Transforming tourism

The tourism industry contributes to about 11 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, with this figure expected to grow 25 per cent by 2030 and even double within the next three decades, if left unchecked. At the same time, the tourism sector is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Pre-pandemic figures from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) show that the travel and tourism industry accounted for 10.4 per cent of the global GDP and one in four of all new jobs created across the world. Accelerating climate action in tourism is, therefore, integral to future-proof the industry.

The travel and tourism industry has a critical role to play as one of the world’s largest sectors that touches the lives of nearly everyone globally. With this comes the responsibility to implement sustainable practices and do what is needed to protect the vulnerable eco-system and biodiversity of destinations so that they remain vibrant and resilient for generations to come.

There has never been a more important time for businesses across all industries to adopt responsible practices. Tourism regulators around the world have recognised that the sustainability of the industry needs to become a key priority by adopting long-term strategies for growth. Across various industry verticals, we can see a handful of pioneers leading the sustainable tourism development space.

Building Sustainable Destinations

In the region, Saudi-based Red Sea Global (RSG) is blazing the trail with its large-scale regenerative tourism project. The developer behind the kingdom’s giga projects, The Red Sea and Amaala, RSG believes in putting people and the planet first.

The Red Sea project became the first development in the Middle East to secure platinum certification under the globally-recognised standard for green construction, LEED for Cities. It achieved excellence in governance, with an ESG score of 91 per cent, according to the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark; signed an agreement with Ethmar and Ghoroos to support local communities through agricultural development opportunities; and rolled out a vocational training agreement to support local talent.

Tracy Lanza, Group Head of Global Brand Development at Red Sea Global, said: “Building a destination on a site the size of a small country certainly presents challenges, including the lack of pre-existing infrastructure. However, we view challenges as opportunities for innovation and our commitment to creating a regenerative tourism destination has resulted in the development of new best practices that we hope other destinations and developers can learn from. We have shown that it’s possible to not only conserve nature during development but to enhance it. And we have demonstrated that rather than pushing out local communities, tourism can be a force for good when we collaborate from the outset.”

Lanza hopes that RSG’s efforts in pioneering regenerative tourism don’t just set the benchmark regionally, but also inspire the industry on a global scale. “Achieving this cannot be done alone – it requires collaboration. From our comprehensive marine spatial planning simulation, undertaken with our friends at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, to working with ZeroAvia to explore hydrogenpowered seaplanes, partnerships have been critical to our success.”

ENCOURAGING ECO-CONSCIOUS TRAVEL

As destinations journey towards their net-zero targets, experts have pointed out that the ultimate goal should be reducing emissions. A recent report jointly produced by the WTTC and the Saudi-based Sustainable Tourism Global Center revealed that Germany has managed to do just that, while simultaneously growing its tourism industry.

Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Dubai-based German National Tourist Office (GNTO), explained that Germany’s travel and tourism sector is taking action at three levels to reduce its carbon footprint, including focusing on technological advancements, such as new drive technologies and alternative fuels for different means of transport; encouraging companies to improve their sustainability performance at an operational level through carbon offsetting schemes; and incentivising customers to travel more sustainably by offering programmes that favour rail or coach travel or by extending the duration of trips to reduce the carbon footprint per travel day.

Sofo said: “Germany has a strong reputation for sustainability, with ambitious targets designed to strengthen its positioning. Under the current coalition agreement, the aim is for Germany to become climate-neutral by 2045 and for all sectors of the economy to be brought on track to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

“Germany has also been at the forefront of promoting sustainable tourism offerings to travellers, encouraging eco-conscious travel expeditions and incorporating sustainable tourism initiatives to ensure experiences of the country’s illustrious