How does tourism and events contribute to greenhouse gas emissions?
Tourism impacts emissions in many ways:
- Transportation – air travel contributes significantly, accounting for 55% of tourism-related emissions.
- Accommodation – energy used for heating, cooling, and running accommodation services adds to the carbon footprint.
- Product and services – some of the experiences offered by businesses can be energy intensive, especially those involving motorised transportation.
How can tourism and events businesses contribute to net zero?
Tourism businesses can play an essential role in reducing emissions by:
- Measuring and reducing carbon emissions – identifying emissions sources and implementing reduction strategies.
- Adopting energy-efficient practices – using renewable energy sources and improving building efficiency.
- Promoting sustainable travel – encouraging eco-friendly transportation for guests.
- Educating visitors – communicating with travellers on the importance of responsible tourism.
What is the impact of climate change on Scottish tourism?
Tourism contributes to the global climate crisis, but it also stands to suffer from it by:
- Extreme weather events – cause damage to infrastructure and impacts on outdoor events, activities, and travel.
- Sea level rises – leads to coastal erosion, flooding, operational and supply chain disruptions, and increased insurance costs.
- Changes in the length of seasons – for example, shorter summer seasons and longer winters and vice versa. Changes in temperature can impact customer comfort and building fabric while increased temperatures increase the risk of wildfires.
- Nature and biodiversity loss – leads to degraded natural landscapes and reduced wildlife populations, both of which attract visitors.
- Impact on transport and supply chains – affects tourism businesses relying on regular supplies for food, accommodation, and visitor services, making operations less reliable and increasing costs.
- Costs of goods – extreme weather can damage crops, fisheries, and livestock, leading to higher prices for food and drink reducing profits for hospitality businesses.
- Resource shortages – water shortages, damaged infrastructure, and supply chain disruptions can limit access to essential resources like energy and food.
All these climate trends are already affecting business operations and customer plans and choices now. So, the tourism industry must act now and show how it can be part of the solution.
According to research from 2018, global tourism is the cause for roughly 8% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. The majority of this is from visitors from high-income countries.
Read the research paper on nature.com.
What are the benefits of achieving net zero for tourism and events businesses?
Achieving net zero offers multiple advantages:
- Save money – energy efficiency reduces operational expenses.
- Enhanced reputation – sustainability appeals to eco-conscious travellers.
- Regulatory compliance – stay ahead of future climate policies.
- Stand out – sustainability can be a unique selling point.
