World Travel & Tourism Council

  • Press Releases
  • Press Enquiries
  • Travel Hub / Blog
  • Brand Resources
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Global Summit
  • Hosting a Summit
  • Upcoming Events
  • Previous Events
  • Event Photography
  • Event Enquiries
  • Our Members
  • Our Associates Community
  • Membership Benefits
  • Enquire About Membership
  • Sponsors & Partners
  • Insights & Publications
  • Economic Impact
  • Knowledge Partners
  • Data Enquiries
  • Hotel Sustainability Basics
  • Community Conscious Travel
  • SafeTravels Stamp Application
  • SafeTravels: Global Protocols & Stamp
  • Security & Travel Facilitation
  • Sustainable Growth
  • Women Empowerment
  • Destination Spotlight - SLO CAL
  • Vision For Nature Positive Travel and Tourism
  • Governments
  • Consumer Travel Blog
  • ONEin330Million Campaign
  • Reunite Campaign

UN Sustainable Development Goals WTTC

Sustainable growth

  • Climate & Environment Action
  • Rethinking Single Use Plastic Products SUPPs in Travel & Tourism
  • Human Trafficking
  • Destination Stewardship
  • Biodiversity & Illegal Wildlife Trade
  • Sustainability Leadership
  • Inclusion, Diversity & Social Impact
  • Sustainability Reporting
  • Future of Work

Our latest reports on the environment and sustainability

The Social Impact of Global Tourism

The Social Impact of Global Tourism

Sustainability Leadership Case Studies / Iberostar: Roadmap for Decarbonisation

Sustainability Leadership Case Studies / Iberostar: Roadmap for Decarbonisation

Water Roadmap for Travel & Tourism

Water Roadmap for Travel & Tourism

The Environmental Impact of Global Tourism Report

The Environmental Impact of Global Tourism Report

Travel & tourism's global footprint interactive website.

WTTC and the Sustainable Tourism Global Centre, initiated by the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, together with Oxford Economics, have estimated the full extent of Travel & Tourism's global economic, social, and environmental footprint. We have now launched a website which brings together data and key indicators on Travel & Tourism at a global, regional, and national level that will enable users to explore Travel &Tourism's global footprint through a range of different metrics.

Climate & environment action

Affordable air travel, a growing middle class, urbanisation and increased connectivity, new technological advances, disruptive businesses models and greater visa facilitation around the world have driven continuous international and domestic tourism growth over the past decades. At the same time, the increasingly negative effects of global warming have impacted people, nature and businesses all around the world. Today, climate change represents one of the greatest global challenges of our time. Its impacts are extensive and are already felt at all levels: countries, businesses, and our own individual lives. They include extreme weather events, coastal erosion, biodiversity loss, destruction of infrastructure and property, disruption to cultural and natural heritage, as well as increasing stress on basic natural resources, among others. Travel & Tourism both contributes to and is impacted by climate change, The sector, therefore, has a responsibility to be part of the change that is needed to mitigate impacts and adapt to the threats posed by climate change.

Rethinking single use plastic products SUPPs in Travel & Tourism

COVID-19 has led to a proliferation of single-use plastic products (SUPPs), adding urgency to the global challenge of single-use plastic pollution, which has significant environmental impacts and negatively affects the attractiveness of destinations. Yet, the pandemic has also provided a unique opportunity to reflect on the changes required to build back a greener and more sustainable future. While the Travel & Tourism sector is increasingly implementing SUPP elimination strategies with the aim of moving towards more circular approaches, individual efforts are not enough. In order to ensure a transition towards reducing and reuse models, in line with circularity principles, it is vital for the public and private sectors to collaborate across the value chain, while implementing the right waste infrastructure at the destination level. As part of WTTC’s partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) , and in order to tackle this issue, we have put together a joint report to support the sector to reduce or eliminate SUPPs where possible and move towards a more sustainable future. Hear from industry leaders on why the report is important, as well as, an interview with one of the writers Jo Hendrickx, Co-founder of  Travel Without Plastics .

5 tips for reducing single-use plastic on your next trip

5 tips for reducing single-use plastic on your next trip

Rethinking single-use plastic products (SUPPs) in Travel & Tourism

Rethinking single-use plastic products (SUPPs) in Travel & Tourism

Decision trees - Help reduce the use of SUPPs

Decision trees - Help reduce the use of SUPPs

Human trafficking.

Every day, the Travel & Tourism sector is unwittingly used for human trafficking as traffickers transport their victims on planes, trains and buses and book hotel rooms to exploit vulnerable individuals. Given the sector’s inadvertent position in the path of human traffickers, it has a role and responsibility to protect the individuals it serves, transports, accommodates, and employs; and is in a unique position to make a difference. During 2020, COVID-19 dramatically exacerbated this global challenge with a rise in extreme poverty and in unemployment, with many men and women out of work, and many children out of school, making families and children more vulnerable than ever. In this context, it is essential that the sector come together to share and implement tangible solutions to end this global crime. As a sector, Travel & Tourism has the power and ability to counteract and to help prevent human trafficking. Given the importance of this issue and the dedication of many World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Member organisations to end human trafficking, WTTC formed a Human Trafficking Taskforce which was launched at the 2019 Global Summit in Seville, Spain. To help eradicate human trafficking, the Taskforce developed an action framework that focuses on awareness-raising, education and training, advocacy, and support.

End Human Trafficking Framework

End Human Trafficking Framework

Thinking of volunteering abroad with children?

Thinking of volunteering abroad with children?

Destination stewardship.

Destination stewardship is an approach that balances and meets the needs of a destination and its community. It requires active engagement from both public and private sectors with the local community. The growth in Travel & Tourism over the past few years has seen many destinations around the globe become victims of their own success with terms like ‘overcrowding’, ‘overtourism’, and ‘tourismphobia’ dominating media headlines worldwide. WTTC believes that Travel & Tourism should and can contribute positively to the communities upon which it depends while protecting cultural and natural heritage. In this context, WTTC convenes stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as local communities to devise strategies for tourism management based on long-term planning. Destination Stewardship is essential for futureproofing Travel & Tourism and making destinations better places to live and visit. In 2021, WTTC, European Tourism Futures Institute (ETFI) at NHL Stenden University and The Travel Foundation produced the latest report on Destination Stewardship focusing on “Achieving Destination Stewardship through Scenarios & a Governance Diagnostics Framework”. The report presents four Destination Stewardship scenarios based on different levels of engagement from the public & private sector and provides a framework for assessing the governance model in place to serve to support destination stakeholders in assessing their current context and the pathway towards greater stewardship. Latest in Destination Stewardship:  Community conscious travel Community Conscious Travel is a movement to ensure that destinations remain thriving communities and good places to live through the pillars of social sustainability, dispersal and traveller behaviour. A renewed focus on these priorities can help ensure wider spending distribution that supports infrastructure more equally and a better experience for all. Of course, all of these must be supported by the private and public sectors. Learn More > 

Destination Stewardship Framework

Destination Stewardship Framework

Managing Overcrowding in Tourism Destinations 2017

Managing Overcrowding in Tourism Destinations 2017

Destination 2030

Destination 2030

Biodiversity & illegal wildlife trade.

In recent years there has been a surge in the illegal wildlife trade amounting to US$20 billion annually, with over 7,000 species of animals and plants from all regions impacted. With wildlife being a key driver of Travel & Tourism activity, it is in the interest of the sector to support initiatives that protect them. In April 2018, WTTC launched the Travel & Tourism Declaration on Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT), a commitment made by over 100 Members to participate actively in the global fight against illegal wildlife trade. Following the declaration, in October 2018, WTTC partnered with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to drive industry action. In 2021, WTTC created industry guidelines for Members and the wider industry to encourage the adoption of a Zero Tolerance Policy to IWT. In 2022, at Climate Week NY, we launched the 'Nature Positive Travel & Tourism' Report , created in partnership with Animondial , and endorsed by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) . This document is a road map for the industry to support businesses in understanding and managing their environmental impact. Join the movement to make every journey count.

Nature Positive Travel & Tourism

Nature Positive Travel & Tourism

Help us end Illegal Wildlife Trade

Help us end Illegal Wildlife Trade

Preventing Illegal Wildlife Trade

Preventing Illegal Wildlife Trade

Economic Impact of Global Wildlife Tourism

Economic Impact of Global Wildlife Tourism

WTTC-WWF IWT Zero Tolerance Policy

WTTC-WWF IWT Zero Tolerance Policy

WTTC Buenos Aires Declaration

WTTC Buenos Aires Declaration

About WTTCs Illegal Wildlife Trade Declaration

About WTTCs Illegal Wildlife Trade Declaration

Sustainability leadership.

Since 2019, WTTC has been collaborating with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to support decision-makers in Travel & Tourism to broaden their understanding of sustainability, ensure the viability of the sector and the co-creation of thriving sustainable societies. In November 2019, WTTC and Harvard organised a 2-day transformational leadership and personal development programme focusing on sustainability which brought together 20 industry leaders and leading Harvard professors. To drive sustainability leadership and help build a business case for sustainability in the sector, WTTC and faculty and scientists of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health released two vital case studies in May 2021 showcasing The Travel Corporation and Intrepid Travel. This collaboration encouraged the sharing of best practices and supported sustainability as a core strategic priority. To address sustainability from a thematic perspective, four learning insights have been released to delve into the culture of health, science-based targets, behavioural economics and leadership in sustainability.

WTTC & Harvard - Learning Insight - Circular Economy

WTTC & Harvard - Learning Insight - Circular Economy

WTTC & Harvard - Learning Insight - Behavioural Economics

WTTC & Harvard - Learning Insight - Behavioural Economics

WTTC & Harvard - Learning Insight - Health

WTTC & Harvard - Learning Insight - Health

WTTC & Harvard - Learning Insight - Science Targets

WTTC & Harvard - Learning Insight - Science Targets

WTTC & Harvard - Learning Insight - Sustainability Leadership

WTTC & Harvard - Learning Insight - Sustainability Leadership

Sustainability Leadership Case Study - Intrepid Travel

Sustainability Leadership Case Study - Intrepid Travel

Sustainability Leadership Case Study - The Travel Corporation

Sustainability Leadership Case Study - The Travel Corporation

Inclusion, diversity & social impact.

Travel & Tourism has always been a sector for the people, by the people; relying on the wonders of this world to thrive. It is a sector that meaningfully changes the lives of the people and communities it touches. It not only creates jobs; but reduces poverty and inequality and enriches communities both economically and socially. In 2019, 330 million people were employed by the sector, with Travel & Tourism accounting for 1 in 4 new jobs created in the last five years. Unlike many other sectors, Travel & Tourism is highly inclusive, employing and offering opportunities to people from all walks of life, including minorities, youth, and women, who account for 54% of the sector’s employment. The sector also fuels entrepreneurship, with 80% of our sector being SMEs. The Travel & Tourism sector has a unique ability to further protect and engage vulnerable groups and communities while fostering innovation and preserving ecosystems; ultimately having a tremendous social impact. In light of the devastating impact of COVID-19 for the sector, there is an urgent need to come together to recover the hundreds of millions of jobs lost, and livelihoods impacted and continue supporting the millions benefiting from the sector by rebuilding together in an even more sustainable and responsible way. While the sector was on hold, world citizens have been re-invigorated to tackle social and environmental sustainability, providing a unique opportunity to build on this newfound momentum to accelerate meaningful changes in Travel & Tourism that will make a lasting difference for future generations and for the planet.

The Cancun Women's Initiative Declaration Supporting Women in Travel & Tourism

The Cancun Women's Initiative Declaration Supporting Women in Travel & Tourism

Inclusive & Accessible Travel Guidelines

Inclusive & Accessible Travel Guidelines

Travel and Tourism as a Catalyst for Social Impact

Travel and Tourism as a Catalyst for Social Impact

Mental Health Guidelines

Mental Health Guidelines

Inclusion and Diversity Guidelines

Inclusion and Diversity Guidelines

Driving Women's Success

Driving Women's Success

Generating Jobs for Youth

Generating Jobs for Youth

Sustainability reporting.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals set a path towards the pursuit of global sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth. Goal 12 focuses on sustainable consumption and production, with the goal, 12.6, aims to “encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle”. In this context, WTTC produced a report on sustainability reporting to help Travel & Tourism companies understand the key concepts behind reporting, to provide an outlook on the regulations and trends that are driving this practice forward, and to identify the implications and opportunities for the sector.

SDGs Sustainability Reporting - Exec Summary

SDGs Sustainability Reporting - Exec Summary

ESGs - Background on Sustainability Reporting

ESGs - Background on Sustainability Reporting

ESGs - Outlook and Reporting Trends

ESGs - Outlook and Reporting Trends

ESGs - Reporting Guidance for Travel and Tourism Businesses

ESGs - Reporting Guidance for Travel and Tourism Businesses

ESGs - Sustainability Reporting in Travel and Tourism

ESGs - Sustainability Reporting in Travel and Tourism

Future of work.

The Travel & Tourism Sector accounts for 330 million jobs or one in ten jobs on the planet, a figure which is only forecasted to continue increasing. What’s more, in the last five years, the Travel & Tourism sector has accounted for the creation of one in four new jobs globally. For the Travel & Tourism sector to support 421 million jobs by 2029, the sector must be able to successfully attract, upskill and retain qualified talent. The evolution in the Travel & Tourism space, along with shifts taking place across the global workforce, will require businesses and governments alike to pay special attention to talent models.

WTTC Future of Work Initiative

Sustainable tourism

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

sustainable tourism growth rate

Description

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.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • View all journals
  • My Account Login
  • Explore content
  • About the journal
  • Publish with us
  • Sign up for alerts
  • Open access
  • Published: 31 May 2023

Eco-tourism, climate change, and environmental policies: empirical evidence from developing economies

  • Yunfeng Shang 1 ,
  • Chunyu Bi 2 ,
  • Xinyu Wei 2 ,
  • Dayang Jiang 2 ,
  • Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5446-7093 3 , 4 &
  • Ehsan Rasoulinezhad   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7726-1757 5  

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications volume  10 , Article number:  275 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

5783 Accesses

7 Citations

1 Altmetric

Metrics details

  • Environmental studies

Developing ecotourism services is a suitable solution to help developing countries improve the status of sustainable development indicators and protect their environment. The primary purpose of this paper is to find out the effects of green governance variables and carbon dioxide emissions on ecotourism for 40 developing economies from 2010 to 2021. The results confirmed a uni-directional causal relationship between the green governance indicator and the inflation rate of the ecotourism indicator. In addition, with a 1% improvement in the green governance index of developing countries, the ecotourism of these countries will increase by 0.43%. In comparison, with a 1% increase in the globalization index of these countries, ecotourism will increase by 0.32%. Moreover, ecotourism in developing countries is more sensitive to macroeconomic variables changes than in developed economies. Geopolitical risk is an influential factor in the developing process of ecotourism. The practical policies recommended by this research are developing the green financing market, establishing virtual tourism, granting green loans to small and medium enterprises, and government incentives to motivate active businesses.

Similar content being viewed by others

sustainable tourism growth rate

Comprehensive green growth indicators across countries and territories

Samuel Asumadu Sarkodie, Phebe Asantewaa Owusu & John Taden

sustainable tourism growth rate

Role of foreign direct Investment and political openness in boosting the eco-tourism sector for achieving sustainability

Yunfeng Shang, Qin Yang & Yuanjie Pu

sustainable tourism growth rate

Ways to bring private investment to the tourism industry for green growth

Fengxiao Gong & Hui Chen

Introduction

The challenge of climate change has become a primary threat to living on the Earth in the last centuries (Rasoulinzhad and Taghizadeh-Hesary, 2022 ). Many meetings of the countries at the regional and international level are held on the topics of environment and climate change. Regardless of environmental issues, population growth, and the lack of control of greenhouse gas emissions, industrialization has been the most crucial cause of the climate change crisis. Chao and Feng ( 2018 ) address human activity as the leading cause of climate change and express that this challenge is a potential threat to living on Earth. Woodward ( 2019 ) argued that climate change threats include the rise in global temperature, the melting of polar ice caps, and unprecedented disease outbreaks. Therefore, urgent policies and solutions are essential to control and lower the risk of global change. One of the signs of climate change is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s surface. Figure 1 shows the temperature data from 1910 to 2021 for the four continents of Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America.

figure 1

Source: Authors from NOAA ( https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/global/time-series ).

The data in Fig. 1 shows that the air temperature has increased significantly over the past century, which has been more prominent in Asia and Europe. In 2021, we saw a decrease in temperature changes due to the spread of the Corona disease and a decrease in the rate of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the role of the Asian continent in increasing the global temperature has been more than other continents due to its large population and excessive consumption of fossil fuels.

During the past decades, the world’s countries have tried to formulate and implement various environmental policies collectively in the form of agreements or separately to fight environmental threats. Regarding international agreements, such things as the Paris Agreement of 2015, the Kyoto Protocol of 1997, the Montreal Protocol of 1987, and the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer in 1985 can be addressed whose primary purpose is to integrate the goals and motivation of the international community to the world’s environmental threats. However, a group of earlier studies, such as Zheng et al. ( 2017 ), Takashima ( 2018 ), and Roelfsema et al. ( 2022 ), emphasized the inefficiency of these global agreements, especially after the left the USA from the Paris Agreement on 1 June 2017. The most important cause of this inefficiency has been the need for more motivation of countries to fulfill their international obligations towards environmental issues. However, many governments consider the threat of climate change only within their geographical boundaries and have tried to formulate and implement green policies to advance their environmental protection goals. These policies include green financial policies (green taxes, green subsidies), monetary policies (such as green loans and green financing), and cultural and social policies in line with sustainable development. The ultimate goal of these green policies is a green economy, an environmentally friendly economy, a zero carbon economy, or a sustainable economy. Lee et al. ( 2022 ) define the green economy as a broad concept comprising green industry, agriculture, and services. Centobelli et al. ( 2022 ) express that environmental sustainability should be more attention in the service sector owing to its penetration into social life and interactions.

Tourism and travel-related services are among countries’ main parts of the service sector. By creating the flow of tourists, tourism services can lead to capital transfer, job creation, cultural exchange (globalization), and increasing welfare in the country hosting the tours. According to the Yearbook of Tourism Statistics published by the World Tourism Organization, international tourism has increased from 522.2 billion US dollars in 1995 to nearly 1.86 trillion US dollars in 2019. This increase shows the importance of tourism services in generating income for countries, especially in the era of Corona and post-corona. Casado-Aranda et al. ( 2021 ) express that tourism services can be a central driver of economic growth recovery in post COVID era. Jeyacheya and Hampton ( 2022 ) argue that tourism can make high incomes for host countries leading to job creation and economic flourishing in destination cities for tourists.

An important issue mentioned in the corona era and relies on the post-corona era is the revitalizing of green economic growth. An important issue mentioned in the corona era and relying on the post-corona era is the revitalizing green economic growth (Bai et al., 2022 ; Werikhe, 2022 ), an opportunity that countries should pay more attention to in order to rebuild their economic activities. In other words, countries should plan their return to economic prosperity with environmental issues in mind. To this end, the issue of tourism finds a branch called Ecotourism or sustainable tourism which has environmental concerns and tries to help countries to improve environmental protection policies. Ecotourism is an approach based on environmental criteria, which is opposed to over-tourism (a type of tourism that disrupts the protection of the environment and destroys natural resources). The International Ecotourism Society defines Ecotourism as an efficient way to conserve the environment and improve local people’s well-being. It can be said that Ecotourism, along with various economic advantages (income generation, job creation, globalization, poverty alleviation), will bring environmental protection to the world’s countries, achieving the goals of green economic growth recovery and sustainable development. Xu et al. ( 2022 ) consider Ecotourism as one of the essential components of achieving sustainable development in the post-corona era.

Ecotourism in developing countries has more priorities compared to developed economies. Firstly, developing countries are often countries with financial problems of the government, and the governments in these countries need more capital to advance sustainable development goals. Therefore, developing ecotourism services can be a suitable solution to help these countries improve the status of sustainable development indicators and protect their environment. Second, due to the spread of the Corona disease, developing countries have experienced numerous bankruptcy in the tourism services sector. Therefore, promoting ecotourism in these countries is of great importance in the post-corona era. Third, developing countries have a high share in the emission of greenhouse gases in the world due to their high dependence on fossil fuels and the lack of advanced green technologies. Fourth, due to bureaucratic processes, high cost, and lack of market transparency, greenwashing may happen in developing economies’ ecotourism industry, meaning that a company serving ecotourism services makes its activities seem more sustainable and ethical than they are. The term “greenwashing” can harshly impact the future development path of the ecotourism industry in developing economies. According to the reasons mentioned above, developing ecotourism in developing countries can be an essential factor in controlling and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in these countries.

