protecting the cultures, landscapes and wildlife that are integral to Australia’s appeal as a destination.

Resources for industry

National sustainability framework and sustainable tourism toolkit.

Find out more about the National Sustainability Framework for the Visitor Economy and Sustainable Tourism Toolkit, which have been jointly developed by the Australian Government, and State and Territory governments.

National Sustainability Framework: The Framework, the first of its kind for Australian tourism, provides a nationally agreed understanding of sustainable tourism and a vision for Australia to be a world leader in sustainable tourism.  Learn more

Sustainable Tourism Toolkit: The Sustainable Tourism Toolkit provides practical guidance to help tourism businesses implement sustainable practices across the four pillars of sustainability outlined in the Framework.  Learn more

Sustainable Tourism Accreditation

Find out more about the Australian Tourism Industry Council’s Sustainable Tourism Accreditation program. Designed for small, medium, and regional tourism businesses to incorporate sustainability across their environmental, cultural, social and commercial business practices, the program has been updated to reflect the new National Sustainability Framework for the Visitor Economy.

Tourism Emissions Reduction Program

Learn how to manage carbon emissions with the Australian Tourism Industry Council’s Tourism Emissions Reduction program. Designed to assist small, medium, and regional tourism businesses, the online program provides businesses with an emissions estimate and a tailored reduction plan. Businesses can then demonstrate their commitment to enacting waste and emissions reductions measures to visitors via a unique link and QR code.

Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard

Learn more about Ecotourism Australia’s Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard pathway program. Designed for tourism businesses looking to embark on their sustainability journey, the scorecard measures where a business or tourism operator is at on their sustainability journey at a point in time and assesses the following four pillars: environmental, socio-economic, and cultural impacts and sustainable management.

Guides for Effective Sustainability Storytelling

Learn how to effectively communicate your sustainability efforts to global audiences with our guides for tourism and hospitality operators, and destinations. The guides, which are aimed at those who already have sustainability policies, commitments, or action plans in place, have been developed by EarthCheck in partnership with Tourism Australia.

Sustainability Storytellers

Read about some of Australia’s great tourism operators and storytellers who are committed to sustainability, with chapter three dedicated to navigating the path to Carbon Zero.

Tourism Australia's commitment to sustainable tourism

Driving awareness of, and capability for, a sustainable industry is a defined strategic priority for Tourism Australia and is enshrined within our corporate values.

Our approach is shaped by the following principles:

• We keep our own house in order in living by our employee value: We Do The Right Thing.
• We honour our First Nations people from whom we have much to learn.
• We support others in our industry in adopting practises to operate more sustainably, with positive impact on our land, people and culture.
• We provide a voice for sustainability in our industry: a voice of advocacy and education.
• We prioritise doing business with those in our industry who support sustainability.
• We promote and share tourism stories that inspire sustainability.
• We partner with like-minded organisations to increase our impact and reach.

Sustainable tourism includes protecting and restoring our natural environment, and helping to conserve Australia’s natural wonders and cultures, so they can be enjoyed today and by future generations. It also means fostering a profitable industry that delivers employment opportunities and economic benefits to communities, and in turn helps improve the tourism experience for our travellers and the quality of life for Australians.

As the National Tourism Organisation, Tourism Australia recognises it has an important role to play in championing and elevating the importance, and the appeal, of sustainable tourism, through our voice of advocacy and education. Our marketing platforms can help Australian tourism businesses to better communicate their sustainability success stories; and, by doing so, help encourage others to follow their lead.

Eight key areas of focus for Tourism Australia

• Advocacy: Showcasing sustainable and purpose driven tourism products, experiences and examples of best practice.
• Leadership: Educating and enabling greater capacity for sustainability in our industry.
• Brand: Integrating sustainability into Brand Australia to meet growing consumer demand and drive uptake of sustainable tourism experiences.
• Industry support: Highlighting and encouraging industry best practice and raising awareness of Australian tourism’s sustainability credentials.
• Office footprint: Reducing Tourism Australia's general footprint, including in the key areas of waste, energy, travel and procurement.
• Events footprint: Reducing Tourism Australia’s events footprint and encouraging others in the industry to do the same.
• Procurement and partnerships: Sourcing from sustainable suppliers and establishing sustainable credentials for our partners and suppliers.
• Culture: Embedding sustainability as a core value within Tourism Australia’s culture, actions and behaviour.

Modern Slavery Statement

To meet the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2018, Tourism Australia has developed and published a Modern Slavery Statement. This outlines our commitment to assessing the risks of modern slavery across our supply chain and putting in place appropriate controls, processes, and procedures to manage these risks across the business.

