New Report to Support Climate Action in the Tourism Sector

• All Regions
• 8 Mar 2023

UNWTO has released a new report highlighting the progress that global tourism has made in measuring greenhouse gas emissions as well as the challenges the sector still faces.

Measurement of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is key for climate action. However, the tourism sector as the value chain is complex, diverse and overlapping, making sure measurement challenging. The new report "Climate Action in the Tourism Sector: An Overview of Methodologies and Tools to Measure Greenhouse Gas Emissions" was developed by UNWTO with support from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection of Germany (BMUV) and is released in collaboration with UN Climate Change (UNFCCC). It focuses on three areas – accommodation, tour operators and destinations – with the following findings: 

• Accommodation has the largest number of methodologies and specifically-designed tools, followed by tour operators
• Destinations face the greatest challenges when it comes to engaging in measurement
• There is little consensus over the differing responsibilities and boundaries of stakeholders, or over metrics used when organisations measure emissions

Recommendations for better GHG measurements

While noting that measurement of GHG emissions in tourism is still in its early stages, the report found a new generation of tools and resources is emerging. These focus on enabling easy access and making use of commonly available data sources, showing progress towards integrated measurement and targeted guidance for more efficient reporting and more effective decarbonization efforts.

Among its key recommendations, the report calls for:

• Tailored guidance for different stakeholder groups (destinations, accommodation, tour operators) to be developed
• Achieving a balance between the need to be able to accurately measure and the priority to scale up engagement, efficiency and progress
• Promoting the benefits of measurement by showcasing evidence-based changes in practices and advancing climate risk valuations to mobilize support

Advancing tourism knowledge

The overview builds on the results of the first Global Survey on Climate Action in Tourism, which led to the identification of more than 50 methodologies and tools, with their subsequent assessment against a set of criteria and in-depth interviews and working group sessions with experts from across the sector. With this new report, UNWTO aims to provide guidance regarding the measurement of GHG emissions, accelerate climate action and to support the implementation of the commitments launched in November 2021 through the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism.

For more information and to access the report, please visit: Climate Action in Tourism Sector: An overview of methodologies and tools to measure greenhouse gas emissions (unwto.org)

Related Links:

• Download the News Release in PDF
• The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism
• UNWTO Transforming Tourism for Climate Action
• Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism Signatories

Women Take ‘Centre Stage’ in Tourism Development

• All Regions
• 8 Mar 2023

Tourism must continue to deliver on its potential as a driver of women’s empowerment and opportunity.

To mark International Women’s Day, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and UN Women have jointly reaffirmed their commitment to keep women’s empowerment ‘Centre Stage’ of tourism development.

With the ‘Centre Stage’ model we can help the sector work for women and we will not stop until the girls of tomorrow have the same opportunities as the men of today

Tourism as a gender equality leader

UNWTO research has previously shown the enormous potential of the tourism sector to empower women of all backgrounds. Fifty-four per cent of the global tourism workforce is female, the gender-wage gap is lower in tourism, and the proportion of women in leadership roles is higher than in other sectors. However, much progress is still to be made. Women are still concentrated in lower-paid, precarious and often informal work. Furthermore, UNWTO research has revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic hit women in tourism harder than men. For instance, women were more likely to lose their job, have their hours or pay reduced and to shoulder more care responsibilities in all of the countries surveyed.

UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, said “UNWTO has worked with our partners to study and document the huge contribution women make to tourism.  Now it is time for tourism to give back. With the ‘Centre Stage’ model we can help the sector work for women and we will not stop until the girls of tomorrow have the same opportunities as the men of today.”

Public and private unity

The pioneering ‘Centre Stage’ project was launched in 2021 to address this imbalance and expand tourism’s place in the development agenda and women’s empowerment.  Created by UNWTO, BMZ and UN Women, the project is geared towards creating a people-centred model for tourism development that puts the needs of women at its heart. In bringing together the public sector with tourism businesses and civil society organization, the project directly trained 1,800 people, saw 2,826 women get a promotion, surveyed 27,000 people and reached over 20 million in a global awareness raising campaign.

Related Links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• UNWTO and women’s empowerment
• Centre Stage Project
• Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines for the Public Sector in Tourism
• Gender Inclusive Strategy for Tourism Businesses
• ‘Gender Equality in Tourism Training’ 1-hour online course
• Snapshot of gender-equality and women’s empowerment in National Tourism Strategies
• Stories of Women in Tourism

For more information contact: centrestage@unwto.org

“Tourism Always Comes Back” – UNWTO Celebrates Official Opening of ITB Berlin

• All Regions
• 7 Mar 2023

Tourism is on track to achieve full recovery this year and ready to deliver on its potential as a pillar of peace and sustainability, UNWTO has told sector leaders at ITB in Berlin.

As the leading tourism trade fair celebrates its first in-person event since 2019, UNWTO data shows that more than twice as many people travelled internationally in January  as they did at the start of last year. According to UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, the message is clear: "Tourism always comes back", and the return of ITB, alongside the recent re-opening of China, is clear proof of renewed confidence in international travel.