This paper tries to contribute to the existing literature from the following aspects:

Calculating the ecotourism index for selected countries based on the criteria for measuring sustainable tourism stated by the World Tourism Organization in the United Nations. Considering that there is no specific index for ecotourism, the calculation of ecotourism in this article will be innovative.

Measuring the green governance index as a proxy for environmental policies for selected countries based on the Environment Social and Governance (ESG) data.

Selecting a sample of 40 developing countries from different geographical regions to calculate the interconnections between ecotourism, green governance, and climate change

Making a further discussion to address the role of uncertainty and the developing level of countries in the relationship between ecotourism and explanatory variables.

The main results confirm the existence of a uni-directional causal relationship running from the green governance indicator and inflation rate to the ecotourism indicator. In addition, with a 1% improvement in the green governance index of developing countries, the ecotourism of these countries will increase by 0.43%. A 1% increase in the globalization index of these countries accelerates ecotourism by 0.32%.

Moreover, ecotourism in developing countries is more sensitive to macroeconomic variables changes than in developed economies. Geopolitical risk is an influential factor in the developing process of ecotourism. The practical policies recommended by this research are developing the green financing market, establishing virtual tourism, granting green loans to small and medium enterprises, and government incentives to motivate active businesses.

The paper in continue is organized as follows: section “Literature review” provides a short literature review to determine the gaps this research seeks to fill. Section “Data and model specification” argues data and model specification. The following section represents empirical results. Section “Discussion” expresses discussion, whereas the last section provides conclusions, policy implications, research limitations, and recommendations to research further.

Literature review

This part of the article analyzes and classifies the previous literature on ecotourism and sustainable development in a rational and structured way. The importance of tourism in economic growth and development has been discussed in previous studies. However, the study of the effect of tourism on climate change has received little attention. Especially the relationship between sustainable tourism, climate change, and environmental policies is a problem that has yet to receive the attention of academic experts.

A group of previous studies has focused on the place of tourism in economic development and growth. Holzner ( 2011 ) focused on the consequences of tourism development on the economic performance of 134 countries from 1970 to 2007. They found out that excessive dependence on tourism income leads to Dutch disease in the economy, and other economic sectors need to develop to the extent of the tourism sector. In another study, Sokhanvar et al. ( 2018 ) investigated the causal link between tourism and economic growth in emerging economies from 1995 to 2014. The main results confirmed that the linkage is country-dependent. Brida et al. ( 2020 ) studied 80 economies from 1995 to 2016 to determine how tourism and economic development are related. The paper’s conclusions highlighted tourism’s-positive role in economic activities.

Another group of previous studies has linked tourism to sustainability targets. Sorensen and Grindsted ( 2021 ) expressed that nature tourism development has a positive and direct impact on achieving sustainable development goals of countries. In a new study, Li et al. ( 2022 ) studied the impacts of tourism development on life quality (as one of the sustainable development goals defined by the UN in 2015) in the case of Japan. They found that tourism development positively impacts the quality of life of age groups in the country. Ahmad et al. ( 2022 ) explored the role of tourism in the sustainability of G7 economies from 2000–2019. The primary findings revealed the positive impact of tourism arrivals on sustainable economic development. Zekan et al. ( 2022 ) investigated the impact of tourism on regional sustainability in Europe. They concluded that tourism development increases transport, leading to increased carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, tourism development causes environmental pollution.

Tourism that can pay attention to environmental issues is called “ecotourism.” Many new studies have studied different dimensions of ecotourism. Lu et al. ( 2021 ) expanded the concept of the ecotourism industry. The significant results expressed that smart tourist cities are essential for efficient ecotourism in countries. Thompson ( 2022 ) expressed the characteristics of ecotourism development through survey methodology. The results confirmed the importance of transparent regulations, government support, and social intention to promote ecotourism. In another study, Heshmati et al. ( 2022 ) employed the SWOT analysis method to explore the critical success factors of ecotourism development in Iran. They found that legal documentation and private participation are major influential factors in promoting ecotourism in Iran. In line with the previous research, Hosseini et al. ( 2021 ) tried to explore the influential factors in promoting ecotourism in Iran by employing a SWOT analysis. They depicted that attracting investors is essential to enhance ecotourism projects in Iran. Hasana et al. ( 2022 ) reviewed research to analyze the earlier studies about ecotourism. The conclusions expressed that ecotourism is necessary for environmental protection. However, it is a challenging plan for the government, and they should carry out various policies toward ecotourism development. Kunjuraman et al. ( 2022 ) studied the role of ecotourism on rural community development in Malaysia. The significant results confirmed that ecotourism could transfer-positive impacts.

Several earlier studies have concentrated on the characteristics of ecotourism in different developed and developing economies. For example, Ruhanen ( 2019 ) investigated the ecotourism status in Australia. The paper concluded that the country could potentially make a larger share of ecotourism to the entire local tourism industry. Jin et al. ( 2022 ) studied the role of local community power on green tourism in Japan. They concluded that the concept of agricultural village activity and regional support positively influences the development of green tourism in Japan as a developed economy. Choi et al. ( 2022 ) sought to find aspects of ecotourism development in South Korea. The preliminary results confirmed the importance of green governance and efficient regulation to promote a sustainable tourism industry. Baloch et al. ( 2022 ) explored the ecotourism specifications in the developing economy of Pakistan. They found that Pakistan’s ecotourism needs government support and the social well-being of the visited cities. Sun et al. ( 2022 ) studied ecotourism in China. They concluded that there is imbalanced development of ecotourism among Chinese provinces due to the need for more capital to invest in all ecotourism projects throughout the Chinese cities. Tajer and Demir ( 2022 ) analyzed the ecotourism strategy in Iran. They concluded that despite various potentials in the country, insufficient capital, lack of social awareness, and political tension are the major obstacles to promoting a sustainable tourism industry in Iran.

Another group of earlier studies has drawn attention to promoting eco-tourism in the post COVID era. They believe that the corona disease has created an excellent opportunity to pay more attention to environmental issues and that countries should move towards sustainable development concepts such as sustainable (eco) tourism in the post-corona era. Soliku et al. ( 2021 ) studied eco-tourism in Ghana during the pandemic. The findings depicted the vague impacts of a pandemic on eco-tourism. Despite the short-term negative consequence of the pandemic on eco-tourism, it provides various opportunities for developing this sector in Ghana. Hosseini et al. ( 2021 ) employed the Fuzzy Dematel technique to find solutions for promoting eco-tourism during COVID-19. They found out that planning to increase the capacity of eco-tourism and incentive policies by governments can help promote the eco-tourism aspect under the pandemic’s consequences. Abedin et al. ( 2022 ) studied the consequence of COVID-19 on coastal eco-tourism development. The primary findings confirmed the negative impacts of a pandemic on the development of eco-tourism.

A review of previous studies shows that tourism can positively impact green growth and sustainable development. Sustainable tourism can be used as a policy to deal with the threat of climate change. This issue needs more attention in the corona and post-corona eras. Because in the post-corona era, many countries have sought to revive green economic growth, and ecotourism can be one of the tools to achieve it. As observed, a detailed study of the relationship between climate change, ecotourism, and environmental policies has yet to be done. Therefore, this research will address and fill this literature gap.

Data and model specification

Data description.

The paper seeks to find the relationship between climate change, ecotourism, and environmental policy for the panel of 40 developing economies from different regions from 2010 to 2021 (480 observations). The sample size could have been more extensive due to the lack of information on some variables. However, there are 480 observations in the data analysis of the data panel; therefore, the number of samples selected is acceptable.

To determine the proxies for main variables, CO2 emissions per capita are selected as the proxy for climate change. Many earlier studies (e.g., Espoir et al., 2022 ) have employed this variable as an appropriate variable representing the status of climate change. Regarding ecotourism, the World Tourism Organization proposed some measurements of sustainable tourism, and also following Yusef et al. ( 2014 ), the entropy weight method is employed to calculate a multi-dimensional ecotourism indicator comprising per capita green park area (square meters), gross domestic tourism revenue (US dollars), the ratio of good air quality (%), green transport, renewable water resources (km3) and deforestation rate (%). It is a novel ecotourism indicator that can show the ecotourism status in countries.

In addition, the green governance index is calculated as a proxy for environmental policy. Principally, the Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) data from World Bank are gathered to calculate this variable. With the improvement of the Green Governance Index, the quality of environmental policies will also increase, and vice versa. With the adverseness of the Green Governance Index, the efficiency of environmental policies will decrease.

Regarding control variables, the inflation rate as an influential factor in tourism flows is selected. The importance of this variable to promoting/declining tourism flows has been drawn to attention by some earlier studies, such as Liu et al. ( 2022 ). The inflation rate can raise the total cost of travel, causing a reduction in tourism flows, while any reduction in the inflation rate can increase the intention of tourists to travel. In addition, the KOF globalization index provided by the KOF Swiss Economic Institute is another control variable. A country with a higher degree of globalization means more readiness to accept tourists from countries with different cultures and religions.

Model specification

According to the variables mentioned above, 40 examined developing countries from 2010 to 2021, the panel co-integration model can be written as Eq. 1 :

ETOR indicates the ecotourism index, while CO2, GGI, INF, and GLOB denote Carbon dioxide emissions per capita, green governance index, inflation rate, and globalization index, respectively. i is 1,2,…,40 and shows examined developing economies, while t is time and contains 2010, 2011,..,2021.

Prior to the estimation of coefficients of Eq. 1 , the panel unit root tests are employed to find out whether the series is stationary. To this end, three tests of LLC (Levin et al., 2002 ), Breitung’s test ( 2000 ), and the PP-Fisher test (Philips and Perron, 1988 ). If all the variables are stationary at the first level of difference (I(1)), a panel co-integration test can be conducted to explore whether the model is spurious. To this end, Kao’s co-integration test ( 1999 ) and Pedroni’s residual co-integration test ( 2004 ) are conducted. If the co-integration relationship exists among variables, the panel causality test can be run to determine the causal linkages among variables. In this paper, the two steps of Engle and Granger (1987)‘s test, which is based on the error correction model (ECM) is used as Eqs. 2 – 6 :

In the above Equations, Δ is the first differences of variables, while θ and ECT represent the fixed country effect and error correction term.

The next step is the long-run panel co-integration estimations. To this end, Fully Modified OLS (FMOLS) and Dynamic OLS (DOLS) as robustness checks are conducted, which are two famous panel co-integration estimators (Rasoulinezhad, 2018 ). The FMOLS estimator has various advantages. It allows serial correlation, endogeneity, and cross-sectional heterogeneity (Erdal and Erdal, 2020 ).

Empirical results

In this section, we will implement the experimental research model. The purpose of implementing an econometric model based on panel data is to find the effects of green governance variables and carbon dioxide emissions on ecotourism. As the first step, the panel unit root tests are conducted. The results are reported in Table 1 as follows:

According to Table 1 , all three-panel unit root tests depict that all series are non-stationary at the level and become stationary after a first difference. Next, the panel co-integration tests are conducted, and their results are represented in Tables 2 and 3 :

The two-panel co-integration tests’ findings confirm the presence of co-integration linkages among variables.

The panel causality test studies the short-term and long-term causal relationship among variables. Table 4 reports the results of the panel causality check as follows:

According to Table 4 , there is a uni-directional causal relationship between the green governance indicator and the inflation rate of the ecotourism indicator. At the same time, there is a bi-directional causal relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and ecotourism indicators, confirming the existence of the feedback effect. In addition, there is only short-term causality from the green governance indicator to carbon dioxide emissions. In contrast, ecotourism and the globalization index have a uni-directional causal linkage. In the short term, improving ecotourism can cause globalization and reduce carbon emissions in developing economies. Regarding the long-term causality, it can be concluded that the ECT of ecotourism, green governance index, and globalization index are statistically significant. These three variables are major adjustment variables when the system departs from equilibrium.

In the last stage, the long-run estimations are done through FMOLS and DOLS estimators. Table 5 lists the results of the estimations by these two-panel co-integration estimators:

Based on FMOLS estimation, it can be concluded that the Green Governance index has a positive and significant coefficient in such a way that with a 1% improvement in the green governance index of developing countries, the ecotourism of these countries will increase by 0.43%. By improving the state of green governance, the quality of formulated and implemented green policies in these countries will increase, improving the conditions of ecotourism development. This finding aligns with Agrawal et al. ( 2022 ) and Debbarma and Choi ( 2022 ), who believe that green governance is essential to sustainable development. In the case of carbon dioxide emissions, the coefficient of this variable is not statistically significant. In other words, the variable of carbon dioxide emissions per capita has no significant effect on ecotourism in developing countries. The inflation rate has a significant negative effect on ecotourism. With a 1% increase in the general prices of goods and services in developing countries, ecotourism will decrease by 0.34%. This finding aligns with Rahman ( 2022 ), who showed a negative relationship between inflation and sustainable development in their research. An increase in inflation means an increase in the total cost of a tourist’s trip to the destination country, inhibiting the growth of tourist services.

Regarding the globalization variable, this variable has a significant positive effect on the ecotourism of developing countries. With a 1% increase in the globalization index of these countries, ecotourism will increase by 0.32%. Globalization means more interaction with the world’s countries, acceptance of different cultures and customs, more language learning in society, more acceptance of tourism, and development of tourist services in the country. This finding is consistent with the results of Akadiri et al. ( 2019 ), who confirmed that globalization is one of the crucial components in tourism development.

The DOLS estimator was also used to ensure the obtained findings’ validity. The results of this method are shown in Table 5 . The signs of the coefficients are consistent with the results obtained by the FMOLS method. Therefore, the validity and reliability of the obtained coefficients are confirmed.

In this section, we will briefly discuss the relationship between ecotourism and climate change and the environmental policy considering the uncertainty and the relationship between variables in developed and developing countries.

Consideration of uncertainty

Uncertainty as a primary reason for risk has become a research issue in recent decades. Uncertainty can make the future unpredictable and uncontrollable, affecting economic decision-making. Regarding tourism, the impacts of uncertainty have been drawn to attention by several earlier studies (e.g., Dutta et al., 2020 ; Das et al., 2020 ; and Balli et al., 2019 ; Balli et al., 2018 ). In general, uncertainty in the tourism industry reflects tourists’ concerns and consumption habits in the way that by increasing uncertainty, it is expected that tourists make sense of risks and postpone their tourism activities, and vice versa; in the sphere of certainties, the various risks are clear, and tourists can make rational decisions for their tourism plans and activities. In order to explore the impacts of uncertainties on eco-tourism of the examined developing economies, the geopolitical risk index (GPR) as a proxy for economic policy uncertainty index is gathered and added as a control variable to Eq. 1 . The estimations results by FMOLS are reported in Table 6 as follows.

According to Table 6 , the uncertainty (geopolitical risk) has a negative coefficient meaning that with a 1% increase in geopolitical risk, the eco-tourism industry in the examined developing countries decreases by approximately 0.69%. The signs of coefficients of other variables align with the earlier findings, represented in Table 5 . In addition, the magnitude of the impact of geopolitical risk is larger than the impacts of other variables highlighting the importance of lower geopolitical risk in these economies to reach sustainable tourism targets.

Difference in developed and developing economies

Considering the different structures and financial power of these two groups of countries, the relationship between the variables mentioned in these two groups is expected to be different. In the previous section, the results for the group of developing countries showed that the Green Governance index has a positive and significant coefficient. In the case of carbon dioxide emissions, the coefficient of this variable is not statistically significant. The inflation rate has a significant negative effect on ecotourism. Regarding the globalization variable, it can be mentioned that this variable has a significant positive effect on the ecotourism of developing countries. In order to analyze the relationship between variables in the developed countries, the top 10 countries with the highest HDI in 2021 are selected (Switzerland (0.962), Norway (0.961), Iceland (0.959), Hong Kong (0.952), Australia (0.951), Denmark (0.948), Sweden (0.947) and Ireland (0.945)). The selected variables, explained in section “Data and model specification”, are collected from 2010 to 2021. The panel unit root tests confirmed that all series are non-stationary at the level and become stationary after a first difference. In addition, the presence of co-integration linkages among variables is revealed by the panel co-integration test. The panel co-integration estimator of FMOLS is employed to study the long-term relationship among variables. The findings are reported in Table 7 as follows:

According to the estimated coefficients, the green governance indicator positively and statistically significantly impacts ecotourism in the examined developed economies. However, the magnitude of the impact of this variable is more considerable for developing countries because these countries have more imbalances in markets and regulations. Therefore, the presence of good green tourism can have a more positive effect on advancing the goal of ecotourism. Contrary to the findings of developing countries, carbon dioxide emission in developed countries has a negative and significant effect, meaning that with an increase of 1% in carbon dioxide in developed countries, the level of ecotourism becomes more unfavorable by 0.034%. Moreover, inflation and globalization variables have significant negative and positive coefficients, respectively. However, the magnitudes of these two variables’ coefficients are also higher in developing countries. Ecotourism in developing countries is more sensitive to changes in macroeconomic variables such as green governance, globalization, and inflation.

Another difference between eco-tourism in developed and developing economies may be interpreted through the term “greenwashing,” introduced by Westerveld in 1986 (Maichum et al., 2016 ). In developing countries, due to the economic structure, limited knowledge, bureaucratic process, lack of legal eco-certification, and imperfect competition, a company involved in the eco-tourism industry makes an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into accepting the company’s services are in line with environmental protection policies. Hence, green governance in developing countries should have another role in regulating the eco-tourism market to lower the threat of greenwashing in eco-tourism services.

Conclusions and policy recommendations

Concluding remarks.

The findings of econometric modeling revealed the relationship between environmental policies, climate change, and ecotourism. Based on the findings of the econometric model, the following conclusions can be presented:

A uni-directional causal relationship runs from the green governance indicator and inflation rate to the ecotourism indicator, which means that any changes in green governance and inflation rate cause changes in ecotourism, which is vital for developing economies where governance and inflation rate are two crucial issues.

There is a bi-directional causal relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and ecotourism indicators, confirming the existence of the feedback hypothesis, expressing that in developing economies, any policies related to ecotourism cause changes in CO2 emissions and vice versa.

There is only short-term causality from the green governance indicator to carbon dioxide emissions, whereas there is a uni-directional causal linkage from ecotourism to the globalization index. In other words, in the short term, improving ecotourism can cause globalization and reduce carbon emissions in developing economies.

By improving green governance in developing economies, the quality of formulated and implemented green policies in these countries will increase, improving the conditions of ecotourism development.

An increase in the inflation rate raises the total cost of a tourist’s trip to developing economies, inhibiting the growth of eco-tourist services.

Globalization means more interaction with the world’s countries, acceptance of different cultures and customs, more language learning in society, more acceptance of tourism, and development of tourist services in developing countries.

Policy implications

In order to achieve the promotion of ecotourism in developing countries, the implementation of integrated and effective strategic and practical policies is of great importance. According to the concluding remarks mentioned, practical policies are presented as follows for enhancing ecotourism in developed countries. The development of ecotourism requires the improvement of various infrastructures and mechanisms, which depends on the implementation of projects related to ecotourism in developing countries. Because most countries do not have enough financial power to invest in such projects, developing the green financing market can be one of the critical practical solutions. The green financing tool can increase the investment risk and return on investment in such projects, and as a result, the participation of the private sector in these projects will increase. With information and communication technology development, virtual tourism can solve many environmental issues related to human physical presence. Virtual tourism is one of the branches of tourism services that provide people with destinations, places of interest, and tourist attractions with full quality but in virtual form. Another practical policy is granting green loans to small and medium enterprises active in ecotourism. Despite the organizational agility, these companies do not have the significant financial power to develop different sectors of ecotourism; therefore, the cooperation of the banking industry of developing countries by providing green loans (with low-interest rates) can motivate small and medium-sized companies in the field of activities related to ecotourism. Government incentives to motivate businesses active in ecotourism and government deterrent policies (green tax) from businesses active in the field of tourism to lead them to increase the share of ecotourism in their activities can be a proper operational strategy. In developing countries, the role of government and green governance is vital in advancing the goals of ecotourism. By improving the level of its green governance, the government can create efficient policies, regulations, and social tools to create motivation and desire to accept ecotourism, an essential and undeniable issue in developing societies. Creating a guarantee fund for ecotourism companies in developing countries is another practical policy to support these companies financially. Guarantee funds can be established with the participation of the people of ecotourism destinations in order to strengthen the financial strength of ecotourism companies in these destinations.

Limitations and recommendations to further research

This research had a practical and innovative contribution to the literature on ecotourism in developing countries. The findings obtained from the econometric model analysis provided appropriate practical and strategic policies to the policymakers of countries interested in the development of ecotourism. However, access to data related to the ecotourism index and sustainable development of developing countries due to the lack of community in a specific database is considered one of the critical limitations of this research. This limitation caused many developing countries to be excluded from the research sample, which may have created a deviation in the research. Adding more countries to the test sample in future research is suggested to obtain complete and accurate results. Also, due to the outbreak of the Corona pandemic at the end of 2019 and the Russia-Ukraine war since the beginning of 2022, it is suggested that these two variables be included in the econometric model as an illusion in order to analyze their effects on the ecotourism of the countries of the world. Using other econometric methods, such as artificial neural networks, is suggested to model ecotourism in different countries. Complex modeling by taking into account trends and trends to predict the relationship between variables in the future will be an essential step in formulating effective programs in ecotourism.

Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abedin Z, Handayani W, Zaky E, Faturrahman A (2022) Perceived risk and attitude’s mediating role between tourism knowledge and visit intention during the COVID-19 pandemic: implementation for coastal-ecotourism management. Heliyon 8(10):e10724. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10724

Article   Google Scholar  

Agrawal A, Brandhorst S, Jain M, Liao C, Pradhan N, Solomon D (2022) From environmental governance to governance for sustainability. One Earth 5(6):615–621

Article   ADS   Google Scholar  

Ahmad N, Youjin L, Hdia M (2022) The role of innovation and tourism in sustainability: why is environment-friendly tourism necessary for entrepreneurship? J Clean Prod 379(Part 2):134799. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134799

Akadiri S, Alola A, Akadiri A (2019) The role of globalization, real income, tourism in environmental sustainability target. Evidence from Turkey. Sci Total Environ 687:423–432

Article   ADS   CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Bai X, Wang K, Tran T, Sadiq M, Trung L, Khudoykulov K (2022) Measuring China’s green economic recovery and energy environment sustainability: econometric analysis of sustainable development goals. Econ Anal Policy 75:768–779

Balli F, Shahzad SJH, Uddin GS (2018) A tale of two shocks: what do we learn from the impacts of economic policy uncertainties on tourism? Tour Manag68:470–475

Balli F, Uddin GS, Shahzad SJH (2019) Geopolitical risk and tourism demand in emerging economies. Tour Econ 25(6):997–1005

Baloch Q, Shah S, Iqbal N, Sheeraz M, Asadullah M, Mahar S, Khan A (2022) Impact of tourism development upon environmental sustainability: a suggested framework for sustainable ecotourism. Environ Sci Pollut Res https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22496-w

Breitung J (2000) The local power of some unit root tests for panel data. In: Baltagi B (ed.). Nonstationary panels, panel cointegration, and dynamic panels, advances in econometrics. vol. 15. JAI Press, Amsterdam. pp. 161–178

Brida J, Gomez D, Segarra V (2020) On the empirical relationship between tourism and economic growth. Tour Manag 81:104131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2020.104131

Casado-Aranda L, Fernandez J, Bastidas-Manzano A (2021) Tourism research after the COVID-19 outbreak: insights for more sustainable, local and smart cities. Sustain Cities Soc 73:103126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.103126

Article   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Centobelli P, Cerchione R, Esposito E (2022) Environmental sustainability in the service industry of transportation and logistics service providers: systematic literature review and research directions. Transp Res Part D Trans Environ 53:454–470

Chao Q, Feng A (2018) Scientific basis of climate change and its response. Glob Energy Interconnect 1(4):420–427

Google Scholar  

Choi Y, Oh C, Chon J (2022) Applying the resilience principles for sustainable ecotourism development: a case study of the Nakdong Estuary, South Korea. Tour Manag 83:104237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2020.104237

Das D, Dutta A, Bhadra A, Uddin GS (2020) Role of presidential uncertainties on the hotel industry. Ann Tour Res 81:102762

Debbarma J, Choi Y (2022) A taxonomy of green governance: a qualitative and quantitative analysis towards sustainable development. Sustain Cities Soc 79:103693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2022.103693

Dutta A, Mishra T, Uddin GS, Yang Y (2020) Brexit uncertainty and volatility persistence in tourism demand. Curr Issue Tour 24(16):2225–2232

Erdal H, Erdal G (2020) Panel FMOLS model analysis of the effects of livestock support policies on sustainable animal presence in Turkey. Sustainability 12:3444. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083444

Espoir D, Mudiangombe B, Bannor F, Sunge R, Tshitaka J (2022) CO2 emissions and economic growth: Assessing the heterogeneous effects across climate regimes in Africa. Sci Total Environ 804:150089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150089

Hasana U, Swain S, George B (2022) A bibliometric analysis of ecotourism: a safeguard strategy in protected areas. Region Sustain 3(1):27–40

Heshmati M, Gheitury M, Shadfar S (2022) Factors affecting possibility of ecotourism development and sustaining natural resources using SWOT approach in west Iran. Int J Geoheritage Parks 10(2):173–183

Holzner M (2011) Tourism and economic development: the beach disease. Tour Manag32(4):922–933

Hosseini S, Paydar M, Keshteli M (2021) Recovery solutions for ecotourism centers during the Covid-19 pandemic: utilizing Fuzzy DEMATEL and Fuzzy VIKOR methods. Exp Syst Appl 185:115594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2021.115594

Hosseini S, Paydar M, Triki C (2021) Implementing sustainable ecotourism in Lafour region, Iran: applying a clustering method based on SWOT analysis. J Clean Prod 329:129716. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129716

Jeyacheya J, Hampton M (2022) Pathway choice and post-Covid tourism: Inclusive growth or business as usual? World Dev Sustain 1:100024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wds.2022.100024

Jin C, Takao M, Yobuta M(2022) Impact of Japan’s local community power on green tourism. Asia Pacific J Region Sci 6:571–591

Kao C (1999) Spurious regression and residual-based tests for cointegration in panel data. J Economet 90(1):1–44

Article   MathSciNet   MATH   Google Scholar  

Kunjuraman V, Hussin R, Aziz R (2022) Community-based ecotourism as a social transformation tool for rural community: a victory or a quagmire. J Outdoor Recreat Tour 39:100524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2022.100524

Lee C, Wang C, Ho S (2022) The dimension of green economy: Culture viewpoint. Econ Anal Policy 74:122–138

Levin A, Lin CF, Chu CS (2002) Unit root tests in panel data: asymptotic and finite-sample properties. J Economet 108(1):1–24

Li J, Ridderstaat J, Yost E (2022) Tourism development and quality of life interdependence with evolving age-cohort-based population. Tour Manag 93:104621. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104621

Liu A, Kim Y, Song H (2022) Toward an accurate assessment of tourism economic impact: a systematic literature review. Ann Tour Res Empirical Insight 3(2):100054. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2022.100054

Lu C, Huang J, Chen C, Shu M, Hsu C, Bapu T (2021) An energy-efficient smart city for sustainable green tourism industry. Sustain Energy Technol Assess 47:101494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2021.101494

Maichum K, Parichatnon S, Peng KC (2016) Application of the extended theory of planned behavior model to investigate purchase intention of green products among Thai consumers. Sustainability 8:1077

Pedroni P (2004) Panel cointegration: asymptotic and finite sample properties of pooled time series tests with an application to the PPP hypothesis. Economet Theory 20(3):597–625

Phillips PCB, Perron P (1988) Testing for a unit root in time series regressions. Biometrika. 75(2):335–346

Rahman M (2022) The effect of taxation on sustainable development goals: evidence from emerging countries. Heliyon 8(9):e10512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10512

Rasoulinezhad E (2018) A new evidence from the effects of Russia’s WTO accession on its foreign trade. Eur Econ Rev 8(1):73–92

Rasoulinezhad E, Taghizadeh-Hesary F (2022) Role of green finance in improving energy efficiency and renewable energy development. Energy Efficiency 15(2):14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-022-10021-4

Roelfsema M, Soest H, Elzen M, Coninck HH, Kuramochi T, Harmsen M, Dagnomilis I, Hohne N, Vuuren D (2022) Developing scenarios in the context of the Paris Agreement and application in the integrated assessment model IMAGE: a framework for bridging the policy-modelling divide. Environ Sci Policy 135:104–116

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

Ruhanan L (2019) The prominence of eco in ecotourism experiences: an analysis of post-purchase online reviews. J Hosp Tour Manag 39:110–116

Sokhanvar A, Ciftcioglu S, Javid E (2018) Another look at tourism-economic development nexus. Tour Manag Perspect 26:97–106

Soliku O, Kyiire B, Mahama A, Kubio C (2021) Tourism amid COVID-19 pandemic: impacts and implications for building resilience in the eco-tourism sector in Ghana’s Savannah region. Heliyon 7(9):e07892. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07892

Article   CAS   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Sorensen F, Grindsted T (2021) Sustainability approaches and nature tourism development. Ann Tour Res 91:103307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2021.103307

Sun Y, Ding W, Yang G (2022) Green innovation efficiency of China’s tourism industry from the perspective of shared inputs: Dynamic evolution and combination improvement paths. Ecol Indica 138:108824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108824

Tajer E, Demir S (2022) Ecotourism strategy of UNESCO city in Iran: applying a new quantitative method integrated with BWM. J Clean Prod 376:134284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134284

Takashima N (2018) International environmental agreements between asymmetric countries: a repeated game analysis. Jpn World Econ 48:38–44

Thompson B (2022) Ecotourism anywhere? The lure of ecotourism and the need to scrutinize the potential competitiveness of ecotourism developments. Tour Manag 92:104568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104568

Werikhe A (2022) Towards a green and sustainable recovery from COVID-19. Curr Res Environ Sustain 4:100124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100124

Woodward A (2019) Climate change: disruption, risk and opportunity. Glob Trans 1:44–49

Xu L, Ao C, Liu B, Cai Z (2022) Cotourism and sustainable development: a scientometric review of global research trends. Environ Dev Sustain https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-022-02190-0

Yusef N, Rahman F, Jamil M, Iranmanesh M (2014) Measuring the quality of ecotourism services: case study–based model validation. Sage Open, https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244014538270

Zekan B, Weismayer C, Gunter U, Schuh B, Sedlacek S (2022) Regional sustainability and tourism carrying capacities. J Clean Prod 339:130624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.130624

Zheng H, Dai H, Lai H, Wang W (2017) U.S. withdrawal from the Paris agreement: reasons, impacts, and China’s response. Adv Clim Change Rese 8(4):220–225

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

School of Hospitality Administration, Zhejiang Yuexiu University, Zhejiang, China

  • Yunfeng Shang

School of Economics, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, China

Chunyu Bi, Xinyu Wei & Dayang Jiang

School of Global Studies, Tokai University, Tokyo, Japan

Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary

TOKAI Research Institute for Environment and Sustainability (TRIES), Tokai University, Tokyo, Japan

Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Ehsan Rasoulinezhad

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yunfeng Shang , Dayang Jiang or Ehsan Rasoulinezhad .

Ethics declarations

Competing interests.

The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethical approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

Informed consent

Additional information.

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Shang, Y., Bi, C., Wei, X. et al. Eco-tourism, climate change, and environmental policies: empirical evidence from developing economies. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 10 , 275 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01777-w

Download citation

Received : 11 November 2022

Accepted : 18 May 2023

Published : 31 May 2023

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01777-w

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

This article is cited by

Spatial effects of green finance development in chinese provinces under the context of high-quality energy development.

  • Fangbin Qian

Economic Change and Restructuring (2024)

Quick links

  • Explore articles by subject
  • Guide to authors
  • Editorial policies

sustainable tourism growth rate

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Global tourism industry - statistics & facts

What are the leading global tourism destinations, digitalization of the global tourism industry, how important is sustainable tourism, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP worldwide 2019-2033

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 1950-2023

Global leisure travel spend 2019-2022

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Leading global travel markets by travel and tourism contribution to GDP 2019-2022

Travel and tourism employment worldwide 2019-2033

Related topics

Recommended.

  • Hotel industry worldwide
  • Travel agency industry
  • Sustainable tourism worldwide
  • Travel and tourism in the U.S.
  • Travel and tourism in Europe

Recommended statistics

  • Basic Statistic Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP worldwide 2019-2033
  • Basic Statistic Travel and tourism: share of global GDP 2019-2033
  • Basic Statistic Leading global travel markets by travel and tourism contribution to GDP 2019-2022
  • Basic Statistic Global leisure travel spend 2019-2022
  • Premium Statistic Global business travel spending 2001-2022
  • Premium Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 1950-2023
  • Basic Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 2005-2023, by region
  • Basic Statistic Travel and tourism employment worldwide 2019-2033

Total contribution of travel and tourism to gross domestic product (GDP) worldwide in 2019 and 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2033 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

Travel and tourism: share of global GDP 2019-2033

Share of travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP worldwide in 2019 and 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2033

Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in leading travel markets worldwide in 2019 and 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Leisure tourism spending worldwide from 2019 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Global business travel spending 2001-2022

Expenditure of business tourists worldwide from 2001 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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)

Number of travel and tourism jobs worldwide from 2019 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2033 (in millions)

  • Premium Statistic Global hotel and resort industry market size worldwide 2013-2023
  • Premium Statistic Most valuable hotel brands worldwide 2022, by brand value
  • Basic Statistic Leading hotel companies worldwide 2022, by number of properties
  • Premium Statistic Hotel openings worldwide 2021-2024
  • Premium Statistic Hotel room openings worldwide 2021-2024
  • Premium Statistic Countries with the most hotel construction projects in the pipeline worldwide 2022

Global hotel and resort industry market size worldwide 2013-2023

Market size of the hotel and resort industry worldwide from 2013 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

Most valuable hotel brands worldwide 2022, by brand value

Leading hotel brands based on brand value worldwide in 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Leading hotel companies worldwide 2022, by number of properties

Leading hotel companies worldwide as of June 2022, by number of properties

Hotel openings worldwide 2021-2024

Number of hotels opened worldwide from 2021 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2024

Hotel room openings worldwide 2021-2024

Number of hotel rooms opened worldwide from 2021 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2024

Countries with the most hotel construction projects in the pipeline worldwide 2022

Countries with the highest number of hotel construction projects in the pipeline worldwide as of Q4 2022

  • Premium Statistic Airports with the most international air passenger traffic worldwide 2022
  • Premium Statistic Market value of selected airlines worldwide 2023
  • Premium Statistic Global passenger rail users forecast 2017-2027
  • Premium Statistic Daily ridership of bus rapid transit systems worldwide by region 2023
  • Premium Statistic Number of users of car rentals worldwide 2019-2028
  • Premium Statistic Number of users in selected countries in the Car Rentals market in 2023
  • Premium Statistic Carbon footprint of international tourism transport worldwide 2005-2030, by type

Airports with the most international air passenger traffic worldwide 2022

Leading airports for international air passenger traffic in 2022 (in million international passengers)

Market value of selected airlines worldwide 2023

Market value of selected airlines worldwide as of May 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Global passenger rail users forecast 2017-2027

Worldwide number of passenger rail users from 2017 to 2022, with a forecast through 2027 (in billion users)

Daily ridership of bus rapid transit systems worldwide by region 2023

Number of daily passengers using bus rapid transit (BRT) systems as of April 2023, by region

Number of users of car rentals worldwide 2019-2028

Number of users of car rentals worldwide from 2019 to 2028 (in millions)

Number of users in selected countries in the Car Rentals market in 2023

Number of users in selected countries in the Car Rentals market in 2023 (in million)

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)

Attractions

  • Premium Statistic Market size of museums, historical sites, zoos, and parks worldwide 2022-2027
  • Premium Statistic Leading museums by highest attendance worldwide 2019-2022
  • Basic Statistic Most visited amusement and theme parks worldwide 2019-2022
  • Basic Statistic Monuments on the UNESCO world heritage list 2023, by type
  • Basic Statistic Selected countries with the most Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide 2023

Market size of museums, historical sites, zoos, and parks worldwide 2022-2027

Size of the museums, historical sites, zoos, and parks market worldwide in 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Leading museums by highest attendance worldwide 2019-2022

Most visited museums worldwide from 2019 to 2022 (in millions)

Most visited amusement and theme parks worldwide 2019-2022

Leading amusement and theme parks worldwide from 2019 to 2022, by attendance (in millions)

Monuments on the UNESCO world heritage list 2023, by type

Number of monuments on the UNESCO world heritage list as of September 2023, by type

Selected countries with the most Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide 2023

Number of Michelin-starred restaurants in selected countries and territories worldwide as of July 2023

Online travel market

  • Premium Statistic Online travel market size worldwide 2020-2030
  • Premium Statistic Estimated revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2022, by device
  • Premium Statistic Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads
  • Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
  • Premium Statistic Leading online travel companies worldwide 2020-2022, by revenue CAGR
  • Premium Statistic Leading online travel companies worldwide 2022-2023, by EV/EBITDA

Online travel market size worldwide 2020-2030

Online travel market size worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2030 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Estimated revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2022, by device

Estimated desktop vs. mobile revenue of leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide in 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads

Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide in 2022, by aggregated number of downloads (in millions)

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide as of September 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Leading online travel companies worldwide 2020-2022, by revenue CAGR

Revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of leading online travel companies worldwide from 2020 to 2022

Leading online travel companies worldwide 2022-2023, by EV/EBITDA

Enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of selected leading online travel companies worldwide in 2022, with a forecast for 2023

Selected trends

  • Premium Statistic Global travelers who believe in the importance of green travel 2022
  • Premium Statistic Sustainable initiatives travelers would adopt worldwide 2022, by region
  • Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023
  • Premium Statistic Airbnb nights and experiences booked worldwide 2017-2023
  • Premium Statistic Technologies global hotels plan to implement in the next three years 2022
  • Premium Statistic Hotel technologies global consumers think would improve their future stay 2022

Global travelers who believe in the importance of green travel 2022

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

Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023

Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Airbnb nights and experiences booked worldwide 2017-2023

Nights and experiences booked with Airbnb from 2017 to 2023 (in millions)

Technologies global hotels plan to implement in the next three years 2022

Technologies hotels are most likely to implement in the next three years worldwide as of 2022

Hotel technologies global consumers think would improve their future stay 2022

Must-have hotel technologies to create a more amazing stay in the future among travelers worldwide as of 2022

  • Premium Statistic Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2019-2028, by segment
  • Premium Statistic Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2017-2027
  • Premium Statistic Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region
  • Premium Statistic Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2019-2028, by segment

Revenue of the global travel and tourism market from 2019 to 2028, by segment (in billion U.S. dollars)

Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2017-2027

Revenue share of sales channels of the travel and tourism market worldwide from 2017 to 2027

Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast until 2025, by region

Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast until 2025, by region

Further reports Get the best reports to understand your industry

Get the best reports to understand your industry.

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

Future Market Insights

- Global Locations -

Headquarters

Future Market Insights, Inc.

Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, United States

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018, Valley Cottage, NY 10989, United States

Future Market Insights

1602-6 Jumeirah Bay X2 Tower, Plot No: JLT-PH2-X2A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

3rd Floor, 207 Regent Street, W1B 3HH London United Kingdom

Asia Pacific

IndiaLand Global Tech Park, Unit UG-1, Behind Grand HighStreet, Phase 1, Hinjawadi, MH, Pune – 411057, India

  • Consumer Product
  • Food & Beverage
  • Chemicals and Materials
  • Travel & Tourism
  • Process Automation
  • Industrial Automation
  • Services & Utilities
  • Testing Equipment
  • Thought Leadership
  • Upcoming Reports
  • Published Reports
  • Contact FMI

Sustainable Tourism Market

Sustainable Tourism Market by Type, Booking Channel, Consumer Orientation, Tourism Type & Region | Forecast 2022 to 2032

Market Insights on Sustainable Tourism covering sales outlook, demand forecast and up-to-date key trends

  • Report Preview
  • Request Methodology

Sustainable Tourism Market Snapshot (2022 to 2032)

The tourism industry in the past couple of decades has attracted a high number of investments in various tourist attractions across the globe. Subsequently, the increasing number of tourist arrivals and flocking at such destinations have alternatively resulted in the degradation of scenic attractions. Various such factors have led to increasing ecological awareness regarding tourism activities at such destinations.

Future Market Insights (FMI) has estimated the market to register a year-on-year growth rate of 33.3% in 2022. As per the FMI analysis, the sustainable tourism market size will surpass US$ 1.0 Trillion in 2022. Between 2022 and 2032, the market is expected to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.4%. The share of the global sustainable tourism market in the parent market (travel and tourism industry) is estimated to be at 2%-5%.

Don't pay for what you don't need

Customize your report by selecting specific countries or regions and save 30%!

Key Points Covered in the Sustainable Tourism Market Report

  • Market Estimates and Forecast 2017 to 2032
  • Key Drivers and restraints impacting market growth
  • Segment-wise, country-wise, and region-wise analysis
  • Competition mapping and benchmarking
  • Brand share and market share analysis
  • Key product innovations and regulatory climate
  • COVID-19 Impact on Sustainable Tourism Market and How to Navigate
  • Recommendation on key winning strategies

Sustainable Tourism Market

Historical Market Review (2017 to 2021): Sustainable Tourism Market

The historical market witnessed a growth curve till 2019, throughout. The outbreak of the pandemic and various governmental restrictions in the tourism industry led to a decline in the year-on-year growth rate in 2020 by a big margin. As a result, the historical market from 2017 to 2021 experienced a downfall leading to a negative compound annual growth rate throughout the historical period.

