WTTC Releases New Environment Impact Research Data on Travel and Tourism

Photo source: Oxford Economics

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in collaboration with the Sustainable Tourism Global Center (STGC) of the Saudi Arabia Tourism Ministry and Oxford Economics, on Wednesday released its latest Environment Impact Research data on the travel and tourism industry and its supply chains.

Aimed to be an invaluable resource for decision makers around the world, the research provides vital insights and unique impactful environmental research into how Travel & Tourism has both an influence on climate change and how it is affected by it.

The data covers 185 countries across all regions and will be updated each year with the latest figures.

“Through this data we are highlighting the sector’s multi-dimensional impact — economically, environmentally, and societally,” WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson said, adding that the goal is to see beyond tourism and lean into its sustainable future.

Building upon WTTC’s world-renowned Economic Impact Research, the initiative introduces individualized factsheets for each country and major global regions, and a dedicated microsite allowing users to explore the data in detail.

“With this data, we are not just reflecting on where we are now, but actively charting our course for a future where the sector progressively reduces its environmental footprint and boosts its social impact,” said Simpson.

Photo source: WTTC

The data converges economic metrics with crucial issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, energy use and composition, freshwater use, air pollution and resource use as well as age, gender, and wage profiles of different employments, as well as harmonised indicators across a wide range of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

According to the WTTC, the data reveals the nexus between each dollar generated by Travel & Tourism in the economy and its consequential environmental and social impact.

Among the key highlights from the research is that Travel & Tourism sector’s share of global energy consumption amounted to 10.6 percent in 2019 while the also sector represented 0.9 percent of total global water consumption in 2019.

Other highlights from the research include:

· The Travel & Tourism sector demonstrates an impressive trend of decoupling its environmental footprint from its GDP growth.
· Key achievements include reductions in the intensity of water usage, greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and material extraction.
· Travel & Tourism’s material footprint accounts for 5-8 percent of global material extraction.
· The report’s monitoring extends to pollutants such as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and nitrogen oxides, among others.

Photo source: WTTC

Importantly, the data tracks the sector’s performance towards 15 UN Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting its commitment to a more equitable and sustainable world.

“The prime objective of this groundbreaking work is to elevate the accuracy and pertinence of sector-specific data, setting the trajectory for future initiatives and realigning with global sustainability milestones,” the WTTC said.

Interested parties can apply for access to the dedicated microsite through the WTTC’s website.