Download our Modern Slavery Statement

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism

Tourism helps to promote and preserve Australia’s Indigenous cultures by allowing travellers to share in the stories, traditions, art, music of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, while also educating them about Australia’s history, customs and values. This exchange benefits both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and visitors, making it an important pillar of our sustainability approach.

Read more about Tourism Australia’s commitment to reconciliation

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Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Owners of the land, sea and waters of the Australian continent, and recognise their custodianship of culture and Country for over 60,000 years.

*Disclaimer:  The information on this website is presented in good faith and on the basis that Tourism Australia, nor their agents or employees, are liable (whether by reason of error, omission, negligence, lack of care or otherwise) to any person for any damage or loss whatsoever which has occurred or may occur in relation to that person taking or not taking (as the case may be) action in respect of any statement, information or advice given in this website. Tourism Australia wishes to advise people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent that this website may contain images of persons now deceased.

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

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UN Tourism News 80: Diversification, Innovation and Sustainability

• All Regions

New Products and Experiences: an opportunity for mountain tourism

Offering more diverse experiences and investing in talented people will play a key role in helping mountain areas grow tourism in a sustainable and responsible manner. 

The 12th World Congress on Snow, Mountain and Wellness Tourism identified key challenges, among them climate change and evolving consumer trends, while recognizing the role tourism can play in the protection of the fragile mountain ecosystem, the building of resilience for mountain communities, and the preservation of the local heritage.

UN Tourism and UN Habitat Partner for a Better Urban Future Through Tourism

UN Tourism and Spain's Office of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) partnered to discuss the role and challenges of tourism in cities and territories.

The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism 

The Glasgow Declaration is a catalyst for increased urgency about the need to accelerate climate action in tourism and to secure strong commitments to support the global goals to halve emissions over the next decade and reach Net Zero emissions as soon as possible before 2050.

4th Global Gastronomy Tourism Startup Competition

Following the success of previous editions, UN Tourismin collaboration with Basque Culinary Center launch the 4TH Global Competition for Gastronomy Tourism Startups. Our Mission is to identify challenges and projects, and catalyzing innovations that can transform the Gastronomy Tourism sector in the near future.

UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer

International tourism recovered 88% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023, supported by strong pent-up demand. Following a strong rebound in 2023, international tourism is expected to fully recover pre-pandemic levels in 2024

70th meeting of the Commission for Europe (CEU)

Albania, Tirana, 7-9 April 2024

High-Level Thematic Event on Tourism - United Nations General Assembly

New York, 16 April 2024

Local Satisfaction: Understanding the Induced Impacts of Tourism on Local Society, Economy, Culture and Environment

Zoom Session, 22 April 2024

69th Meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Americas

Varadero, Cuba - 29 April 2024 (UNWTO Members only)

UN TOURISM ON THE GROUND

Innovating adventures: un tourism and the ministry of tourism of ecuador join forces for tourism regulation revamp.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of a new endeavor aimed at enhancing Ecuador's adventure tourism sector. This initiative focuses on improving regulatory frameworks to better align with the country's diverse tourism landscape, providing training to officials and providers, and improving informed consent for users.

UN Tourism completes International Tourism Destination Plan for Jinan City, China

Commissioned by the Shandong and Jinan Culture and Tourism Bureau, the project was conducted by UN Tourism in collaboration with Shandong University, aimed to evaluate and strategize the city's tourism potential. The Jinan International Tourism Destination Plan is structured into four volumes and together will provide guidance to tourism stakeholders in Jinan to successfully develop the tourism sector in line with international standards and best practices.

UN Tourism in the media

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Is Now the Time to Start a Sustainable Tourism Business?

Are you interested in starting a business in the tourism industry? Worth $5.8 trillion , tourism is clearly a profitable sector to enter. With competition intense, choosing to start a sustainable travel company may be the way forward. Not only good for profits, eco-friendly living is a global priority. 

Despite this, starting a tourism business can be daunting. There are lots to consider, including initial costs, risk mitigation, and branding. So settle in as we cover the current state of the industry, the ins and outs of ethical tourism, and the advantages of starting a sustainable tourism business in 2023.

The Current State of the Tourism Industry

The tourism industry is in a slow recovery as of 2023. With the Covid-19 pandemic halting travel overnight, international tourist arrivals dropped by a monumental 74% in 2020. While it will take time for international travel to return to pre-pandemic levels, the tourism industry is slowly beginning to rebuild itself. 

Thanks to the wide circulation of vaccines, there are no longer significant restrictions on travel. Now, vacationers are focusing on sustainability and the impact of international travel via boat or air. 61% of travelers say the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future. Although many are renting electric vehicles, the technology isn’t quite there for eco-friendly air and boat travel. 

However, as a result of increased demand, the sustainable tourism industry is booming. As of 2022, the market value was estimated at $1 trillion . This is set to rise to $8.4 trillion by 2032. Clearly, experts are expecting eco-friendly tourism to dominate the future of the industry. 

What is a Sustainable Tourism Business?

A sustainable tourism business, also known as an eco-friendly or responsible tourism company, is an enterprise operating in the tourism industry that prioritizes environmental and cultural sustainability. 

Eco-tourism businesses work to reduce the negative impacts that traditional travel has on the environment. For instance, airplane and boat travel emit harmful carbon and nitrogen oxide into the environment. While there’s yet to be any technology that truly counteracts the effects on the planet, many eco-tourism businesses will re-invest profits in projects like reforestation to reduce the negative impacts of traditional forms of travel. 

Tourism has historically damaged the natural and cultural heritage of destinations like Thailand and the Maldives. High levels of tourism can lead to habitat degradation and loss and increased pollution in populated areas. An eco-tourism business is well aware of these issues and will responsibly plan and manage tours while engaging with the local community to counteract issues. 

The eco-tourism industry adopts numerous strategies to counteract the carbon footprint of its travelers. This typically involves giving back to the planet through reforestation or ocean cleanups, as well as running their businesses responsibly. A sustainable tourism business may choose to put remote working practices in place, like allowing their employees to access iPhone remotely or introducing video conferencing, to help offset harmful emissions. 

By prioritizing sustainability above all else, eco-friendly tourism businesses improve environmental conservation by supporting local communities. They work to bring responsible travel practices into the mainstream to make tourism a force for good in the world.

What Are the 5  Main Benefits of Starting Your Own Sustainable Tourism Business?

If you’re considering the option of starting a sustainable tourism business, you’re on the right path. Promoting eco-friendly travel practices is a great step in fixing our planet over time. 

Earth has already seen detrimental consequences from frequent air travel. Unfortunately, Aeroplanes burn fossil fuels which releases CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Vapor trails stay in the atmosphere well after the airplane has landed, leaving harmful emissions in the atmosphere. 

No one wants to stop going on holiday, but holiday goers can no longer ignore the impact of air and boat travel. Sustainable tourism businesses are set to be the future of the industry, allowing travelers to go around the world while reducing their environmental impact. 

Let’s look at the many advantages of starting a sustainable tourism business in 2023. 

1. Satisfy the Need for Eco-Friendly Travel Opportunities

Modern-day travelers, especially millennials and Gen Z, are turning their attention to sustainability when planning their vacations. Tourism businesses that focus on sustainability appeal to the increasing number of environmentally aware travelers.

By catering to this growing trend, businesses will see high profits and returning customers. Setting up an eco-friendly travel company is not only good for the environment—it sets you up for success. 

2. Attracts Environmentally Conscious Travelers

Communicating your commitment to sustainability and responsible travel means your sustainable tourism business can attract eco-friendly and self-aware travelers seeking better options for their holidays. 

Combining word-of-mouth recommendations from eco-conscious customers and a good online presence will help improve your reputation and bring in more eco-friendly travelers looking to switch up their vacation experiences. 

With more and more holiday goers paying close attention to the environment, attracting customers to an eco-friendly tourism business will become easier as time goes on.

3. Positive Brand Image and Reputation

Consumers are far more aware of environmental and social issues in 2023. If you take the plunge and start an eco-friendly tourism business, you will find more and more environmentally conscious travelers preferring companies that prioritize the future of the planet. 

Start a truly sustainable travel company to build a positive brand image and increase customer loyalty.

4. Long-term Viability and Resilience

Eco-friendly tourism businesses are resilient to changing priorities for travelers. They adopt strategies that not only improve our environment but vacation experiences as a whole. 

With sustainability front of minds for sustainable tourism businesses, they will pay particular attention to creating a positive impact for all those involved with the business. This includes travelers and stakeholders.

Profitable eco-tourism businesses will diversify their offerings to attract varying types of eco-conscious travelers. They may offer unique experiences that typical travel companies don’t offer. For instance, popular sustainable tourism businesses offer opportunities like adventure-based activities or cultural immersion programs. 

Furthermore, these businesses will need to consider economic factors that affect their long-term viability, such as the natural rate of interest , which can impact their investment decisions and financial planning. 

Finally, companies will likely talk to experts to improve their travel resources and improve knowledge sharing for the whole company. This all works to solidify the positive future of Earth.

5. Preserve and Improve Natural and Cultural Heritage

Unlike traditional tourism companies, sustainable tourism businesses will constantly work with local communities to create job opportunities and support their economies. Sustainable tourism emphasizes the importance of respecting and preserving local cultures and traditions. They will work to offer authentic experiences that showcase the region’s unique heritage and customs. 

Considerations When Starting a Sustainable Tourism Business

Despite the need for sustainable and ethical tourism businesses, competition can be tough. You’ll need to consider how you’re going to reduce your carbon footprint , how to support customers, and build your brand credibility. 

Here are some considerations before starting your tourism company. 

Reduce Carbon Footprint 

The entire point of an ethical tourism business is offering travel that actively reduces an individual’s carbon footprint. Here are some key ways you can provide sustainable travel: 

• Remote Services: Remote work and cloud services can help reduce your carbon footprint. Many companies now operate without a physical office, hugely cutting down on energy usage. You’ll have to invest in the right solutions, like a phone system in the cloud and remote collaboration tools. This eliminates the need for traditional landlines and on-premises hardware—even potentially the need for premises entirely.
• Carbon Offsetting: Investing in carbon offsetting projects or initiatives will balance out the carbon emissions from business operations. Support projects like reforestation, renewable energy generation, or sustainable agriculture. 
• Sustainable Transportation: Encourage the use of sustainable transportation, like walking and cycling, for staff and guests. Offer electric vehicle charging stations if possible.

Customer Support 

It’s essential that your customers feel supported while booking a vacation with your company. They may have questions about their carbon footprint and how your tourism business is working to improve the environment. 

Here’s how to provide sustainable customer support: 

• Remote Customer Support: Offer virtual customer support through chat, email, or video calls whenever possible. Avoid unnecessary travel for in-person interactions by providing comprehensive virtual assistance. You can do this with a small business telephone service or cloud contact center. 
• Encourage Self-Service: Create user-friendly online resources and FAQs to enable customers to find answers independently. Encouraging self-service reduces the need for contacting customer support. 

Branding and Credibility 

With sustainable tourism being a new and burgeoning industry, building a credible brand is essential to make customers feel secure and confident in your business. Here’s how to build your sustainable brand: 

• Use Local Domains: Local domains build trust in your website and business, as it shows you have a presence in that area. This is particularly important for a travel company operating in many cities. For instance, using ae domains can add to your credibility if you’re operating in UAE.
• Stay transparent: Don’t keep customers in the dark regarding your environmental efforts. Showcase how you’re reducing their carbon footprint, whether you’re investing in reforestation or promoting the use of electric vehicles. 

If you’re struggling to come up with a unique and memorable name for your sustainable tourism business, consider using a Business Name Generator to spark your creativity.

Live Sustainably with Forest Nation

We’re all on a mission to reduce our effects on the environment. Whether you choose to travel sustainably or aim smaller by recycling and reducing your meat intake, even small steps can lead to a healthier planet. Forest Nation is committed to making sustainable gifts that directly invest in reforestation efforts. Find out more by checking out the Forest Nation website today. 

Georgia Davies

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How tourism is a helpy hand in San Antonio’s revenue?

Welcome to the vibrant city of San Antonio, where history meets modernity and culture thrives at every corner. Known for its rich heritage, iconic landmarks, and warm hospitality, San Antonio has become a beloved destination for travelers from around the world. In this blog post, we will explore how tourism plays a pivotal role in driving revenue for this bustling Texan city and shaping its bright future. So grab your virtual passport as we embark on a journey through the heart of San Antonio’s tourism industry!

The impact of tourism on the city’s revenue

San Antonio’s tourism industry plays a vital role in boosting the city’s revenue, contributing significantly to its economic growth. The influx of tourists brings in a steady stream of income through various channels such as accommodation, dining, shopping, and entertainment. As more visitors flock to the city to experience its rich cultural heritage and vibrant attractions, businesses thrive and employment opportunities increase.

The revenue generated from tourism not only benefits local establishments but also fuels infrastructure development and public services in San Antonio. From iconic landmarks like the Alamo and River Walk to exciting events like Fiesta San Antonio, tourists are drawn to explore all that the city has to offer. This creates a ripple effect on the economy by stimulating spending across different sectors.

By continuously promoting its unique offerings and enhancing visitor experiences, San Antonio can further capitalize on its tourism potential. Strategic marketing initiatives coupled with sustainable practices can ensure long-term growth while preserving the city’s authenticity for future generations to enjoy.