The steady slack in the various activities in the year 2021 saw a gradual recovery in the market. The advent of vaccinations and numerous precautionary actions is expected to witness a full market revival in the coming years.

Ronak Shah

Principal Consultant

Talk to Analyst

Find your sweet spots for generating winning opportunities in this market.

How is Increasing Awareness among Tourists Driving the Market Growth?

The increasing fad of environmental and ecological awareness in tourists’ perception has birthed the concept of sustainability towards an ascending trend. Increasing economic activities in developing countries result in more energy and consumption demand, which generally lead to environmental degradation.

A change of awareness could bring to a behavioral change in the long term, making tourism more sustainable. The human ecological footprint is continuously increasing and human activities play a great role in environmental change, from climate change to pollution and biodiversity loss. Among human activities, tourism is one of the largest economic sectors in the world with a remarkable long-term growth rate in the scale and value of international tourism.

How is Over-tourism Hampering the Sustainable Tourism Industry?

Over-tourism is a big menace because it creates negative environmental as well as social impacts. In terms of environmental impact, over-tourism results in an increase in water consumption, air pollution, litter, and waste in tourism destinations . Cheap flights, easy accommodation, and enthusiastic and digitally driven customers have together led to over- tourism .

In 2017, there were marches on the streets of Budapest, an exhibition of graffiti saying tourists go home. In some cases local authorities responded to over-tourism by increasing fees, refusing to issue permits for more tourist-focused businesses in city centers, and also by closing away entire islands to visitors, making headlines. The social limits to tourism growth are becoming more apparent.

Get the data you need at a Fraction of the cost

Personalize your report by choosing insights you need and save 40%!

Country-wise Insights

How is the sustainable tourism market striving in the usa.

In the North American region, the USA is expected to account for a significant market share in the sustainable tourism market with regard to the high number of scenic locations available and the availability of the best facilities.

The constant increase of tourism in the region has determined positive impacts on the economic growth and expansion of many related industries. Awareness about sustainable tourism aims to respond to the negative effects of mass tourism on the environment by making optimal use of resources, maintaining essential ecological processes, and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.

How is the Sustainable Tourism Market faring in Spain?

Sustainable tourism has had many positive effects on the Spanish economy and society, but part of practicing sustainable tourism in Spain is recognizing the influx of millions of visitors that have had plenty of downsides for locals.

Some of the most obvious signs are clear in the central neighborhoods such as the districts like Madrid’s Malasaña and Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter which were once very residential, full of small businesses and homes. Currently, they’re being taken over by chain stores and eateries, and tourist accommodations. Such trends in the region might adversely affect local and community businesses.

What is the Future of the Sustainable Tourism Industry in India?

India is one of the most prominent countries in the South Asia region that is aimed at achieving sustainable tourism owing to its varied cultural and regional practices. Sustainable tourism is becoming more and more important in the region.

According to research conducted by Booking.com in 2020, 96% of Indian travelers identified sustainable travel as important to them, while 76% said they were more determined to make sustainable choices when looking to travel again in the future. Furthermore, witnessing the impact that tourism has on the environment while on vacation has resulted in 73% of travelers making more eco-friendly choices in their everyday life.

Category-wise Insights

Which type of booking channel is mostly preferred by tourists.

The phone booking channel holds a significant share of the market. The ease of usability and the privilege of transparent communication with the service provider are the primary factors for the preference of phone booking channels.

Online booking is another segment that is gaining prominence among the booking channel due to its ability to showcase and experience the venues virtually. The segment is anticipated to take over the phone booking channel over the forecast period.

Who are the Leading Travelers Based on Age Group?

The 26 - 35 years age group segment dominated the market with a significant share in 2021. This can be interrelated to the increased awareness about sustainability among this demographic. The dominant population of millennials and their increasing concern and care towards the environment has resulted in the growth of this age group segment.

Which is the Leading Segment in Sustainable Tourism Based on Tour Type?

The domestic tour type dominates the tour type segment in the sustainable tourism market. The primary factor for the growth of this segment is cheap flights and budget-friendly tours that are opted for by most tourists. Further, various initiatives by the regional governments in developing local tourism have contributed significantly towards the growth of domestic tours and are expected to hold a significant share throughout the forecast period.

What are the Factors Contributing to the Growth of Independent Travelers?

The increasing number of individual enthusiasts in the millennial and Gen-Z population is a major factor that has resulted in the growth of independent travelers. The quest to explore unknown areas has pushed independent travelers to travel to remote areas. Moreover, with the advent of social media channels such as YouTube, where an increasing number of such travelers are opting for full-time work by posting videos in remote places and unexplored regions to the whole world has gained prominence and is anticipated to be the dominant segment throughout the forecast period.

Competitive Landscape

The players are principally engaged to establish a new standard for sustainable tourism. Further, several players are using various promotional strategies for the same, such as reporting sustainability methods, practices, and resources to the global sustainable tourism council.

Scope of Report

Market by category, by type (% of demand), sustainable tourism market is segmented as:.

  • Ecological Tourism
  • Eco Tourism/ Green Tourism
  • Soft Tourism
  • Community Tourism

By Booking Channel (% of Demand), Sustainable Tourism Market is segmented as:

  • Phone Booking
  • Online Booking
  • In Person Booking

By Consumer Orientation (% of Demand), Sustainable Tourism Market is segmented as:

By tourism type (% of demand), sustainable tourism market is segmented as:.

  • International

By Tourist Type (% of Demand), Sustainable Tourism Market is segmented as:

  • Independent Traveler
  • Package Traveler

By Age Group (% of Demand), Sustainable Tourism Market is segmented as:

  • 15-25 Years
  • 26-35 Years
  • 36-45 Years
  • 46-55 Years
  • 66-75 Years

By Region (% of Demand), Sustainable Tourism Market is segmented as:

  • North America
  • Latin America
  • Middle East and Africa (MEA)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the sustainable tourism market worth.

In 2022, the sustainable tourism market is expected to reach a valuation of over US$ 1.0 Trillion.

What is the share of the top players in the sustainable tourism market?

Bouteco, Kind Traveler, Responsible Travel, Wild Frontiers Adventures Travel, and Wilderness Holding Limited are some of the leading market players, cumulatively accounting for a 2%-5% value share.

Which are the leading countries in sustainable tourism market?

The USA, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Switzerland, and Australia are major countries reflecting consistently in terms of sustainable tourism practices.

What are the global growth statistics for the sustainable tourism market between 2020 and 2021?

The sustainable tourism market grew by around US$ 159.3 Billion between 2020 and 2021.

Table of Content

List of tables, list of charts.

Recommendations

Travel and Tourism

Medical Tourism Market

Published : November 2023

UAE Sustainable Tourism Market

Published : June 2023

Special Interest Tourism Market

Published : May 2022

Diving Tourism Market

Explore Travel and Tourism Insights

Talk To Analyst

Your personal details are safe with us. Privacy Policy*

- Talk To Analyst -

This report can be customized as per your unique requirement

- Get Free Brochure -

Request a free brochure packed with everything you need to know.

- Customize Now -

I need Country Specific Scope ( -30% )

I am searching for Specific Info.

- Download Report Brochure -

Thank You

You will receive an email from our Business Development Manager. Please be sure to check your SPAM/JUNK folder too.

The future of tourism is sustainable and regenerative

To make tourism sustainable and even regenerative, travellers themselves must undergo a mindset shift — but that's not easy in a cost-of-living squeeze.

To make tourism sustainable and even regenerative, travellers themselves must undergo a mindset shift — but that's not easy in a cost-of-living squeeze. Image:  Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:hover,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:focus,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);} Naoko Tochibayashi

Naoko kutty.

sustainable tourism growth rate

.chakra .wef-9dduvl{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-9dduvl{font-size:1.125rem;}} Explore and monitor how .chakra .wef-15eoq1r{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;color:#F7DB5E;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-15eoq1r{font-size:1.125rem;}} Travel and Tourism is affecting economies, industries and global issues

A hand holding a looking glass by a lake

.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;color:#2846F8;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{font-size:1.125rem;}} Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale

Stay up to date:, davos agenda.

Listen to the article

  • Japanese domestic tourism is recovering from the shock of the pandemic but international travel is lagging.
  • Travellers increasingly demand sustainable and affordable options — but those are hard to come by in a cost-of-living squeeze.
  • To make sustainable and regenerative tourism a reality, travellers themselves must undergo a mindset shift.

Since the significant easing of its pandemic border control measures last October, Japan has seen a steady return of foreign tourists.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the number of visitors to Japan in July reached 2.32 million, recovering to about 80% of 2019 levels.

And Japanese people are travelling their own country more, too. According to the travel trend survey by Japan Travel Bureau(JTB), 72.5 million people in Japan traveled within their country during the summer vacation season in July and August — almost returning to pre-pandemic levels. International travel, meanwhile, was low: 1.2 million people , which is 40% of the 2019 figures.

Many people wished to travel abroad but were unable or unwilling to do so cited concerns about safety and health, the lengthy immigration procedures involved in international travel and the unfavourable exchange rates and high costs.

For the outbound recovery to gain momentum, a safe and economically enabling environment is essential.

Have you read?

3 ways hotels and tourists can work together to decarbonize travel, japan airlines' clothing rental service aims for sustainable tourism, overtourism: a challenge to sustainability.

As the influx of tourists revitalizes local economies, a growing concern is emerging: the resurgence of overtourism, where popular destinations are flooded with an excessive number of visitors. In response, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has announced plans to develop solutions this coming autumn to combat overtourism, addressing its negative impacts on local life, including congestion, traffic jams and litter.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, overtourism had started to plague certain Japanese tourist spots. As Japan's tourism industry and tourist destinations hit hard by the pandemic make strides toward recovery, it essential to view these challenges as opportunities for positive change and transform tourism into something more sustainable.

Hotels across Japan are accelerating their sustainability efforts. One noteworthy example is the Tokyo Station Hotel, located within the Tokyo Station building, which is designated as a National Important Cultural Property, is implementing the " CO₂ Zero STAY " programme to virtually eliminate CO₂ emissions generated during a stay by all rooms booked through the official website.

The World Economic Forum’s Platform for Shaping the Future of Mobility works across four industries: aerospace and drones; automotive and new mobility; aviation travel and tourism; and supply chain and transport. It aims to ensure that the future of mobility is safe, clean, and inclusive.

  • Through the Clean Skies for Tomorrow Coalition , more than 100 companies are working together to power global aviation with 10% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.
  • In collaboration with UNICEF, the Forum developed a charter with leading shipping, airlines and logistics to support COVAX in delivering more than 1 billion COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable communities worldwide.
  • The Road Freight Zero Project and P4G-Getting to Zero Coalition have led to outcomes demonstrating the rationale, costs and opportunities for accelerating the transition to zero emission freight.
  • The Medicine from the Sky initiative is using drones to deliver vaccines and medicine to remote areas in India, completing over 300 successful trials.
  • The Forum’s Target True Zero initiative is working to accelerate the deployment and scaling of zero emission aviation, leveraging electric and hydrogen flight technologies.
  • In collaboration with the City of Los Angeles, Federal Aviation Administration, and NASA, the Forum developed the Principles of the Urban Sky to help adopt Urban Air Mobility in cities worldwide.
  • The Forum led the development of the Space Sustainability Rating to incentivize and promote a more safe and sustainable approach to space mission management and debris mitigation in orbit.
  • The Circular Cars Initiative is informing the automotive circularity policy agenda, following the endorsement from European Commission and Zero Emission Vehicle Transition Council countries, and is now invited to support China’s policy roadmap.
  • The Moving India network is working with policymakers to advance electric vehicle manufacturing policies, ignite adoption of zero emission road freight vehicles, and finance the transition.
  • The Urban Mobility Scorecards initiative – led by the Forum’s Global New Mobility Coalition – is bringing together mobility operators and cities to benchmark the transition to sustainable urban mobility systems.

Contact us for more information on how to get involved.

This initiative, which uses the carbon offset system, calculates and visualizes the amount of CO₂ emissions generated by guest stays and invests the equivalent amount in emissions reduction activities, thereby reducing the emissions to virtually zero. All costs are covered by the hotel itself, meaning that guests contribute to expanding forest conservation efforts and supporting renewable energy simply by staying at the hotel.

Another player in the sustainable hospitality scene is Mori Trust Hotels & Resorts. They are taking steps to preserve tourism resources by introducing eco-friendly amenities like wooden and bamboo toothbrushes and hairbrushes, as well as razors and shower caps with reduced plastic content. They are also eliminating individual packaging for soaps and amenities while charging for these items. The company is currently reassessing the amenities used in their 18 hotels nationwide, which collectively use around 16 tons of plastic each year, and aims to cut down the plastic used in amenities by over 90% by 2024.

Traveller behaviour and tourism

As hotels and other players in the tourism industry move towards a more sustainable future, it is equally crucial that travellers, who are the main drivers of tourism, follow suit and change their attitudes and behaviours.

According to the Sustainable Travel Report 2023 , which gathered insights from over 33,000 travellers across 35 countries and territories, 76% of global travellers — and 56% of Japanese travellers — express a desire to embrace more sustainable travel over the coming 12 months. On the other hand, 76% of global travellers and 75% of Japanese travellers say that the global energy crisis and rising costs are impacting their spending plans. This has led to travellers being more budget-conscious, with only 43% of global travellers and 22% of Japanese travellers willing to pay extra for certified sustainable travel experiences.

In light of this trend, offering discounts and financial incentives by tourism providers may motivate travellers to opt for sustainable travel options. Furthermore, providing more information and choices can also promote sustainable travel, since almost half of both global and Japanese travellers feel there are not enough sustainable travel options available to them.

Regenerative tourism: the future of tourism

"There's one thing we can do: actively choose sustainable hotels and resorts, and contribute to their economic impact. Guests are the key to creating a sustainable environment," says travel journalist Naoko Terada, highlighting a crucial step that we all must take.

To achieve sustainable tourism that considers environmental, social and economic impacts, it is essential to change the mindset of travellers, who must act responsibly in terms of their impact on local communities and the natural environment. The realization of a future in which regenerative tourism, a further evolution of sustainable tourism, becomes mainstream depends on changing the behaviour of both hosts and travellers.

In the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021: Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future , Japan took the top spot in the development index ranking.

Japan, a highly regarded tourist destination, is leading the way in the future of regenerative tourism — where the more tourists visit, the more the place changes for the better — which will have a significant impact on the transformation of the global tourism industry.

Don't miss any update on this topic

Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

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

Related topics:

The agenda .chakra .wef-n7bacu{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-weight:400;} weekly.

A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda

.chakra .wef-1dtnjt5{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;} More on Davos Agenda .chakra .wef-nr1rr4{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;white-space:normal;vertical-align:middle;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:0.75rem;border-radius:0.25rem;font-weight:700;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;line-height:1.2;-webkit-letter-spacing:1.25px;-moz-letter-spacing:1.25px;-ms-letter-spacing:1.25px;letter-spacing:1.25px;background:none;padding:0px;color:#B3B3B3;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;}@media screen and (min-width:37.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:0.875rem;}}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:1rem;}} See all

sustainable tourism growth rate

AI, leadership, and the art of persuasion – Forum  podcasts you should hear this month

Robin Pomeroy

March 1, 2024

sustainable tourism growth rate

This is how AI is impacting – and shaping – the creative industries, according to experts at Davos

Kate Whiting

February 28, 2024

sustainable tourism growth rate

How deep-sea technology could transform life above water

Mattie Rodrigue and Diva Amon

February 23, 2024

sustainable tourism growth rate

3 trends set to drive cyberattacks and ransomware in 2024

Scott Sayce

February 22, 2024

sustainable tourism growth rate

How strategic public-private partnerships could revolutionize healthcare

Pasquale Frega and Katrine Luise DiBona

February 21, 2024

sustainable tourism growth rate

Here’s how to allocate scarce renewable resources

Ameya Hadap, Thibault Villien De Gabiole and Laia Barbarà

February 20, 2024

Soocial Logo

28 Sustainable Tourism Statistics To Share The Goodness (2024)

Sustainable Tourism Statistics

Have you ever heard of the term sustainable tourism? Or maybe you haven’t understood its concept? Well, simply put, sustainable tourism is a detailed concept of a very special tourism experience.

It covers everything from social, economic, and environmental changes in order to create a travel experience that wouldn’t harm the environment.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the travel and tourism industry was booming!

The situation is currently dire but looks set to improve once safety measures and restrictions are lifted worldwide.

Even so, how many people are actually looking to travel sustainably? Let’s take a look at the numbers behind this trend.

Sustainable Tourism Facts & Trends

1. 87% of tourists would like to have the option for sustainable travel..

Booking.com, one of the world’s largest online travel agencies, has recently issued a report detailing traveler’s preferences when booking a vacation.

According to this report, almost 9 in 10 travelers would like to travel in a sustainable fashion. Furthermore, 4 in 10 (39%) are actually making their travel as sustainable as it can be.

2. 48% of travelers would only sometimes or not at all consider sustainable traveling.

Even though there are large indicators pointing out that many would like to have the option for sustainable travel, nearly half wouldn’t even consider or only sometimes consider traveling sustainably.

The reason behind the skepticism is that even though there is great progress toward greener pastures, there is actually a lot more work to be done in order to turn these intentions into real actions.

3. During 2017, sustainable tourism grew by 7%.

(Responsible Travel)

International tourists who opted to travel sustainably managed to reach 1.326 billion, marking a 7% increase.

This report surpassed all expectations, as the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s estimates put sustainable tourism’s increase percentage at 3.8%.

4. A 6% growth rate was recorded at the start of 2018.

The UNWTO’s projections were shattered, yet again, in a positive way of course. Namely, at the start of 2018, sustainable travel increased by 6%, exceeding 4-5% increase estimates by the UNWTO.

Range of causes for this increase largely include growth of the middle class, improved travel options and connectivity, and the emergence of new travel markets.

5. 52% of surveyed individuals in 2020 believed there’s little effort in sustainable tourism.

According to the latest sustainable tourism statistics, half of all surveyed people firmly believe that accommodation providers didn’t make an effort to offer sustainable travel options.

Additionally, 8% believed there was no effort at all, while 35% stated there’s good progress with the potential for more.

The rest, about 5%, stated they think the hotel/accommodation sector is doing everything they can to be sustainable.

6. 83% of travelers firmly believe in the importance of sustainable travel.

More than 8 in 10 people who are frequently traveling around the world believe that sustainable travel is of utmost importance in today’s tourism activities.

This is largely due to increasing concerns over global warming and the negative impacts of climate change, prompting people to become genuinely aware of the consequences that may arise if natural environments aren’t nurtured.

On the other hand, every 2 in 10 people (or about 17%) don’t believe it is important for hotels and accommodation providers to offer sustainability.

7. 4 in 10 people would choose eco-friendly resorts to help reduce negative impact.

(Travel Agent Central)

According to this intriguing number, 40% of travelers would actually go to an eco-friendly place to rest and take their leave.

Furthermore, 34% would choose a green accommodation to explore and a have local experience of the place, while the choice for the other 33% would be to feel good about making a better life decision.

8. 60% state they are impressed by nature, prompting them to continue traveling sustainably.

The beauty of rain forests, coral reefs, and various natural sights are the main factors why 6 in 10 people choose to continue with sustainable travels.

Additionally, 47% would continue not only because of nature’s beauty but also because it might positively affect local people of the visited destination.

9. Cost is the biggest concern with sustainability tourism as 42% state inability to afford as the main reason.

The downside to this type of tourism is the high costs that arise with sustainable bookings and reservations.

Judging by this report, 4 in 10 people cannot afford the extra expenditure, while 20% do not receive the perceived luxury accommodation they’re used to.

Sustainable Tourism Statistics Worldwide

10. finland records the highest sustainability performance..

(Cambridge University)

According to this 2021 Sustainable Development Report by Cambridge University, Finland leads the world with the highest overall performance for sustainable tourism.

The proactive government of Finland constantly develops protective regulations and policies to fight climate change. In fact, Finnish people generally have a deep affection for nature, and they fight to protect and preserve their natural environment and resources.

11. People are willing to pay up to 75% more for sustainable travel.

Even though many people consider sustainable tourism to be costlier, they’re still willing to pay more when it comes to this choice.

Namely, travelers are willing to spend up to 75% more per night to stay at an eco-friendly place while on vacation.

This is particularly useful information for hotel and accommodation providers that are looking to make their properties greener and more eco-friendly.

12. 53% of travelers buy local products when visiting.

Half of all those who travel to various parts of the world are more willing to buy locally produced goods and products rather than traditional tourist souvenirs.

This is a rather peculiar fact that adds more incentive to the whole sustainability to tourism. Additionally, 52% would opt for public transportation to explore the destination rather than using a taxi.

13. 4 in 10 would do whatever it takes to locate a restaurant that uses only local ingredients.

Depending on each person’s preferences, we can see that many people try to take full advantage of sustainable vacation activities, maximizing their enjoyment in the process.

With that in mind, 41% would do anything they can to locate that one restaurant that serves its customers’ food using only local ingredients.

14. 35% believe energy-saving sensors should control heaters and air conditioners.

Among the latest sustainable travel reports comes interesting data. Travelers believe that accommodation units for cooling or heating should be controlled by keycards or by energy-saving sensors.

Furthermore, 27% would like to reuse cutlery and plates for meals or for room service. And what’s most fascinating, but also surprising, is that 27% are also inclined to opt out of daily room cleaning in order to reduce water usage.

15. Travelers’ everyday priorities include recycling 49% of the time.

Recycling is among the top priorities for travelers, taking up 49% of their time. Reducing food waste is the second-largest priority with 42%, while avoiding public transportation or general use of vehicles ranks third with 34%.

Single-use plastic products are the last on the list of priorities for travelers, with people focusing on this 33% of the time.

16. Accommodation businesses with photos receive up to 42% more directions requests.

According to a Google report, tourism listings that include photos of the places to visit, receive far more requests than those that do not.

Furthermore, the same businesses also receive up to 35% more clicks to their websites than those businesses without a listing or photos attached. This is of utmost importance, especially for businesses that claim to be sustainable, as travelers would be reassured once they’ve seen some evidence.

17. 26% of travelers believe governments are most accountable for positive changes to environments.

When travelers were asked who is most responsible for making positive changes, a little less than a third responded with “governments”.

Additionally, 23% believe tourism authorities are making the most impact, while 20% mentioned the travelers themselves are mostly accountable.

The lowest percentages go to hotel and accommodation providers and online travel agents with 8% and 6%, respectively.

18. 32% state they are unaware of how to make their travel a sustainable one.

Approximately a third of all travelers don’t even know how to turn their vacation into a sustainable one. What’s more, nearly half (48%) say it’s very difficult to make sustainable choices while vacationing.

Even though global awareness of sustainable tourism is increasing, it’s still difficult for travelers to adjust. This is where property managers can help alleviate the pressure by making energy-saving decisions that would take the burden off of tourists.

Sustainable Travel Future Trends & Tendencies

19. 65% state they’re getting excited at the prospect of traveling again..

According to a survey conducted by Booking.com, the global pandemic and lockdowns urged two-thirds of people to crave going out into the world again.

Namely, 65% have stated that they can’t wait to start traveling again once the pandemic dies down and restrictions get lifted.

20. 42% say they’ll travel more to make up for the lost time in 2020.

4 in 10 individuals state that they’ll be looking to travel as much as they can once the pandemic ends. According to them, many had lost valuable time in 2020 when lockdowns were more strict.

In terms of generations, 51% of Gen Z and 49% of Millennials say they plan to make trips to celebrate lost moments in 2020.

21. In 2021 though, 62% state they’re not going to overspend on traveling.

Contrastingly to the previous stat, 6 in 10 people are not planning to go overboard and spend all they can.

In fact, when it comes to searching for a place to visit, people are more likely to be conscious of the pricing rather than just book the first accommodation.

Additionally, 55% state they’d wait for a promotional offer or a discount before booking or making a reservation.

22. 46% of travelers are looking at refundable hotels or accommodation providers.

A little less than half of all who are looking to travel sustainably say they are looking for full-refund options on their bookings.

Apparently, this is a deal-breaker for travelers, and with good reason too. Even though the coronavirus is slowing down and with scientists’ predictions that the pandemic will be over soon, people are still hesitant to take risks when it comes to making a reservation for a trip.

23. More than 8 in 10 people are looking to reduce waste in future trips.

It appears that people are taking on a pledge to truly help nature and our environment. 84% of future travelers are saying they would focus on reducing waste on future trips in addition to avoiding the use of single-use plastics.

This is, indeed, a genuine life change, not just for people but for nature as a whole. And we all know the benefits of having a safer and cleaner environment.

24. The market size evaluation for ecotourism amounted to $181.1 billion in 2019.

(Allied Market Research)

Sustainable tourism peaked in 2019, prior to the worldwide pandemic. The great emphasis on the protection and preservation of nature led to a fantastic market share in 2019.

With $181.1 billion market size, ecotourism is expected to continue increasing within the next five years.

By how much?

Find out in the next stat!

25. By 2027, the ecotourism market is expected to reach $333.8 billion.

Now this is an astonishing figure, to say the least. Ecotourism’s expectations are likely to increase within the next five years.

Experts believe a CAGR of 14.3% will be evident from 2021 to 2027, eventually leading up to a market size value of $333.8 billion.

26. 37% of US travelers are planning domestic and international trips.

Contrastingly to the many travelers that are looking for cost-effective, sustainable travel offers, Americans are planning to go big for their next trip.

Two-thirds of respondents stated they’re planning for both types of travel. However, the majority, or about 59%, are looking at domestic travel only.

The interest, though, is increasing. Reports suggest that overseas reservations have increased by 35% among US citizens.

27. Overseas flight travel to major European cities has increased up to 110%.

American tourists of both coasts are looking to make the most out of 2022, with reports suggesting a heavy increase of flight reservations going to major European cities.

Namely, flight travel reservations have increased by 65% from Los Angeles to London, and a whopping 110% from New York to Paris.

Even though warm-weather destinations remain popular, Americans are looking to visit top European cities in an effort to have bucket-list memories.

28. COVID-19 brings about 7 trends in sustainable tourism.

Those who are interested in tourism management or accommodation services might want to watch out for a handful of trends that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought forth:

  • Hygiene – this goes without saying, as people are more aware of their hygiene which is also a vital part today in order to keep visitors safe.
  • Leisurely activities – with the majority of people working remotely, many become desperate to start hanging out again and maximize their off time.
  • Local travels – travel restrictions and covid protocols have swayed tourists to start visiting local places rather than risking not experiencing their overseas travels.
  • Contactless payments – modern technologies are in full swing, and using contactless payments is a trend that many would like to make use of.
  • Voice search – tourist information is vital, and being able to find everything you need with a voice command is a valuable asset every tourist place needs to have.
  • Eco traveling – travelers are starting to behave far more ethically and sustainably, looking for various sustainable-friendly tourism attractions and destinations.
  • Local experiences – today’s tourism has turned toward experiencing local cultures more than the classical cultural bubble.

Sustainable tourism is all about adapting our travel experience while taking care of our planet. We need to create a balance between our nature’s limited resources and human’s usage of these assets.

The future looks bright as more and more people are getting acquainted with the possibility of sustainable travel.

With governments, hotels, and other accommodation providers, aiding in sustainable tourism, it is very much likely to hit new peaks in the foreseeable future by addressing visitors’ needs while also taking into full account the environment’s social, economic, and industry essentials and issues.

Sustainable travel may not be for everyone, but these sustainable tourism statistics show us that we need to safeguard our green planet.

Phew! This was a lot to read. We hope you’ve learned something along the way (we know we did!).

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out—we’re always happy to help.

269 Upcycling Business Name Ideas To Save You Hours

231 Earthy Business Name Ideas to Go Green

655 Amazing Travel Agency Name Ideas Ever

22 Staycation Statistics That Will Get You Excited

  • Responsible Travel
  • Travel Agent Central
  • Cambridge University
  • Allied Market Research

Soocial Team

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.

  • Sustainable Tourism Market
  • Hospitality & Tourism

sustainable tourism growth rate

Sustainable Tourism Market Research Report - Segmentation By Type (International and Domestic), and country, Market Share, Forecast Data, In-Depth Analysis, And Detailed Overview, and Forecast, 2022 to 2027.

report pdf

  • Product Description
  • Table of Contents
  • List of table & Figure

phone

  • Description

Sustainable Tourism Market Size (2022-2027):

The Global Sustainable Tourism Market is expected at US$ 1.9 billion in 2027 , the market is expected to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of  23.2% , during the forecast period 2022-2027.

Sustainable tourism is tourism that fully takes into account its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts, meeting the needs of visitors, industry, the environment, and host communities. Tourism can involve major transportation to the general location, local transportation, lodging, entertainment, recreation, food, and shopping. This can be related to travel for pleasure, business, and what is known as VFR (visiting friends and family). There is currently a broad consensus that tourism development must be sustainable. A 2017 report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization found that although some countries and industry sectors are creating initiatives for tourism to achieve the SDGs, knowledge sharing, financing, and sustainable tourism policy do not fully meet stakeholder needs.

Tourism development organizations promote sustainable tourism practices in order to mitigate the negative effects caused by the growing impact of tourism. The United Nations World Tourism Organization has highlighted these practices by promoting tourism within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, through programs such as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development in 2017, and programs such as Tourism for the SDGs focused on how SDG 8, SDG 12 and SDG 14 involve tourism in creating a sustainable economy.

Sustainable Tourism Market

Market Drivers and Restraints:

In large part, the sense of responsibility towards the environment, coupled with the socio-economic well-being of local societies among tour operators, is driving the demand for sustainable tourism around the world. Other factors that trigger the need and demand for the sustainable tourism segment include a growing awareness of securing the natural and traditional habitat of the destination in question, as well as a shift in the mindset of many travelers compared to traditional travel concerns such as price, the brand, quality, and suitability for dealing with social, cultural, and environmental problems that are important to vacation spots. Sustainable tourism is still an emerging concept, and many regions are not aware of this type of tourism; therefore, huge opportunities, including the coverage of many untapped areas and the fusion of sustainable tourism with ethno-tourism and ecotourism, are presented as areas of potential opportunities for sustainable tourism in the tourism industry. The millennial and baby boom generation of travelers are more inclined towards sustainable tourism, and their preferred destination appears to be South Africa.

Vacationing in places with an abundance of natural habitats and ensuring respect for the environment is becoming an emerging trend among tourists in their sustainable travel; travelers enjoy the ecstasy of a place's natural habitat without causing a nuisance to the local plant, animals, and bird species or human settlements. Today there is a trend to undertake a fusion vacation between sustainable tourism and ecotourism—another notable trend found in the transformation of sustainable tourism from vacation travel to social work. However, there are some factors that hinder the growth of the sustainable tourism segment, such as a limited audience or travelers, since this concept of tourism is not very comfortable and luxurious for most travelers. Another limitation is that tourists from all over the world are less aware of sustainable tourism, as some travelers prefer a very comfortable and luxurious vacation and only look for those options. Many tourists do not find this concept relevant, and changing their minds in favor of sustainable tourism is another challenge for the sustainable tourism segment.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM MARKET REPORT COVERAGE:

Market segmentation:, sustainable tourism market - by type:.

  • Introduction
  • Consumables

The Sustainable Tourism Market segmentation for Type can be divided into International and Domestic. While this segment has a significant market share, it is expected to show a decline in its share over the forecast period, as developing countries increasingly focus on sustainable international tourism due to foreign exchange earnings.

Sustainable Tourism Market - By Region:

  • North America
  • Asia Pacific
  • Latin America
  • Middle East & Africa

The Market for Sustainable Tourism has been categorized on the basis of geography to offer a clear understanding of the global market; the world Market for Sustainable Tourism has been studied in four regions: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. The idea of ​​human travel or human tourism is to directly connect travelers from Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand looking for new adventures and authentic experiences for local businesses in the specific places they want to visit, thus providing economic benefits to the locals. Business and provide travelers with authentic and truly unique travel experiences. The South African National Tourism Policy (1996) used the term "responsible tourism" and mentioned the well-being of the local community as the main factor.

The European Travel Commission was proposed in 1973 as a multilateral initiative to achieve environmentally friendly tourism and development. The United Nations specialized agency called the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) highlights the link between tourism and development in the objectives of achieving sustainable development goals. MEA will provide various growth opportunities to market providers during the forecast period. Factors such as increasing awareness and promoting sustainable tourism will significantly drive the growth of the sustainable tourism market in this region during the forecast period. 6% of the market growth will come from MEA during the forecast period. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are the main markets for sustainable tourism in the MEA region.

Impact of covid-19 on the Sustainable Tourism Market:

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the tourism sector to focus on resilience, sustainability, and interdependence among the various actors in the sector. UNWTO recently issued strategic directions for a responsible recovery of the tourism sector, recommending ways to support a responsible recovery from the current situation and build better tourism. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has witnessed a dramatic decrease in CO2 emissions, especially in the transportation industry, including tourism-related transportation. Due to COVID-19, there was an unprecedented 65% decrease in the number of international tourists in the first half of 2020 compared to 2019. Countries around the world have closed their borders and introduced travel restrictions in response to the pandemic. The situation is expected to gradually improve in 2021 depending on the lifting of travel restrictions, the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, and the return of traveler confidence.

Sustainable Tourism Market Key Players:

  • Kind Traveler
  • Responsible Travel
  • Wild Frontiers Adventures Travel
  • Wilderness Holding Limited
  • Beyonder Experiences
  • Eco- Companion
  • Undiscovered Mountains
  • Rickshaw Travel

Market Recent Developments:

  • Preferred Hotel Group, the parent company of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Historic Hotels of America, Historic Hotels Worldwide, and PHG Consulting, has acquired the sustainable tourism consulting and services company Beyond Green Travel. Led by ecotourism pioneer Costas Christ, Beyond Green Travel has been developing sustainability content and strategies for travel and hospitality businesses for approximately 30 years, working with brands such as Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, The Travel Corporation, Wilderness Safaris, and National Geographic Travel. The company also advises destinations and governments on the implementation of sustainable tourism practices.
  • Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc., a global provider of expedition cruises and adventure travel experiences, announced today that it had acquired majority interests in DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co., a leading luxury cycling and adventure travel company, and Off the Beaten Path LLC, a leading active tour operator specializing in national parks in the United States. United.
  • In May 2018, Greencoat Renewables will acquire the Cordal wind farm from Cubico Sustainable Investments, a global investor and operator in the field of renewable energy. Greencoat, a renewable infrastructure company that invested in euro-denominated assets, made the announcement.

Please wait. . . . Your request is being processed

What are the key players covered in the Sustainable Tourism Market? --> What are the key players covered in the Sustainable Tourism Market? +

Bouteco, Kind Traveler, Responsible Travel, Wild Frontiers Adventures Travel, Wilderness Holding Limited, Beyonder Experiences, Kynder, Eco- Companion, Undiscovered Mountains, Rickshaw Travel.

cloud-download

Access the study in MULTIPLE FORMATS Purchase options starting from $ 2500

buy-now

Didn’t find what you’re looking for? TALK TO OUR ANALYST TEAM

Need something within your budget? NO WORRIES! WE GOT YOU COVERED!

Call us on: +1 888 702 9696 (U.S Toll Free)

Write to us: [email protected]

Research Areas

Reports by region.

  • > Global
  • > North America
  • > Europe
  • > Asia Pacific
  • > Latin America
  • > Middle East & Africa
  • > Country

Reports By Industry

  • > Healthcare
  • > Agriculture
  • > Food and Beverage
  • > Chemicals & Materials
  • > Automotive
  • > Information Technology
  • > Electronics and Semiconductor
  • > Energy and Resources
  • > Aerospace And Defense
  • > Consumer Goods And Services
  • > Automation and Process Control
  • > Hospitality & Tourism

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU

Fill the details to enquire now

Yes, I've read the Privacy Policy

* All fields are mandatory

© 2024 Market Data Forecast All Rights Reserved.

sustainable tourism growth rate

To request a free sample copy of this report, please complete the form below

We value your investment and offer free customization​ with every report to fulfil your exact research needs.​

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

  • Publications
  • Account settings
  • Advanced Search
  • Journal List
  • Int J Environ Res Public Health

Logo of ijerph

The Contribution of Sustainable Tourism to Economic Growth and Employment in Pakistan

Faiza manzoor.

1 Department of Agricultural Economics and Management, School of Management, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China; moc.oohay@5881aziaf or

Longbao Wei

Muhammad asif.

2 School of Public Affairs, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; [email protected] or

Muhammad Zia ul Haq

3 School of Management, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China; moc.oohay@111msaiz

Hafiz ur Rehman

4 Department of Economics, Hazara University, Mansehra 21120, Pakistan; moc.liamg@kattahkzifah

In the global economy, tourism is one of the most noticeable and growing sectors. This sector plays an important role in boosting a nation’s economy. An increase in tourism flow can bring positive economic outcomes to the nations, especially in gross domestic product (GDP) and employment opportunities. In South Asian countries, the tourism industry is an engine of economic development and GDP growth. This study investigates the impact of tourism on Pakistan’s economic growth and employment. The period under study was from 1990 to 2015. To check whether the variables under study were stationary, augmented Dickey–Fuller and Phillips–Perron unit root tests were applied. A regression technique and Johansen cointegration approach were employed for the analysis of data. The key finding of this study shows that there is a positive and significant impact of tourism on Pakistan’s economic growth as well as employment sector and there is also a long-run relationship among the variables under study. This study suggests that legislators should focus on the policies with special emphasis on the promotion of tourism due to its great potential throughout the country. Policy implications of this recent study and future research suggestions are also mentioned.

1. Introduction

The tourism industry has emerged as a key force for sustainable socioeconomic development globally [ 1 , 2 ]. The idea behind sustainable tourism is to visit the locations without harming the local community and nature and also having some constructive impact on the environment, society, as well as the economy of the country [ 3 ]. Tourism can include transportation to the general place, local transportation, accommodations, leisure, entertainment, shopping, and nourishment. It can be linked to travel for recreation, business, family, and/or friends [ 4 , 5 ]. Currently, there is a widespread consensus that tourism growth should be sustainable, although the question of how to achieve this is a subject of debate [ 6 ].

Tourism and the travel sector are important economic activities all over the world [ 7 ]. In many countries, the tourism industry remains an important source for the generation of employment and income in formal and informal sectors [ 8 ]. For instance, Hwang and Lee [ 9 ] claimed that economic growth and development is rapidly increasing in Korea due to the increase in elderly tourism. This increase shows that tourists feel inner satisfaction, which positively affects their future behavioral intentions [ 10 ]. Similarly, developing countries can engender a huge amount of foreign exchange from tourism that could also boost their sustainable growth and development [ 11 ]. In developing countries, it is the main source and a foundation for a country’s economic development and growth [ 12 ]. Tourism revenue complements the exchange derived from the overseas trade of goods and services. This sector also finances capital good imports in the development of the economy’s industrial sector. Alternatively, economic expansion in the developed nations influences business travel (overseas visits), which can lead to a rise in the nation’s overseas reserves [ 13 ].

International tourism has become increasingly important in several nations around the globe [ 14 ]. As per the report of the WTO (World Tourism Organization) in 2018, international tourists spent $1.3 billion per day and in total $462 billion in the year 2001 only. In most of the countries, the revenue from tourism is considered as a substitute for export earnings and contributes a lot to their balance of payment [ 15 ]. The government can generate revenue and also enhance household income through development of this sector and easing austere visa policies for international visitors/tourists. There are a lot of examples where tourism has a very positive impact on the economy of any country [ 16 ].

In the globalization era, third world nations started tourism to advance their economy, promote peace, develop human resources, and reduce the poverty level [ 17 ]. Tourism helps to “enhance employment opportunities and earnings, which can be of major economic significance to the local population” [ 18 ]. In terms of employment, the local community could expand their earnings and socio-economic condition, which could lead to an improved standard of living. Tourism improves local community development and helps to reduce poverty [ 19 ].

Tourism in South Asia

South Asia is recognized as a distinctive region with a substantial contiguous landmass, and diverse physical features from grasslands to forests, and swamplands to deserts. It has a large variety of natural resources, coastal areas, mountains, scenic beauty, and rivers, and assorted climatic conditions, which makes this region even more attractive [ 20 ]. In South Asia, there are eight counties, namely: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, India, Afghanistan, and Bhutan. In these countries, the economic base is still weak despite such great potential for tourism. The tourism industry is also a tool of economic development in South Asia like other developing countries.

In the South Asian region, the share of the tourism sector in GDP was 8.9% ($281.6 billion) in 2017 with the speculation of further growth of 7.2% in 2018. It will be 9.0% of GDP ($301.8 billion) with auxiliary income of 6.2% by the year 2028 to reach 9.4% of GDP ($579.6 billion), as presented in Figure 1 . In 2017, tourism contributed 7.5% of jobs to the employment sector (49,931,500 jobs) and a speculated increase of 3.0% or a total share of 7.6% of the job market in 2018 (51,436,500 jobs). By the year 2028, the share of tourism in the job market is expected to touch 7.8% of the job market (63,006,000 jobs), as presented in Figure 2 [ 5 ].

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is ijerph-16-03785-g001.jpg

Source: World travel and tourism council, 2018. SOUTH ASIA: Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP.