Building a better tourism

Secretary-General Pololiksahvili was invited to be part of the official inauguration ceremony for ITB 2023, alongside Germany's Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey, and public and private sector leaders. While welcoming the positive data, he also stressed that tourism has a "responsibility to grow back better. We must speed up and scale up to a more sustainable and resilient tourism."

Outlining UNWTO's priorities for the sector, Mr. Pololikashvili urged both governments and businesses to recognize the importance of education and training, as well as the crucial role of investment – the "missing ingredient" for turning plans for greater sustainability and resilience into reality. Investment will be the theme for World Tourism Day 2023, to be celebrated on 27 September.

UNWTO at ITB 2023

At ITB 2023, UNWTO will be part of a special Industry Roundtable, focusing on 'transitions in travel', while also sharing key knowledge and insights into tourism's climate action efforts, and expectations for tourist behaviour as the sector's recovery continues. UNWTO will also provide an update of its leading work in tourism for rural development, including through the Best Tourism Villages initiative.

Related link

• Download the News Release in PDF
• ITB 2023
• UNWTO Looks to “Re-Write Tourism History” at Official Re-Opening of China
• Tourism Set to Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels in Some Regions in 2023

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One Year On, Tourism Stands Firm in Support of Ukraine

• All Regions
• 23 Feb 2023

This week, we mark a sad anniversary. It has been one year since the Russian Federation chose to invade Ukraine, in a clear breach of the Charter of the United Nations and of international law.

The invasion has exacted a terrible price. Millions have been forced to flee their homes – right now around 6 million people, 65 per cent of them women and girls, are internally displaced. And the number of casualties keeps growing by the day, including civilian victims as homes and even hospitals are deliberately targeted. The invasion has also created a humanitarian and human rights catastrophe not seen in Europe since World War II. And it has undermined the sense of security and trust we depend on to get the world moving again after the impacts of the pandemic.

From the very start, UNWTO has led tourism's response to the crisis. Our Members moved swiftly to suspend Russia from our Organization. At the same time, stakeholders from across the sector rallied in support of the Ukrainian people. As many as 8 million of them have sought refuge across Europe and UNWTO commends tourism actors who provided them with means of transport, accommodation and other practical assistance. We also thank the countries hosting refugees until returning is safe.

With no end in sight for the war, our solidarity must hold firm. This unwanted anniversary offers a moment to take stock and reflect. The past year has shown us the remarkable strength of a people determined to hold onto their freedom and sovereignty. It has also shown us the importance of standing together, both as an international community and as a major economic sector, and staying true to our shared values whatever the cost.

With each passing day, the united front that much of the global community has adopted since the invasion is also under attack, especially as countries everywhere continue to feel the economic fallout of the conflict and its social cost. That's why UNWTO will continue to amplify tourism's calls for peace and urge an immediate end to all hostilities. We will also be there when the war ends, as it surely will. Then, tourism's unique power, proven time and again, to build trust back, promote dialogue and understanding across borders, and provide opportunities, will be vital to help the people of Ukraine re-build the country they have already given so much to protect.

Zurab Pololikashvili
Secretary-General

Related Links

• Download in PDF
• UNWTO Members Vote to Suspend Russia

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G20 Tourism Side Event Focuses on Rural Tourism for Community Empowerment

• All Regions
• 9 Feb 2023

The first meeting of the G20 Tourism Working Group to be held under the Indian Presidency placed the focus on the sector’s role in in advancing the 2030 Agenda.

UNWTO is working as the knowledge partner to the Presidency to deliver the Goa Roadmap for Tourism as a Vehicle for Achieving the SDGs. This week's meeting, held in the Rann of Kutch (7-9 February), featured as well a side event dedicated to rural tourism for community development and poverty alleviation. Here, UNWTO shared its recently launched Tourism for Rural Development Programme, including the Best Tourism Villages Initiative.

The side event was an opportunity to highlight opportunities for rural tourism, including new consumer behaviors and growing interest in new destinations. The meeting also explored the main challenges facing the sector, particularly with regards to digital and non-digital infrastructure, the empowerment of local communities and skills development. The findings presented were the result of an analysis of more than 200 candidacies by villages from around the world to the Best Tourism Villages Initiative as well as UNWTO Member States priorities and policies.

Representatives from Indonesia, Spain, Italy and Japan joined UNWTO, the UN Environmental Program, the International Labor Organization and the South Asia Women's Network (SWAN) in discussing how can tourism policy can support tourism's contribution to rural development. Participants stressed that the sustainability of tourism in rural areas is dependent on a comprehensive planning strategy is adopted and implemented based on a multi-action and multi-stakeholder participatory approach. Furthermore, it was noted that rural tourism requires the support of regional and local governments, the private sector, industry associations, civil society, communities and tourists.

In 2021, recognizing the immense potential of rural tourism in the country, the Ministry of Tourism of India formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Development of Rural Tourism. Reflecting this, the event included also rural tourism cases from India, including examples from Astro-tourism, homestays and women empowerment as well as the Indian village selected by UNWTO to join the Best Tourism Villages Upgrade Programme – the Khonoma Village in Nagaland.

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO Tourism for Rural Development
• Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO