Adelaida Suarez
Sustainable tourism: why is it so necessary?
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Adelaida Suarez
Sustainable tourism: why is it so necessary?
The holidays are upon us and with them, the desire to travel. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in 2022 more than 900 million people travelled internationally. This large movement of tourists brings with it a series of advantages such as job creation, an increase in foreign currency, the development of infrastructures, the exchange of cultures, the preservation of heritage, among others.
However, it is also true that tourism can have negative consequences for the environment. Tourism generates a large amount of waste and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, largely due to the energy consumption of tourist facilities and means of transport.
Environmental impact of tourism
Tourist accommodation
In the same way that private households generate CO2 emissions from energy use on a daily basis, tourist accommodation also depends on electricity and energy consumption in kWh to maintain the facilities in optimal conditions. Specifically, hotels produce about 274 Mt (megatonnes) of CO2 emissions every night.
Translated to the individual level, it is estimated that each tourist emits 10-102 kilograms of CO2 per night of stay. As a result, more and more hotels are joining the plan for sustainable tourism, implementing measures to reduce their carbon footprint and seeking to save electricity and water in order to preserve the ecosystem and their own resources.
Means of transport
Cars, motorbikes, planes, trains or buses; all commonly used means of transport for travelling. Thanks to these vehicles, tourism is kept alive year after year. However, they are the main sources of GHG emissions from tourism activity.
Several studies have shown that around 8% of global GHG emissions come from these transports and predict that the figure will continue to rise between now and 2030. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), air traffic alone is responsible for 2% of all these global emissions.
It is therefore important to find ways to travel more sustainably and to find new measures and technologies to help reduce pollution. Electric cars, boats or trains can be an effective alternative for short journeys.
In descending order, the vehicles that emit the most greenhouse gases are:
Aircraft: their carbon footprint is highest for short-haul journeys. A domestic air journey generates around 370 g of CO2 per km per passenger. If the flight is long-haul, this amount is reduced to around 102g.
Car: it emits about 310 g per km and person if it is a large SUV with all seats occupied; in the case of a small car it generates about 250 g. If it is not full, a trip from Valencia to Madrid with only one person emits more CO2 per passenger than an aeroplane with all seats occupied. If the car is not full, a trip from Valencia to Madrid with just one person emits more CO2 per passenger than an aeroplane with all seats occupied.
Motorbike: the carbon footprint of a motorbike is typically around 180g per km per person.
Bus: The average bus emits around 170g of CO2 per km per passenger, although this depends on how many seats are occupied.
Train: On average, a local train typically emits around 170 g CO2 per km per passenger.
Tourist bus: Unlike conventional buses, tourist buses have a lower CO2 impact on the atmosphere, emitting on average 50 g of gases per km per person.
Ferry: A boat generates about 30 g of carbon dioxide per km per passenger. However, if you travel on a cruise ship, the emission of gases is very similar to that of aeroplanes.
Measuring sustainable tourism
The UNWTO defines a set of benchmarks for all companies in the tourism sector that want to measure sustainable tourism. The organisation considers this to be essential in order to improve policy measures for sustainable development.
The three key points in order to be able to carry out this measurement are:
Calculate the consumption of light and energy in kWh per m2 of space provided.
Amount of water consumed in litres or m3 per guest/night.
Number of kilograms and/or litres of waste per guest/night.
For tourists, there is also a way to find out how much CO2 is emitted per trip: the carbon footprint calculator.
Depending on the means of transport used for the itinerary, the calculator asks for a series of data and automatically, after filling them in, indicates the amount of tonnes of carbon dioxide generated on the trip.
Sustainable tourism objectives
Resource efficiency: reduce the use of non-renewable resources, pursue energy efficiency and responsible management of harmful substances.
Environmental purity: recycling of waste, reduction of global pollution and use of more sustainable means of transport.
Economic viability: seeking long-term economic benefits for the prosperity of the sector.
Job quality: achieving a professional model free of discrimination and with good working conditions.
Social equity: supporting the equitable amount of wealth generated by tourism activity for all host communities.
Safe visitor experience: avoiding discrimination and promoting tourist satisfaction and safety.
Local control: involve customers, local people and professional staff in tourism decision-making in their area.
Community well-being: providing communities with infrastructure, services and resources that improve the quality of life of their residents.
Cultural richness: preserving the culture and cultural heritage of the different populations.
Ecosystem integrity: avoiding the exploitation of natural resources for the conservation and enhancement of landscapes.
Economic prosperity: to pursue a situation of wealth and well-being for the destinations receiving tourism.
Ecological diversity: respect the diversity of flora and fauna in ecosystems and try to reduce their exploitation.
Source: https://www.luz-gas.es/
The authors are responsible for the choice and presentation of the facts contained in this document and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of Tourism and Society Think Tank and do not commit the Organization, and should not be attributed to TSTT or its members.
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