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is ijerph-16-03785-g002.jpg

Source: World travel and tourism council, 2018. SOUTH ASIA: Total contribution of travel and tourism to employment.

In the South Asia region, Pakistan is well known for its tourism. Pakistan is a very beautiful country, and the tourism industry is growing [ 21 ]. Pakistan offers much allure in the developing world. The cultural and historical inheritance is very evident in this ancient region. The country receives much tourist attraction at Jaba, Kalam, Swat, Balakot, Malam, Shangla, Murri, Ayubia, Gilgit, Chitral, Paras, Sharan, Shinu, Lulusar, Dudupatsar, Naran, Shogran, and Kaghan valleys, Lake Saif ul muluk, Malika Parbat (highest mountain of Kaghan valley and also called Queen of the Mountains), Supat valley, and other historical mountain ranges in the country [ 22 ]. In the Northern Area of Pakistan, there are a lot of places that are comprised of majesty and grandeur. These areas have relics of distinct lands exclusive to its heritage and it is hallowed as a top destination with an astonishing collection of many attractive rivers, mountains, lakes, and valleys [ 23 ]. The Karakoram, Hindukush, Himalaya, and Pamir mountain ranges create formidable areas in the northern regions. They bring trekkers, climbers, hikers, and mountaineers. They also contain numerous unheeded rocks and flowing streams that bring hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Only a few regions in the world can present a high-class combination of magnificent natural attraction, a rich variety of socio–economic systems, and history as offered by Himalayan and Hindukush regions of Pakistan [ 20 ].

International tourism in Pakistan has achieved record growth. The number of tourists has reached 808,000 from all tourist producing market places. This figure is a 24.4% rise from the previous two years. According to the report, in 2017, 1.75 million visitors traveled to Pakistan. The Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) confirmed that 30% of tourists were national (domestic) and almost 90% of the tourists preferred to journey by road; only 8.5% and 1.8% traveled by train and air, respectively. In 2017, the WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council) mentioned that Pakistan’s tourism revenue was 19.4 billion US dollars and made up 6.9% of the GDP. The WTTC expects that amount to rise to 36.1 billion dollars by 2030. In 2016, tourism contributed 6.0% to total employment and in 2017 it increased to 6.3%. This total is expected to rise in 2018. The success of tourism in Pakistan hopes to contribute to the reduction of its poverty level. Tourism has an encouraging influence on Pakistan’s economic growth and still continues to grow [ 24 , 25 ].

The current study observed how the tourism industry supported the economy and also increased employment in South Asia. In South Asia, there are eight countries, but we have chosen Pakistan only for this study. In other countries, many studies have been conducted by other scholars [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]. However, in South Asia, less research attention has been paid towards the tourism sector and the growth of the economy. Therefore, the present study examines the relationship of sustainable tourism to economic growth and employment in Pakistan. The data was available for Pakistan but missing for other Asian countries.

This article contains six sections. The first section is the introduction of the study. The second section contains theories and hypotheses development. The third section provided the research methodology of the study. The fourth is the results section. The fifth section comprises the conclusions and discussions. The final section includes policy implications, limitations, and future research directions.

2. Development Theories

Since the 1960s, the tourism sector has been considered an effective developmental growth pole, and many countries have enhanced their tourism sector to improve their economic development [ 30 ].

Todaro and Smith (2011) proposed in their study that it is a multidimensional process as far as development is concerned, and it comprises positive changes not only in economic growth and national institutions but also in poverty reduction. Modernization theory (MT) is one of the most popular developmental paradigms to have gained admiration from the late 19th till the mid-20th century. This theory is thought to be an extension of another theory called growth theory, which is grounded in Keynesian economics [ 31 ]. For justification of MT, the theorists used it as a key social indicator for economic development, which trickles down to the grassroots level of society in the form of plentiful economic and employment prospects. Wealthy and powerful modernized economies usually provide a high-quality of life and modern technology to their citizens. Modernization becomes more favored due to its bold and effectual production methods. Moreover, from the tourism perspective, the modernization strategies of development not only engender foreign capital but also smooth the way for the transfer of technology and create greater employment opportunities than before. The main focus of tourism development is these economic paybacks, and whenever other economic resources trickle down, the tourism multiplier acted as a growth-pole [ 26 ].

Dependency theory (DT) became popular in the 1960s and 1970s. It is a composite of numerous interrelated theories and mainly focuses on the inequalities of core capitalist and southern developing countries [ 32 ]. According to this theory, historically poor countries are kept deprived of development by developed and rich countries. The economic reliance of developing countries on development projects is based on: (1) transfer of advanced technology from industrialized countries; (2) creation of massive debts and dependency on foreign investment; and (3) interest on debts transmitted back to the developed countries [ 33 ].

In response to the huge criticism of this theory in the 1970s and 1980s, neoliberalism theory (NL) was formed. NL is a theory of free global markets without any economic and political influence. The dogma behind this theory is to remove all barriers constructed by developed countries. There should be a free flow of capital and trade globally and slight consideration should be given to the market traits like privatization, market development, de-regularization, self-determination, and self-sufficiency [ 34 ]. In the above-mentioned era, it was widespread that governments had the capabilities to earn foreign capital. As far as neoliberal tourism is concerned, hotel chains could play a primary role to magnetize foreign capital. By developing infrastructure in tourist attraction areas, the local and national economies could get a boost, although the decrease in state participation in social welfare programs and limiting trade unions, the spending on education, health, environment, and other welfare also decreased. In Neoliberal, tourism not only pauses the development of the state but also humiliates and exploits the labor to set off its own self-interest. Due to the many consequences, state representatives hesitate to start projects of human development as well as programs for the local community’s well-being [ 30 ].

Eventually, in the decades of the 1970s and 1980s, it was realized that rather than benefiting the poorest of the world, policies were tilted, i.e., global top-down approaches were in favor of the west only. To enrich and uplift the standard of living of the poorest, aid and development organizations started searching for causes of poverty [ 35 ]. Instead of getting rid of the root causes of poverty, the new alternative development (AD) or bottom-up style was launched only to minimize the symptoms. A basic needs approach (BNA) only concentrated on basic needs and did not focus on economic development.

According to neoliberal development and general modernization theories, the standard of living is measured by economic growth. However, DT and AD theories of economic development interrogated this approach. The DT approach demonstrated the negative effects of Western development on the poorest communities of the south and AD theory swung development to bottom-up from the top-down approach.

Sustainable development (SD) is the combination of two different objectives of sustainability and development. In simple words, this theory is a mixture of development and sustainability theories [ 36 ]. Until the end of the 20th century, ecologists were concentrating on the ideas of the conservation movement of the 19th century [ 37 ]. Tourists with environmental knowledge loathe ecological and social damage. The sustainability factor has been appropriated irrespective of the fact that the tour operating companies were motivated by promoting ecological vacations. Ioannides [ 38 ] was of the opinion that the International Federation of Tour Operators (IFTO) used sustainability as a marketing tool with the intention to maximize profit. Currently, efforts are being made for a reduction in poverty through pro-poor tourism. In attaining the UN Millennium Development Goals, the UN WTO (2005) report blatantly supports the role of community tourism through the local private sector.

Empirical Literature Review and Hypotheses

Researchers have a variety of views concerning how tourism contributes to economic expansion and employment in many developed and underdeveloped countries. A number of scholars have the same opinion on the significant role of tourism and how it relates to the growth of the economy. According to the World Tourism Organization, tourism is an activity of traveling for the purpose of leisure outside the day to day environs. The benefits received by local and national economies should be analyzed accordingly [ 39 ]. For economic development, tourism has been considered one of the driving forces. It has a positive impact in creating a foreign exchange and generating employment opportunities and local revenue [ 40 , 41 , 42 ]. Numerous studies in different less-developed nations around the world have found a significant correlation between tourism and economic expansion [ 41 , 43 , 44 ].

Ayeni et al. [ 39 ] explored the growth of sustainable tourism in Nigeria. According to the authors, tourism has become an instrument for diversifying the economy for several countries. This has supported the service sector and has created a major connection with Nigeria’s economy, by promoting new employment opportunities and creating new sources for revenue generation. However, the developed nations have a higher ratio of world tourism in comparison to less-developed nations; but still, there are a lot of opportunities for less developed countries to get maximum benefits from this industry. The researchers analyzed through the qualitative technique of research the potential of Nigeria’s tourism on its economy and found that the industry has great potential but is yet to be explored. They were of the opinion that given the endeavors of the government to eradicate poverty and diversify the economy, tourism could contribute a lot.

Manwa [ 45 ] posited that in order for tourism to be sustainable for society they must gain economically from it. This would allow them to protect and maintain the popular tourist areas. This is also highlighted by Smith [ 46 ]: that the economic benefits of tourism depend on the country’s aptitude to offer appropriate and adequate amenities.

Brida [ 47 ] emphasized the impact that tourism had on economic expansion in Chile. The purpose was to examine a probable causal association between exchange rate, tourism expenditure, and economic expansion for the period 1986 to 2007. The hypotheses were empirically analyzed by employing the Johansen Cointegration Test. The author found that tourism and economic expansion had a positive correlation and that tourism was the main contributing factor to economic expansion. Pavlic et al. [ 48 ] revealed the impact of tourism on employment in Croatia. According to the authors, the tourism sector contributed to the promotion of employment after examining quarterly data from 2000−2012 through Johansen Co-integration Test and Granger Causality Test. The researchers also found a positive impact of tourism on employment and co-integration showed a long-term correlation amongst the variable.

Wang et al. [ 49 ] investigated the correlation between GDP and tourism revenues in Guizhou, China. Findings of their study showed a significant and positive correlation between tourism and GDP. Akan et al. [ 50 ] demonstrated causal relationships among the tourism sector and economic development of Turkey. The researchers used the Granger Causality test, Phillips–Perron test, the co-integration approach, and a Vector Autoregression (VAR) model for the time period 1985–2007. Findings of the test revealed that the tourism industry in Turkey was positively affected by economic development. The analysis indicated that a long-term steady correlation among economic development and tourism growth exists.

Kreishan [ 51 ] analyzed the causality association among tourism revenues and economic development (GDP) for Jordan. The author covered the annual time series data of 1970–2009 for analysis. To check the causal association, the researcher used the Augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF), Johansen Co-Integration, and Granger Causality tests. The results showed that there was a positive relationship in the long term among economic expansion and tourism growth. The existence of a direct connection among tourism revenue and economic growth was also observed through the Granger Causality test.

Adnan et al. [ 23 ] estimated the long-run relationship amongst tourism revenue and economic development in Pakistan. The authors used the annual data from 1971 to 2008 for analyses. The findings confirmed the long-term relationship among revenue from tourism and economic development, and in their study, they explained that revenue from tourism led to increasing economic growth in Pakistan, except between 2006 and 2008.

Sr et al. [ 52 ] explained the connection among eradication of poverty, tourism growth, and economic development in Nicaragua. The researchers found a direct relationship between tourism growth and poverty eradication. The authors characterized the association amongst the variables under study as they related to “democratization of the dollar”. They highlighted the employment and income opportunities that are derived from a transfer of income and wealth from the inhabitants of developed countries compared to less-developed countries. According to the Shan et al. [ 53 ] and Kulendran et al. [ 43 ] in their analyses of China and Australia, they observed that there is a strong association between international travel and trade. A Korean case suggests that economic development can attract many business tourists. The case also suggests that economic growth can lead to tourism expansion.

Several studies have shown the direct connection between international trade (particularly export expansion) and economic growth [ 54 , 55 , 56 ]. The authors have seen a robust relationship between international trade and economic development and also a strong correlation between exports and economic growth. Moreover, tourism extensions are connected to economic development. However, export-oriented economic development caused tourism income to drop. Lastly, the strategies of continuous promotion of tourism may not be as effective as perceived by decision makers, if no direct relation was found between tourism development and economic growth, because it generally happens when tourism development has a positive impact on the economy [ 45 ]. In the South Asian region, especially in Pakistan, studies of tourism’s effects on economic growth have been less evident in tourism related literature. Therefore, we examined the relationship between growth of tourism, economic development, and employment in the context of Pakistan. Hence, our research is based on the following hypotheses:

There is a positive association between annual tourism growth and GDP.

There is a positive association between annual tourism growth and an increase in the employment rate.

3. Research Methods

Data and variables.

To study the contribution of sustainable tourism to economic growth and employment in Pakistan, the annual time series data from 1990 to 2015 was taken for analysis. In this study, the annual growth of tourism was taken as an independent variable and both employment and GDP were used as dependent variables. Due to the time series data, this study may exhibit some stationary or non-stationary variables. In this study before determining that all the series were integrated, a unit root test (i.e., ADF) was applied.

Firstly, the bivariate regression model was used for quantitative analysis to investigate the empirical relationship between two variables and hypothesis testing [ 57 ]. Secondly, to find a long-run relationship between variables, we used co-integration analysis. For statistical analysis and also for econometrics model estimation, E-view 9 was used. For data collection, different sources were used, i.e., Tourism Year Book, Economic Survey of Pakistan, Ministry of Tourism Government of Pakistan, World Travel and Tourism Council, and Tourism Economic Impact annual reports.

4.1. Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Matrix

The variables’ descriptive statistics and correlation matrix are presented in Table 1 . Means, standard deviation, and correlations are revealed in the table. These results of the correlation matrix aligned with the previous study [ 58 , 59 ]. Generally, multicollinearity was very low and did not present a serious concern [ 60 ].

Variable descriptive statistics and correlation matrix.

Note: EMP: Employment rate; GDP: Gross Domestic Product; Tour_g: Tourism growth; * Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level(2-tailed); ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

4.2. Unit Root Test Results

Testing for a unit root of the variables was necessary in order to rule out the possibility of non-stationarity of the data. Therefore, the commonly accepted ADF and Dickey and Fuller unit root test was adopted to check the stationarity of the GDP, employment, and annual tourism growth (Tour_g) series. The test was based on an estimate of the following regression:

where Δ is the first difference, Y is the time series, t symbolizes linear time trend, α denote a constant, n is the number of lags on predicted variables, and e represents the error term.

In Table 2 , the results show that the level value of all three sequences was non-stationary and further tested signposted that GDP, EMP, and Tour_g were stationary at the first-order difference. The first-order difference was made on three sequences to reduce fluctuations of the data. Then three new series, ∆GDP, ∆EMP, and ∆Tour_g, were obtained and their unit root test results are shown in Table 3 .

Root test results of sequence level values.

ADF: augmented Dickey–Fuller test; PP: Phillips–Perron test.

Root test results of the sequence first-order difference.

Note: null hypothesis rejected at 5% significance level.

In Table 2 and Table 3 the results of ADF and PP both indicated that GDP, employment, and annual tourism growth were not stationary in their level form but stationary at first level. Thus, both test variables were integrated of the same order1 (1).

4.3. Regression Analysis Technique

To examine the contribution of tourism to economic growth and employment, a regression analysis technique was used and the same technique was employed as in [ 61 ].

The model can be expressed as:

where Y i = dependent variable, X i = independent variable, β 0 = intercept, β i = coefficient to be estimated.

The proposed modified regression model is represented by the following equation:

Model Specification

where Δ = first difference, GDP = gross domestic product, Emp = employment rate, Tou_g = annual tourism growth, β 0 = intercept, β S = coefficient to be estimated, and ε = error term.

From Table 4 the results show that the p -value was 0.000, which is less than 0.05 ( p < 0.05), which indicates that there was a significant contribution to the annual growth of tourism to the GDP. Moreover, the values of t -statistics were also above the cutoff value of 1.96 [ 62 , 63 ]. The R-squared value meant that there was a 5% variation in GDP due to annual tourism growth. There was also a significant and positive relationship between explanatory variables and the predicted variables because the T -values were greater than 1.96. These results also aligned with the study of Kim et al. [ 56 ].

Regression analysis of tourism growth and GDP.

Table 5 shows that the dependent variable was employment rate and annual tourism growth was the independent variable. According to the analysis, the p -value (0.04) was less than 0.05. The findings demonstrate that annual tourism growth contributed significantly to the employment rate. The R 2 value implies that 15 percent variation in employment rate was due to tourism growth. The beta coefficient was positive, which entailed that annual tourism growth and employment rate had a significant and positive relationship; consequently, we accepted the alternative hypothesis and rejected the null. Richardson [ 64 ] confirmed the same patterns results in his study.

Regression analysis of tourism growth and employment.

4.4. Findings of Cointegration Test

To investigate the stable long-run relationship between annual GDP, employment, and annual growth of tourism, Johansen’s Cointegration test was selected amongst several other techniques available for time series data. The main objective of the variables under study was to estimate the stationary linear combination.

Johansen and Johansen and Juselius used maximum eigenvalue and trace statistics to test whether there was a long-term relationship between the variables. There are numerous methods for the determination of the lagging length and the most commonly used is the Schwarz criterion. This is because Schwarz criterion has been scientifically proven [ 65 ], and the critical values are more unbiased relative to other criteria. Therefore, this study determined the lagging length based on Schwarz critical values.

For the Johansen test of cointegration, the precondition was that variables must be non-stationary at level, but our three variables were integrated of the same order.

Table 6 shows that the result of the trace test indicated a solid cointegrating relationship between the variables. The value was less than 5% so we could not reject the null hypothesis, which meant that there was cointegration amongst variables; these variables had long-run associations and in the long run, they moved together. Furthermore, the maximum eigenvalue test demonstrated all the variables co-integrated and in the long run they had an association.

Johansen cointegration. Series: EMP, GDP, Tour_g Lags interval (in first differences): 1 to 4.

Source: Author’s calculation by using E-view 9. Eqn (equation), CE (cointegrating equation).

Both test trace and max-eigenvalues indicated the same thing: that variables (GDP, EMP, Tour_g) were co-integrated. They had a long-run association, and for the long run, they could move together.

5. Discussion

Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries and also a driving force for so many developed as well as developing economies. It is the largest source of employment opportunities and a huge wealth originator and a greater contributor to the diversified economy. Weaker regions or regions in decay could be developed through the tourism sector easily. For the tantalizing economies of the South Asian countries, tourism is professed as a dynamic tool to get rid of the scarcity of development resources, such as finance and expertise.

The goal of the current study is to examine the relationship between tourism, employment, and economic development in Pakistan. We explored the positive connection between the annual tourism growth and employment and economic growth. Tourism growth can improve the employment rate as well as GDP. Kim et al. [ 66 ] demonstrated causal associations among tourism growth and economic expansion in Taiwan. The findings of their study showed a long-term equilibrium association. Sanchez et al. [ 67 ] revealed that tourism expenses primarily had caused the economic deficit, but that a positive and significant economic impact on economic expansion was found. The empirical studies highlighted the impact of the tourism demand on employment pointed out that tourism had a significant effect on employment rate [ 68 , 69 ]. According to Archer [ 70 ] and Mathieson [ 71 ], tourism creates direct and indirect employment opportunities. However, studies in this context are inadequate in Pakistan. As a result, we investigated this gap and found a positive impact that tourism had on employment and economic development. Findings of our study showed that tourism growth has a positive correlation to employment and GDP. Our results are compatible with the previous research findings of Khalil and Pavlic [ 48 , 72 ]. Moreover, the main outcomes of the present study are in line with previous research outcomes [ 67 , 70 ]. The result of the cointegration analysis suggests the existence of a relationship between annual tourism growth and GDP, a finding that aligns with the prior study of Pedak [ 73 ]. Additionally, the results of the cointegration analysis show the long-run relationship between the annual tourism growth and employment; these results are in line with the previous study of Dimoska [ 74 ]. These findings suggest that growth in tourism has a major role in the economic growth as well as in creating employment opportunities. Findings supported the hypotheses.

Empirical and theoretical studies have discovered that the growth of the tourism sector has a positive impact on employment. In addition, its direct effect on travel and tourism can produce additional employment opportunities through its stimulating influence in many tourism sectors. The total economic impact of tourism is healthier when the tourism sector is encouraged to acquire domestic services and goods.

6. Policy Implications, Limitations, and Future Research Direction

For the Pakistani economy, tourism is a motivating force. The growing tourism sector can bring much optimism to the economy, mainly in terms of income, GDP, generation of employment, and economic growth. Pakistan is a popular tourist destination. Its array of natural beauty, as well as its traditional and cultural inheritance, will play an important role in Pakistan’s future if the tourism industry develops systematically and is supported well.

The tourism sector requires creative and talented people and well-developed infrastructure in place. Policies drawn from this study are that the government should create employment opportunities, income sources, and revenue for the local inhabitants as well as economic activities in the country through the development of tourism. The government can develop the tourism industry by providing the incentive to the tourism sector in the form of basic infrastructures such as a high-quality transportation system, roads, immense airports, and tax incentives to the tourism-related industries (i.e., hotels). Political stability must be established to improve Pakistan’s image to the world. The government should also ensure the security of all tourists and formulate sustainable tourism policies. This ensures a stable, secure, and steady tourism demand for the country.