Key attractions in San Antonio for tourists

Nestled in the heart of Texas, San Antonio is a vibrant city filled with rich culture and history that attracts tourists from far and wide. One of the key attractions in San Antonio is the iconic Alamo Mission, where visitors can immerse themselves in the stories of bravery and sacrifice that shaped Texas history.

For those seeking a taste of authentic international cuisine, San Antonio offers a diverse array of dining options, including tantalizing Greek food in San Antonio . Visitors can explore the colorful shops and restaurants at Market Square, where they’ll find a sensory delight of flavors from around the world alongside local Texan favorites.

Nature enthusiasts will appreciate a visit to the scenic San Antonio Botanical Garden, where lush greenery and vibrant blooms provide a peaceful retreat from urban life. And no trip to San Antonio would be complete without experiencing the excitement of Six Flags Fiesta Texas or exploring the interactive exhibits at The DoSeum – a fun-filled adventure for families with children.

How tourism has helped in the development of the city

San Antonio’s vibrant tourism industry has been a driving force behind the city’s development over the years. As visitors flock to explore its rich history, cultural attractions, and lively events, they bring with them not just their suitcases but also economic opportunities for local businesses.

The influx of tourists has led to the growth of hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues across San Antonio. This expansion has created jobs for residents and boosted the overall economy of the city. Additionally, increased tourism revenue has allowed for investments in infrastructure improvements and public amenities that benefit both locals and visitors alike.

Furthermore, as more people discover the charm of San Antonio through word-of-mouth or social media posts, the city gains valuable exposure on a global scale. This heightened visibility helps attract even more tourists from around the world who are eager to experience all that San Antonio has to offer.

It is clear that tourism plays a crucial role in shaping the ongoing development of San Antonio as a thriving destination for travelers seeking unforgettable experiences in Texas.

Challenges and solutions for sustainable tourism growth

Challenges and solutions for sustainable tourism growth in San Antonio go hand in hand.

One challenge faced is the balance between preserving the city’s cultural heritage while meeting the demands of a growing number of visitors . Solutions involve implementing responsible tourism practices and promoting local authenticity through unique experiences.

Another obstacle is managing environmental impact as more tourists visit popular sites. Sustainable solutions include investing in eco-friendly infrastructure, promoting public transportation, and encouraging green initiatives.

Furthermore, maintaining the quality of life for residents amidst increasing tourist numbers poses a challenge that requires innovative solutions such as implementing regulations on vacation rentals and fostering community engagement programs.

By addressing these challenges with strategic planning and collaboration between stakeholders, San Antonio can ensure long-term sustainable tourism growth for the benefit of both visitors and locals alike.

Future plans and initiatives for increasing tourism in San Antonio

Exciting times lie ahead for San Antonio as the city gears up to implement innovative strategies to boost tourism even further. With a focus on sustainability and authenticity, future plans include promoting eco-friendly practices within the tourism industry. Initiatives like introducing more green spaces and enhancing public transportation aim to provide visitors with a greener, more enjoyable experience.

Collaborations with local businesses and communities are also on the horizon, fostering a sense of community involvement in showcasing San Antonio’s unique culture and heritage. By highlighting lesser-known attractions alongside popular landmarks, the city hopes to offer tourists a well-rounded perspective of what makes this destination so special.

Digital marketing campaigns leveraging social media influencers and targeted advertising will play a crucial role in reaching new audiences globally. Embracing technology while preserving tradition is key to staying relevant in an ever-evolving travel landscape.

Stay tuned as San Antonio continues to evolve and innovate, setting its sights on becoming one of the top tourist destinations in the US.

Conclusion: The potential for continued growth and benefits of tourism for San Antonio’s economy

San Antonio’s tourism industry is not just a source of revenue; it’s a lifeline for the city’s economy. With iconic attractions like the Alamo, River Walk, and vibrant cultural scene, San Antonio has solidified its position as a top destination for travelers from around the world.

As we look to the future, there is immense potential for continued growth in tourism in San Antonio. By addressing challenges such as sustainability and infrastructure development while capitalizing on innovative marketing strategies and partnerships with local businesses, the city can attract even more visitors and boost its economic prosperity.

Tourism will continue to play a vital role in shaping San Antonio’s identity and driving its growth. As long as stakeholders collaborate effectively, embrace sustainable practices, and stay committed to providing exceptional experiences for tourists, the city’s economy will reap the benefits of a thriving tourism sector for years to come.

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