The main emphasis of the state legislators should be on a law and order situation and a quality education. Terrorist attacks not only destroy the tourism sector but also abolish the soft image of Pakistan. Globally, the country was declared as insecure for traveling. Irrespective of the poverty, unemployment, inflation, and infrastructure development, still northern areas have attracted the maximum share of tourists as compared to other areas of Pakistan. Hence, to alleviate poverty and enrich the standard of life, an international level promotion of tourism in the northern areas is needed.

There are some limitations to this study. These limitations can lead to further research. First, the recent study applied secondary data. So, future studies may focus on primary data for investigating the effect of the tourism sector on economic growth. Secondly, the present study is conducted in the context of Pakistan; future research studies should be carried out in other developing countries in terms of generalizability of the findings. Further research could also be based on a sector-driven approach in order to distinguish the direct and indirect impacts of tourism on employment. Finally, future research should encourage examining other dependent variables, specifically revenue and foreign exchange earnings, etc. Furthermore, future research is needed to additionally recognize the short-term relationship between the variables through the Johansen Cointegration and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM).

7. Conclusions

The main purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between tourism to employment and economic development in Pakistan. For this study we have used time series data from the year 1990 to 2015. The annual growth of tourism was used as an explanatory variable and both employment and GDP were taken as outcome variables. Bivariate regression and Johansen cointegration technique employed for the analysis. We have investigated the positive connection between the annual tourism growth, employment and economic growth. Findings of the study showed that tourism growth plays important role in the economic development of the country.

Acknowledgments

F.M. would like to express special gratitude to my academic supervisor Longbao Wei for his guidance, constant support, and orientation. His important guidance, advice, and suggestions are invaluable.

Author Contributions

F.M. and L.W. have equal contribution to writing the original draft; M.A. reviewed and revises the paper. M.Z.u.H. and H.u.R. contributed to the methodology part.

This research received no external funding.

Conflicts of Interest

The author(s) declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article.

64+ Sustainable Travel Statistics, Facts, and Trends [2023]

sustainable tourism growth rate

Are you interested in sustainable tourism?

Look no further. 

We’ve gathered the latest statistics, facts, and trends related to sustainable travel and compiled them into a comprehensive list.

Let’s dive right in:

Top Sustainable Travel Statistics (Editor’s Picks)

General sustainable tourism statistics, facts, and trends, blockers and obstacles for more sustainable tourism, consumers’ need for information about sustainable travel options, business travel vs. sustainability.

Sustainable tourism is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.54% , adding $335.93B between 2022 and 2027.

  • The term “sustainable travel” has grown by +61% in global searches over the past two years.
  • Sustainable travel is important to 80% of global travelers.

sustainable travel is important to 80% of global travelers

  • Roughly 76% of travelers want to travel in a greener way in the next 12 months.
  • About 81% of people are willing to change their travel behavior to reduce their environmental impact.
  • Over half of travelers ( 60% ) are open to paying more to businesses prioritizing environmental stewardship.
  • A lack of information and knowledge is the main barrier to sustainable travel for 32% of individuals.
  • Roughly 70% of employees are unaware of their organization’s green policies for corporate travel.
  • Almost two-thirds of people ( 63% ) feel booking sites, travel agencies, and tour operators should be required to disclose the carbon footprint of the flights and other travel products they offer.
  • Approximately 83% of Americans feel guilty about their past travel choices, worrying their trips weren’t environmentally friendly.
  • Eight in 10 global travelers prioritize sustainable travel.
  • Consumers want sustainable options in various destinations: major cities/towns (43%), lesser-known cities or towns (34%), and resorts (23%).
  • Nearly three-quarters of travelers (72%) would opt for a greener flight if offered.
  • About seven in 10 travelers (67%) report purchasing carbon offsets when booking plane, bus, or train tickets.
  • Six in 10 people are willing to prioritize eco-friendliness over convenience when making travel decisions.

60% of travelers prioritize eco-friendliness over convenience

  • Close to 60% of individuals have lodged at least once at a place that implemented sustainable practices.
  • For 74% of consumers, choosing a lodging, destination, or transportation option that gives back to the local community and culture is worth the extra cost.
  • About 70% of tourists are willing to pay extra for eco-friendly accommodation, with “16–20% more” being the most common amount.
  • Visiting destinations during the off-season to avoid overcrowding is a viable option for 42% of travelers.
  • More than a third of tourists (36%) are willing to cut back on single-use plastics.
  • About 30% of travelers are open to driving rather than flying.
  • A quarter of consumers prefer to book trips with eco-friendly hotels and travel companies.
  • Three in four people are likely to book sustainable travel options in the future.
  • Three in 10 people are constantly searching for brands that support sustainability.
  • Nearly half of tourists (43%) plan sightseeing in a way that allows them to use sustainable transportation options (e.g., walking, biking, public transport).
  • Roughly 43% of travelers prefer small, independent stores.
  • Nearly seven in 10 travelers want their spending to benefit the local community.
  • If a place had a sustainable certification, 65% would feel better about staying there.
  • Most travelers (59%) want a filtering option showing accommodation with a sustainable certification during their next booking.
  • Almost seven in 10 travelers (69%) consciously try to find sustainable options, regularly or occasionally.
  • Just under 60% of travelers have engaged in sustainable practices in recent years.
  • Nearly 70% of consumers have skipped a travel destination or transportation option because they doubted the authenticity of their commitment to sustainability.
  • Around 89% of Americans plan to travel more sustainably in the future.
  • Nearly 74% of travelers expect more sustainable travel options from companies, an increase from 66% in 2022.
  • About 80% of people have become more aware of responsible tourism thanks to social media.
  • Almost half of travelers (48%) think climate change will affect their travel plans.
  • Close to 43% of travelers claim to be well-informed on sustainability, citing social media and news as primary sources of education on the subject.
  • Recent news about climate change has swayed more than half of travelers (53%) toward making more sustainable choices.

passport photo editor

Looking for passport photos? Discover more information:

  • Get Canadian Visa Photo
  • Passport Photos Near Me
  • How to Take a Passport Photo at Home?
  • A full 70% of consumers find it daunting to start the process of being a sustainable traveler.
  • Half of travelers think sustainable travel choices are overpriced, a rise of 11% from last year.
  • Nearly half of travelers (48%) find choosing sustainable lodging the most challenging aspect of sustainable travel. It’s followed by 37% who said reducing the carbon footprint was their biggest hurdle.
  • Approximately one in two people (47%) are seeking advice on how to be a sustainable traveler while staying within budget.
  • Over half of travelers (51%) believe there need to be more sustainable travel options.

51% of travelers want more sustainable travel options

  • Close to 49% of travelers are seeking discounts and other incentives to choose eco-friendly options, up 12% from 2022.
  • About 42% of travelers would be motivated to travel more sustainably if given reward points that they could later use for discounts or extra perks.
  • Roughly 44% need help finding sustainable travel choices.
  • Four in 10 travelers are unsure where and how to locate tours and activities contributing to the local community.
  • Despite obstacles and financial constraints, 59% of travelers are more committed to making sustainable choices than a year ago.
  • One in three travelers lacks knowledge about sustainable travel options, suggesting a lack of clear communication from tour operators and travel agents.
  • Seven in 10 people want to know why certain options are recognized as more sustainable.
  • Travelers prefer to see sustainable travel information through listings and information pages on travel sites (54%).
  • Two-thirds of travelers (67%) want to receive environmental information during their stay.
  • Around 66% of consumers seek more sustainability information from lodging and transportation providers.
  • About 89% of working professionals say their company has prioritized sustainability.
  • Roughly 88% of the global business travel sector considers climate change the most critical area for action.
  • High costs (82%) and a lack of clear information (63%) are the top obstacles that prevent industry professionals from adopting more sustainable business travel management practices.
  • The travel industry still has a long way to go, with only 14% believing it’s well-advanced on sustainability. Yet, 76% of travel buyers have included or plan to include sustainability goals in their travel policies, indicating progress is being made.

What’s sustainable tourism?

Sustainable tourism aims to minimize negative impacts on the environment, economy, and local communities while providing a positive and fulfilling experience for travelers.

What’s the growth rate of sustainable tourism?

Do people care about sustainable travel.

Sustainable travel has become increasingly popular in recent years. So much so that 80% of global travelers claim that traveling more sustainably is important to them.

Why is sustainable tourism becoming more popular?

Sustainable tourism has grown due to greater awareness of issues like climate change, deforestation, displacement of indigenous people, and preservation of natural resources.

How does tourism affect the environment?

Tourism frequently strains natural resources, causing overconsumption, particularly in areas with limited resources. It can result in pollution, soil erosion, loss of natural habitats, and endangered species.

Fair Use Statement

Did you like our infographics? If so, feel free to share them with your audience. Just remember to mention the source and link back to this page.

  • Booking.com, “Sustainable Travel Report 2023”
  • Expedia Group, “Sustainable Travel Study”
  • Exploding Topics, “Sustainable Travel”
  • GBTA Foundation, “The State of Sustainability in the Global Business Travel Sector | 2022 Report”
  • Oncarbon, “Sustainable Travel Report 2022”
  • Statista, “Sustainable Tourism Worldwide – Statistics & Facts”
  • The World Counts, “Negative Environmental Impacts Of Tourism”
  • TravelPulse, “Research Shows More Travelers Looking for Sustainable Options”
  • Trip.com, “Sustainable Travel Consumer Report 2022”
  • Woolf M., “Is Sustainable Travel Trending up?”
  • Yahoo Finance, “Sustainable Tourism Market to Grow by USD 335.93 Billion at a CAGR of 9.54% from 2022 to 2027 – Historic Market Size Valued at USD 489 Billion between 2017 to 2021”

Max Woolf

As a Digital PR specialist and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Max has 5+ years of writing experience. Over the course of his career, Max’s work has garnered significant attention, with features in numerous prominent publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, Inc., Business Insider, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, BBC, TechRepublic, Glassdoor, and G2.

TravelPulse

Global Tourism Market To Be Worth $12.3 Billion by 2032

T he rising middle class, growing globalization, and innovations in travel technology are just a few of the factors that are driving growth of the global tourism market, which is on target to experience a 3.7 percent compound annual growth rate between 2023 and 2032.

If that annual growth is realized, the global tourism industry will reach an overall value of $12.3 billion by the end of 2032, according to a newly released market research study from Customs Market Insights. 

The same report indicates that the global tourism market was valued at about $8.56 billion in 2022 and was expected to increase to $8.87 billion by the end of last year.

A variety of growth factors and market dynamics appear to be impacting the tourism industry worldwide including trends that began emerging years ago and some more recent developments.

Here’s a closer look at the market dynamics poised to impact the industry over the next several years as it heads toward that $12.3 billion valuation.

Growth Factors and Dynamics Impacting the Global Tourism Market

Digital Transformation

In what is unlikely to be surprising news to anyone closely involved with tourism, the report points out that the market is currently “undergoing a digital transformation, with online booking platforms, mobile apps, and virtual experiences driving growth.”

This reality, says the report, has resulted in enhanced connectivity and user-friendly technology that contribute to a seamless and personalized traveler experience.

Rising Middle-Class Travelers

Another trend that’s been developing for several years now, the Custom Market Insights report also confirms the fact that the growth of the middle class, particularly in emerging markets, is fueling increased tourism.

“Rising disposable incomes enable more people to explore domestic and international destinations, driving demand for travel services, accommodations, and experiences,” says the report.

Cultural and Experiential Tourism

Travelers are also increasingly interested in cultural and experiential tourism and are seeking authentic, immersive experiences.

“This trend drives demand for unique destinations, local cuisine, and activities that provide a deeper connection with the culture and heritage of a place,” says the report.

Sustainable Tourism Practices

In news that’s not a moment too soon, the report says travelers have an “increasing awareness of environmental issues,” adding that “sustainability concerns has led to a rise in eco-friendly and responsible tourism.”

A growing number of travelers are prioritizing destinations and businesses that adopt sustainable practices , influencing the industry to implement environmentally conscious initiatives.

Globalization and Accessibility

Improved transportation infrastructure and increased airline connectivity continue to contribute to the globalization of tourism and its increased value.

“Accessible travel options make it easier for people to explore diverse destinations, fostering cross-cultural interactions and expanding the overall tourism market,” says the report.

Impact of External Factors

It’s also no surprise that the tourism market is susceptible to external factors, including geopolitical events, natural disasters, and public health crises. These factors, the report says, can significantly influence travel patterns, with sudden shifts in demand and disruptions affecting the overall dynamics of the tourism industry.

Innovations in Travel Technology

Ongoing advancements in travel technology, many of which have been making news for the past several years– such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence–are also shaping the tourism market globally.

“These innovations enhance the pre-travel planning experience, provide real-time assistance during travel, and contribute to more personalized and efficient customer service, influencing overall market growth,” says the report.

Travel savings, budget, money.

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Sustainable development

  • SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
  • Competitiveness
  • Innovation and Investments
  • ETHICS, CULTURE AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
  • TECHNICAL COOPERATION
  • UN Tourism ACADEMY

share this content

  • Share this article on facebook
  • Share this article on twitter
  • Share this article on linkedin

Sustainable development

"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"

Sustainable tourism development guidelines and management practices are applicable to all forms of tourism in all types of destinations, including mass tourism and the various niche tourism segments. Sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance must be established between these three dimensions to guarantee its long-term sustainability.

Thus, sustainable tourism should:

  • Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.
  • Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance.
  • Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.

Sustainable tourism development requires the informed participation of all relevant stakeholders, as well as strong political leadership to ensure wide participation and consensus building. Achieving sustainable tourism is a continuous process and it requires constant monitoring of impacts, introducing the necessary preventive and/or corrective measures whenever necessary.

Sustainable tourism should also maintain a high level of tourist satisfaction and ensure a meaningful experience to the tourists, raising their awareness about sustainability issues and promoting sustainable tourism practices amongst them.

COMMITTEE ON TOURISM AND SUSTAINABILITY (CTS)  

Biodiversity

Biodiversity

UN Tourism strives to promote tourism development that supports, in equal measure, the conservation of biodiversity, the social welfare and the economic security of the host countries and communities.

Climate Action

CLIMATE ACTION

Tourism is both highly vulnerable to climate change while at the same time contributing to it. Threats for the sector are diverse, including direct and indirect impacts such as more extreme weather events, increasing insurance costs and safety concerns, water shortages,  biodiversity loss and damage to assets and attractions at destinations, among others.

Global Tourism Plastics Initiative

Global Tourism Plastics Initiative

The problem of plastic pollution in tourism is too big for any single organisation to fix on its own. To match the scale of the problem, changes need to take place across the whole tourism value chain.

Hotel Energy Solutions (HES)

Hotel Energy Solutions (HES)

Hotel Energy Solutions (HES) is a UN Tourism -initiated project in collaboration with a team of United Nations and EU leading agencies in Tourism and Energy . 

Observatories (INSTO)

Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO)

The UN Tourism International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) is a network of tourism observatories monitoring the economic, environmental and social impact of tourism at the destination level. 

One Planet

When responsibly planned and managed, tourism has demonstrated its capacity to support job creation, promote inclusive social integration, protect natural and cultural heritage, conserve biodiversity, generate sustainable livelihoods and improve human wellbeing.  As the sector is experiencing tremendous growth, collective efforts to ensure its long-term sustainability are essential.

Resource Efficiency in Tourism

 Resource Efficiency in Tourism

The report aims to inspire stakeholders and encourage them to advance the implementation of the SDGs through sustainable tourism.

Small Islands Developing States (SIDS)

Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

Small Island Developing States face numerous challenges. For a significant number, their remoteness affects their ability to be part of the global supply chain, increases import costs - especially for energy - and limits their competitiveness in the tourist industry. Many are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change - from devastating storms to the threat of sea level rise.

Travel facilitation

Travel facilitation

Travel facilitation of tourist travel is closely interlinked with tourism development and can be a tool to foster increased demand and generate economic development, job creation and international understanding.

UNGA Sustainable Tourism Resolutions

UNGA Sustainable Tourism Resolutions

The UN Tourism is regularly preparing reports for the General Assembly of the United Nations providing updates on sustainable tourism policies both from UN Tourism member States and States Members of the United Nations, as well as relevant agencies and programmes of the United Nations system.

Thailand's employment rises in Q4 on increased tourism

Reporting by Orathai Sriring and Kitiphong Thaichareon; Editing by Kim Coghill, Kanupriya Kapoor

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Tesla's new Model 3 in Beijing

Capital One defeats cardholders' lawsuit over foreign exchange charges

A federal judge in Virginia on Monday dismissed a lawsuit accusing Capital One of overcharging credit and debit card customers on transactions made in foreign currencies.

An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 MAX airplanes parked on the tarmac at the Boeing Factory in Renton

  • English English
  • தமிழ் தமிழ்
  • বাংলা বাংলা
  • മലയാളം മലയാളം
  • ગુજરાતી ગુજરાતી
  • हिंदी हिंदी
  • मराठी मराठी
  • Business Business
  • बिज़नेस बिज़नेस
  • Insurance Insurance

The Financial Express

  • Mutual Funds
  • Gold Rate Today
  • Financial Literacy
  • Top Indices Performance
  • Share Market Live
  • Weather Update
  • Stocks to Watch
  • Loksabha Election
  • Budget 2024
  • Stock Market Quotes
  • Mutual Fund
  • Stock Stats
  • Top Gainers
  • CaFE Invest
  • Investing Abroad
  • Gold Rate in India
  • Silver Rate in India
  • Petrol Rate in India
  • Diesel Rate in India
  • Express Mobility
  • Banking & Finance
  • Travel & Tourism
  • Brand Wagon
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Auto Web Stories
  • Infographics
  • Today’s Paper
  • International
  • Edits & Columns
  • Personal Finance Print

sustainable tourism growth rate

Retik Finance price prediction 2024-2030: How much can RETIK grow?

With projections suggesting a growth rate of over 20,000% post-launch, retik could potentially reach $10 to $50 per token by 2024.

RETIK is positioned to capitalise on the opportunities presented by blockchain technology

Retik Finance (RETIK) has emerged as a promising player in the rapidly evolving landscape of decentralized finance (DeFi), offering innovative solutions and opportunities for investors seeking exposure to the burgeoning crypto market. With its recent conclusion of the presale stage, selling RETIK tokens at $0.12, Retik Finance has demonstrated strong fundamentals and garnered significant investor interest, setting the stage for potential growth in the years ahead. Totaling 400,000,000 tokens sold and raising $32,050,000 in funds, Retik Finance has laid a solid foundation for its future growth and expansion. With a total of 30,245 holders already onboard, Retik Finance is poised for a successful launch with an expected price of $0.15. The project’s ecosystem encompasses a range of DeFi products and services, including yield farming, decentralized exchanges, and lending protocols, aimed at empowering users and driving adoption.

Retik Finance (RETIK) Overview

sustainable tourism growth rate

Retik Finance is a decentralized finance (DeFi) project that aims to revolutionise the financial landscape by providing users with innovative solutions and opportunities in the crypto space. At its core, Retik Finance offers a range of DeFi products and services designed to empower users and drive adoption within the rapidly evolving crypto market . The ecosystem of Retik Finance comprises several key components, each serving a specific function to facilitate decentralized financial activities. One of the core features of Retik Finance is its decentralized exchange (DEX), which enables users to trade digital assets in a secure and trustless manner. 

Neuromorphic chips enable IoT devices to handle complex tasks

By leveraging decentralized technology , the Retik Finance DEX ensures transparency, liquidity, and efficiency in asset trading. In addition to its DEX, Retik Finance offers yield farming protocols that allow users to earn rewards by providing liquidity to various liquidity pools. Through yield farming, users can stake their assets and receive additional tokens as incentives, thereby maximising their returns on investment. Retik Finance also provides lending and borrowing protocols, allowing users to access liquidity and earn interest on their crypto holdings.

How much Can RETIK Grow?

Looking ahead to 2024, analysts and experts have high expectations for Retik Finance, predicting significant growth potential post-launch. With projections suggesting a growth rate of over 20,000% post-launch, Retik Finance could potentially reach a target price range of $10 to $50 per token by 2024. These price predictions reflect the strong market demand for innovative DeFi solutions and the growing popularity of projects like Retik Finance among investors. In the days following the conclusion of the presale, Retik Finance will be sharing vital details about the token listing and vesting schedules on its social media channels. It’s essential for investors to stay informed and cautious, as fraudulent individuals may attempt to exploit the excitement surrounding Retik Finance by impersonating official channels. 

Retik Finance reminds users that token claims have not begun yet, and any communication regarding RETIK token claims should be treated with scepticism. In celebration of the successful presale, Retik Finance is also giving away $5000 to 25 lucky winners, further engaging and rewarding its growing community of supporters. By fostering a strong and engaged community, Retik Finance aims to build a foundation for long-term success and sustainability in the rapidly evolving DeFi landscape. Looking ahead to 2030, Retik Finance has the potential to become a leading force in the global financial ecosystem, driving innovation and empowering individuals to take control of their financial future. With its innovative approach to decentralized finance and a growing ecosystem of users and partners, Retik Finance (RETIK) is well-positioned to capitalise on the opportunities presented by blockchain technology and reshape the future of finance.

Follow us on  Twitter ,  Facebook ,  LinkedIn

Get live Share Market updates, Stock Market Quotes , and the latest India News and business news on Financial Express. Download the Financial Express App for the latest finance news.

Google received a warning for its generative AI tool

  • Stock Market Stats

Related News

Photo gallery.

9 Rs 50, Rs 200, Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes images: Here are the new currency notes released by RBI

21 Anubhuti coaches with aircraft-like features to replace Shatabdi 1st-AC Executive chair cars; 20 amazing facts

10 Indian Railways tickets: All you want to know about your ticket in 10 slides

Latest News

Swan LNG, Swan LNG news, industry news, Swan LNG loans

Swan LNG pre-pays loan of Rs 2,206 crore

Godrej Properties, Godrej Properties news, Godrej Properties shares, market news

Godrej Properties rises over 4% on new township plans

google, play store, union minister, union ministery, union minister to meet google, play store, play store issue in india

Union ministers meet Google, app developers to resolve offloading from Play Store

ipo, ipo news, Mukka Proteins IPO, Mukka Proteins, ipo subscription, bse, nse

Mukka Proteins IPO receives 136.89 times subscription on last day of bidding

Arindam Bagchi, un, lok sabha elections, Arindam Bagchi reply to un, united nation, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

‘Unwarranted’: India rejects UN Rights chief’s concerns regarding Lok Sabha polls 

Trending topics.

  • IPO’s Open and Upcoming 11
  • Stock Analysis
  • NSE Top Gainers 868
  • NSE Top Losers 1693
  • BSE Top Gainers 1583
  • BSE Top Losers 2618
  • NSE 52-Week High 0
  • NSE 52-Week Low 0
  • BSE 52-Week High 0
  • BSE 52-Week Low 0
  • NSE Price Shocker
  • NSE Volume Shocker
  • BSE Price Shocker
  • BSE Volume Shocker
  • NSE Sellers
  • BSE Sellers
  • Silver Rate Today
  • Petrol Rate Today
  • Diesel Rate Today

FM Sitharaman, nirmala Sitharaman, finance minister, temple in india, hindu temple, fm on hindu temple, Ram temple in Ayodhya

AWC’s Ambitious Support for Thai Tourism Delivers Record-Breaking Operating Profit and Net Profit in 2023, Marking Five New Highs, Paving the Way for Sustainable Growth

Bangkok, Thailand - February 28, 2024 —

sustainable tourism growth rate

  • Net profit reached 5,105 million baht and BU EBITDA reached 10,639 million baht, marking growth of 28.2% and 26.6% respectively year-on-year.
  • Hospitality Business Unit achieved outstanding Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) at 3,658 Baht, a 54.8% increase, and Average Daily Rate (ADR) reaching 5,661 baht, up by 17.4% year-on-year.
  • In 2023, AWC generated asset value growth exceeding 20,000 million baht, comprising approximately 6,000 million baht from new operating assets and over 14,000 million baht from approved investment projects.
  • In 2024, AWC aims to generate an asset value exceeding 36,000 million baht. This includes the launch of 18 new operating projects valued at over 19,000 million baht and investment projects in the approval process, seeking an additional 17,000 million baht to support the GROWTH-LED Strategy.
  • AWC aims to double its asset portfolio value within 5 years with investment of 126,000 million baht.

Mrs. Wallapa Traisorat, Chief Executive Officer and President, Asset World Corp Public Company Limited or AWC,  today announced the company’s 2023 robust operating results with 19,011 million baht in total revenue, marking growth of 30.9% year-on-year and exceeding pre-COVID 2019 levels. The 2023 performance also marked five New Highs:  1) Net profit skyrocketed to 5,105 million baht,  up 28.2% year-on-year.  2) BU EBITDA (Business Units’ Net Operating Profit) reached 10,639 million baht,  up 26.6% year-on-year. AWC has successfully maintained BU EBITDA’s growth rate throughout the past four years (2020-2023, with the average annual growth rate of 74%. This impressive performance reflects the company’s cost-management efficiency as well as its balanced and diversified portfolio. The Hospitality Business Unit performed remarkably well with  3) RevPAR peaking at 3,658 baht,  a 54.8% increase year-on-year while  4) ADR jumped to 5,661 baht,  or by 17.4% year-on-year.  5) In 2023, AWC generated asset value growth exceeding 20,000 million baht, comprising approximately 6,000 million baht from new operating assets and over 14,000 million baht from approved investment projects.  There are nine new operating assets, consisting of three hotels and six restaurants contributing to AWC’s cash flow and profitability, enhancing profit potential through sustainable operations and approved investments, including the investment in Hotel Plaza Athénée New York. The total property portfolio's value stands at 146,799 million baht, a 52% increase compared to the pre-COVID-19 situation in 2019. Operating assets amounted to 108,202 million baht.

Key Performance in 2023

In 2023, AWC celebrated a remarkable year with robust growth across all business units, notably the Hospitality Business Unit. The company’s Bangkok-based hotels, outside Bangkok hotels, and luxury resorts all performed exceptionally well, benefitting from the increase in international arrivals in Thailand, particularly in the high-to-luxury segment of Free Individual Travelers (FITs). As a result, AWC's hotels achieved new highs for RevPAR and ADR, with the occupancy rate reaching 64.6%. The Revenue Generation Index (RGI) was higher than hotels in the same category in nearby locations. For example, the hugely popular Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town’s RGI was 213.5 while Bangkok Marriott Hotel The Surawongse’s RGI was 188.7 and Banyan Tree Krabi Hotel’s RGI was 146.4. AWC continuously enhanced and increased its quality operating assets. This included the launches of several leading hotels and restaurants in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. For example, AWC launched InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping as the first luxury hotel under InterContinental brand in Thailand’s North. It also opened the Chiang Mai Marriott Hotel as the largest premium facility for MICE in the region. INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, the first outlet of this hotel chain in Thailand, was also launched by AWC. Moreover, the company opened several new restaurants including The Crystal Grill House, The Siam Tea Room, Asiatique Ancient Tea House, Kissuisen, Yue Restaurant and Bar, and Cafe Pittore. The approved investment of the Hotel Plaza Athénée New York which will be developed into the luxury Plaza Athénée Nobu Hotel and Spa New York, connecting with Plaza Athénée Nobu Hotel & Spa Bangkok in Thailand, will also expand AWC’s footprint together. As of the end of 2023, AWC boasted 22 hotels with 6,029 rooms and a diverse restaurant outlet located within hotels and various popular travel destinations across Thailand.

The Retail Business Unit bolstered the potential of its shopping destinations through ongoing improvements in marketing strategies. Pop-up events like the world-class Disney100 Village at Asiatique successfully attracted tenants and customers, leading to an increased number of returning consumers compared to the same period in the previous year. Meanwhile, the Commercial Business Unit continued to make progress in optimizing its capacity to meet the evolving needs and lifestyles of current and future consumers. For example, “The Empire Residence” was created as a Co-Living Space at The ‘Empire’. Covering more than 1,500 square meters of space, it is the vast and distinctive Co-Living Space in Thailand’s office-building industry. Moreover, AWC forged partnerships with three Michelin-starred chefs to enhance dining experiences via three restaurants in the “EA CHEF’S TABLE” on the 56th floor, which is a part of “EA Rooftop at The Empire”. The collaboration aims to establish Bangkok as a top global F&B destination. AWC's Commercial Business Unit consistently generated cash flow by providing Grade A office buildings in prime CBD locations in Bangkok.

GROWTH-LED Strategy

AWC remains committed to its GROWTH-LED Strategy, focusing on the development of premier destinations to support Thailand's sustainable tourism. Aligned with its five-year strategy, AWC is set to allocate over 126,000 million baht for investments. With a robust debt capacity, AWC can execute further investments without the necessity of raising additional capital from shareholders. The strategic investments aim to double the value of its asset portfolio within five years. These investments will primarily target key tourist destinations in Thailand, guided by operational principles that involve transforming real estate projects into expansive flagship mixed-use developments, becoming  AWC's Lifestyle & Workplace Destinations,  which blend hotels, office buildings, shopping centers, and community malls together to comprehensively fulfil customers’ lifestyles. Each destination will include attractions, food & beverage, and a lifestyle market through  collaborations with world-class partners.  AWC intends to combine its strengths with its leading partners both in Thailand and overseas for synergy. The long-term flagship projects in the pipeline are the Weng Chinatown Destination Project, the Aquatique Destination Project, the Asiatique District Project, and the Lannatique Destination Project.

In 2024, AWC plans to strengthen its portfolio with over 18 projects spanning across all Business Units. The Hospitality Business Unit will feature notable projects such as the Fairmont Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel, Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa Hotel and the Luxury Lifestyle Hotel in Pattaya. The launch of "The Journey of A River" by The Okura Prestige Bangkok is set to provide a distinctive dining experience on a luxury cruise along the Chao Praya River. The Commercial Business Unit will unveil key projects, including the EA Rooftop at The Empire, positioned as one of the world's largest rooftop F&B destinations. This project encompasses EA Gallery, showcasing leading international-cuisine eateries with breathtaking views of Bangkok, EA CHEF'S TABLE, featuring three restaurants by Michelin-starred chefs, and Nobu Bangkok, not only Thailand's first Nobu outlet but also the world's largest and highest Nobu restaurant. The PANTIP LIFESTYLE HUB, launching with fresh renovation on February 28th under the theme "EVERY HAPPINESS FOR EVERYONE," aims to become a landmark for diverse entertainment activities and a Food Lounge center surrounded by a natural atmosphere. This will serve as a lifestyle destination for families, part of the Lannatique Destination in Chiang Mai. Additionally, AEC FOOD WHOLESALE PRATUNAM is set to launch this year.

“Currently, AWC is strategically advancing in alignment with the GROWTH-led strategy, aiming for continued expansion. In 2024, three significant projects have gained approval from the Board of Directors and are ready to be presented for shareholder approval for investment. These projects involve high-quality properties in prime locations within two renowned tourist destinations - Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The projects include the development of O.P. Garden in Bangrak, connecting with the Plaza Athénée Nobu Hotel & Spa Bangkok enhancing tourism destination along the Chao Praya River, targeted to open in the fourth quarter of 2027. Another notable project is situated in the vibrant Sukhumvit 38 Road area, a trendy lifestyle hub in Bangkok, focusing on a wellness-themed hotel, targeted to operate in the third quarter of 2028. There are further investments in Chiang Mai's Chang Klan area, contributing to the "Lannatique Destination" mega project. This initiative aims to enhance value and bolster Chiang Mai's reputation as a global sustainable tourism destination. When combined with ongoing projects scheduled for operation this year, the total investment value is estimated to exceed 36,000 million baht,”  Mrs. Wallapa  disclosed.

In 2023, AWC proudly achieved a significant milestone for Thailand’s presence on the global stage by achieving the No. 1 sustainability score in the Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines industry from S&P Global. Moreover, AWC was selected as a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) 2023 in the Emerging Markets. Committed to sustainable growth, AWC launched the "AWC Stay to Sustain" Project in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage. This initiative, undertaken in partnership with all affiliated hotels, focuses on conserving and contributing to the reforestation of the community forest to enhance biodiversity and empower local communities for sustainable income generation. AWC aims to contribute to the long-term development of the Thai economy, create value for stakeholders, and position Thailand as a global sustainable tourism destination. This underscores AWC's commitment to its sustainability strategy and its vision of "Building a Better Future."

Release ID: 89123001

If you come across any problems, discrepancies, or concerns related to the content contained within this press release that necessitate action or if a press release requires takedown, we strongly encourage you to reach out without delay by contacting [email protected]. Our committed team will be readily accessible round-the-clock to address your concerns within 8 hours and take appropriate actions to rectify identified issues or support with press release removals. Ensuring accurate and reliable information remains our unwavering commitment.

IMAGES

  1. What Sustainable Tourism Is Why It Is The Most Important Consideration Right Now

    sustainable tourism growth rate

  2. Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Statistics

    sustainable tourism growth rate

  3. Sustainable Tourism Visitor Statistics Infographic

    sustainable tourism growth rate

  4. Sustainable tourism statistics

    sustainable tourism growth rate

  5. Sustainable tourism statistics

    sustainable tourism growth rate

  6. Leveraging tourism development for sustainable and inclusive growth

    sustainable tourism growth rate

COMMENTS

  1. Sustainable tourism worldwide

    Worldwide. Sustainable tourism, also known as ecotourism, or green tourism, is a form of tourism that attempts to take responsibility for its current and future economic, social, and environmental ...

  2. Tourism's Importance for Growth Highlighted in World Economic ...

    According to the World Economic Outlook (WEO) Report, the global economy will grow an estimated 3.0% in 2023 and 2.9% in 2024. While this is higher than previous forecasts, it is nevertheless below the 3.5% rate of growth recorded in 2022, pointing to the continued impacts of the pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and from the cost-of ...

  3. Sustainable Growth

    Sustainable growth. The growth of Travel & Tourism continues to outpace that of the global economy for the ninth consecutive year. What's more, international arrivals, which reached 1.5 billion in 2019, are forecast to reach 1.8 billion by 2030. It is essential, that together, we ensure that this growth is sustainable & inclusive and that it ...

  4. Sustainable Tourism: An Untapped Opportunity for Green Growth

    Brief. Sustainable Tourism: An Untapped Opportunity for Green Growth. Following a dip in 2020, tourism is again on the rise, expected to reach $17 trillion in size by 2027, compared to $11 trillion prior to Covid-19 (see Figure 1). We also see an increasing appetite for more sustainable tourism among leisure travelers across the globe, driving ...

  5. Economic contribution of Tourism and beyond: Data on the ...

    Economic Contribution and SDG. As UN custodian, the UNWTO Department of Statistics compiles data on the Sustainable Development Goals indicators 8.9.1 and 12.b.1, included in the Global Indicator Framework . Data collection started in 2019 and provides data from 2008 onwards, the latest update took place on 29 August 2023.

  6. Tourism in 2030 Agenda

    Tourism has the potential to contribute, directly or indirectly, to all of the goals. In particular, it has been included as targets in Goals 8, 12 and 14 on inclusive and sustainable economic growth, sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and the sustainable use of oceans and marine resources, respectively.. Sustainable tourism is firmly positioned in the 2030 Agenda.

  7. Sustainable tourism

    A/70/215 - Sustainable tourism and sustainable development in Central America. Secretary-General Reports. 30-Jul-2015. A/RES/69/233 - Promotion of ecotourism for poverty eradication and environment protection. Resolutions and decisions. 19-Dec-2014. Conclusions and Recommendations of UN Symposium in Tehran.

  8. PDF Chapter 3. Rethinking tourism success for sustainable growth

    striving to achieve more sustainable tourism growth. The analysis highlights that for many countries, regions and destinations, tourism growth remains ... particular projected to grow at double the rate of advanced tourism economies. Demonstrating a similar pattern, global expenditures on travel more than tripled between 2000 and 2018, rising ...

  9. Eco-tourism, climate change, and environmental policies ...

    A review of previous studies shows that tourism can positively impact green growth and sustainable development. Sustainable tourism can be used as a policy to deal with the threat of climate change.

  10. Global tourism industry

    Travel and tourism: share of global GDP 2019-2033. Share of travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP worldwide in 2019 and 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2033. Leading global travel ...

  11. Evaluating the Sustainability Issues in Tourism Development: An Adverse

    Although the rapid growth of the tourism industry has improved the local economy and community life (), in recent years, residents of some tourist destinations have begun to express dissatisfaction with the increasing number of tourists (Mason & Cheyne, 2000; Siu et al., 2013).The development of sustainable tourism should be negotiated with destination-level tourism stakeholders (Poudel et al ...

  12. Sustainable Tourism Market Size, Share & Trends

    Future Market Insights (FMI) has estimated the market to register a year-on-year growth rate of 33.3% in 2022. As per the FMI analysis, the sustainable tourism market size will surpass US$ 1.0 Trillion in 2022. Between 2022 and 2032, the market is expected to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.4%.

  13. The future of tourism is sustainable and regenerative

    In the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021: Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future, Japan took the top spot in the development index ranking. Japan, a highly regarded tourist destination, is leading the way in the future of regenerative tourism — where the more tourists visit, the more the place changes ...

  14. The Secret Behind Ecological Developments That Meet New Sustainable

    In fact, the sustainable tourism market is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.72% and is expected to register an incremental growth of $235.21 billion between 2020 and 2025 ...

  15. Stats: Sustainable Tourism Grows by One-Third in 2022

    The sustainable tourism market, according to recent research by Future Market Insights (FMI), is expected to develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.4 percent between 2022 and 2032 ...

  16. 28 Sustainable Tourism Statistics To Share The Goodness (2024)

    International tourists who opted to travel sustainably managed to reach 1.326 billion, marking a 7% increase. This report surpassed all expectations, as the United Nations World Tourism Organization's estimates put sustainable tourism's increase percentage at 3.8%. 4. A 6% growth rate was recorded at the start of 2018.

  17. Tourism on Track for Full Recovery as New Data Shows Strong ...

    The second UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of the year shows that the sector's swift recovery has continued into 2023. It shows that: Overall, international arrivals reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023. An estimated 235 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months, more than double the same ...

  18. Sustainable Tourism Market

    The Global Sustainable Tourism Market is expected at US$ 1.9 billion in 2027, the market is expected to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.2%, during the forecast period 2022-2027. Sustainable tourism is tourism that fully takes into account its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts, meeting the needs of ...

  19. Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals

    Tourism has the potential to contribute, directly or indirectly, to all of the goals. In particular, it has been included as targets in Goals 8, 12 and 14 on inclusive and sustainable economic growth, sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and the sustainable use of oceans and marine resources, respectively.

  20. The Contribution of Sustainable Tourism to Economic Growth and

    Ayeni et al. explored the growth of sustainable tourism in Nigeria. According to the authors, tourism has become an instrument for diversifying the economy for several countries. ... Table 5 shows that the dependent variable was employment rate and annual tourism growth was the independent variable. According to the analysis, the p-value (0.04 ...

  21. 64+ Sustainable Travel Statistics, Facts, and Trends [2023]

    Sustainable tourism is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.54%, adding $335.93B between 2022 and 2027. The term "sustainable travel" has grown by +61% in global searches over the past two years. Sustainable travel is important to 80% of global travelers. Roughly 76% of travelers want to travel in a greener way in the ...

  22. Global Tourism Market To Be Worth $12.3 Billion by 2032

    If that annual growth is realized, the global tourism industry will reach an overall value of $12.3 billion by the end of 2032, according to a newly released market research study from Customs ...

  23. Sustainable development

    Sustainable tourism development requires the informed participation of all relevant stakeholders, as well as strong political leadership to ensure wide participation and consensus building. Achieving sustainable tourism is a continuous process and it requires constant monitoring of impacts, introducing the necessary preventive and/or corrective ...

  24. Thailand's employment rises in Q4 on increased tourism

    Thailand's employment rose 1.7% in the final quarter of 2023 from a year earlier, helped by the tourism sector, after a 1.3% year-on-year increase in the previous quarter, the state planning ...

  25. Hyperscale Data Center Industry Report 2024: Market Poised for Growth

    This in-depth analysis reveals a market that was valued at USD 139.11 billion in 2022 and is expected to demonstrate robust growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.92% over the next ...

  26. Retik Finance price prediction 2024-2030: How much can RETIK grow?

    With projections suggesting a growth rate of over 20,000% post-launch, RETIK could potentially reach $10 to $50 per token by 2024 Retik Finance price prediction 2024-2030: How much can RETIK grow?

  27. AWC's Ambitious Support for Thai Tourism Delivers Record-Breaking

    Bangkok, Thailand - February 28, 2024 — . Net profit reached 5,105 million baht and BU EBITDA reached 10,639 million baht, marking growth of 28.2% and 26.6% respectively year-on-year.

  28. Rethinking tourism success for sustainable growth

    While trade rates for admission to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience are offered to local accommodation providers to include in their packages, ... "Sustainable Tourism Growth", Presentation to the OECD from Arab Hoballah, Executive Director, SEED, Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development. June 21 2017, Paris, France.

  29. GDP: 'Substantial' risk to growth as firms destock

    A 0.2 per cent outcome would cause the annual pace of GDP growth to step down to 1.4 per cent from 2.1 per cent - well beneath the 2.4 pace of population growth.