Tourism: Global | International | Trends in Tourism

Summary

The video script highlights the exponential growth of international tourism since the 1950s, from 25 million to a projected 1.8 billion by 2030, emphasizing its impact on the environment and the economy. It underscores the importance of sustainable tourism in line with the UN's SDGs, noting the uneven distribution of tourism with Europe receiving 50% of arrivals. The script also addresses aviation's contribution to CO2 emissions and the challenge of waste management, particularly in low-income countries, calling for strong partnerships and action to align with the 2030 sustainable development agenda.

Takeaways

• 📈 International tourist arrivals have seen a significant increase from 25 million in the 1950s to 1.2 billion in 2016, with projections to reach 1.8 billion by 2030 and double by 2050.
• 🌐 The growth in tourism has led to the development of sustainable tourism as part of the global agenda, closely related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• 🏖️ Leisure tourism accounts for approximately 80% of all international travel, with business tourism making up the remaining 20%.
• 🌍 Tourism distribution is uneven, with 97% of the world's population never flying, indicating a small share of humanity contributes to travel statistics.
• 🏙️ Europe receives 50% of all international arrivals, while Africa only receives 5%, highlighting regional disparities in tourism.
• 🌏 Southeast Asia and the Americas are also significant tourism regions, accounting for 25% and 16% of international arrivals, respectively.
• ✈️ Major tourism flows occur between industrialized countries, such as North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
• 🌊 In Europe, most tourism is directed towards the Mediterranean, while North America has significant flows to the Caribbean.
• 💨 The increase in air travel contributes to the world economy but also poses environmental challenges, including greenhouse gas emissions.
• 🌡️ Aviation produces around 2% of the world's man-made carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to Germany's total emissions.
• 📊 Greenhouse gas emissions from aviation in the European Union increased by 87% between 1990 and 2006.
• 🗑️ Airline passengers generate 5.2 million tons of waste in 2016, a figure expected to double by 2030, highlighting the issue of waste management in tourism.
• 🏝️ Small island states like the Seychelles, Mauritius, Varuba, the Maldives, and Zanzibar are examples of destinations struggling with waste management due to increased tourism.
• 🔄 The need for strong partnerships and decisive action from all tourism stakeholders is emphasized to mitigate the negative impacts of tourism on the environment and health.

Q & A

How has the number of international tourist arrivals evolved since the 1950s?

International tourist arrivals have increased tremendously from 25 million globally in the 1950s to 527 million in 1995, and to 1.2 billion in 2016.

What is the projected number of international tourist arrivals by 2030 and by 2050?

The number of international tourist arrivals is expected to reach 1.8 billion by 2030 and is projected to double by 2050.

Why has sustainable tourism become a part of the global agenda?

Sustainable tourism has become part of the global agenda due to the dramatic growth in tourism and its relation to the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

How is tourism distributed in terms of leisure and business purposes?

About 80 percent of all international travel is for leisure tourism, while 20 percent is for business tourism.

What percentage of the world's population will never fly?

97 percent of the world's population will never fly, indicating that only a small share of humanity is part of the tourism statistics.

Which region receives the majority of international tourist arrivals according to the World Tourist Organization?

Europe receives 50 percent of all international arrivals, making it the region with the majority of international tourist arrivals.

What percentage of international tourist arrivals does Africa receive in comparison to Europe?

Africa receives only five percent of all international tourist arrivals, which is significantly less compared to Europe's 50 percent.

What is the contribution of aviation to the world's man-made emissions of carbon dioxide according to the IPCC?

Aviation produces around 2 percent of the world's man-made emissions of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to the total emissions of Germany.

How much waste do airline passengers generate during transport, and what is the expected figure by 2030?

Airline passengers generated 5.2 million tons of waste in 2016, and this figure is expected to double by 2030.

What happens to most of the waste generated by airline passengers?

Most of the waste generated by airline passengers often ends up in landfills or incineration, with some also ending up in uncontrolled dump sites, especially in low-income countries.

Why is there a need for strong partnerships and decisive action from all tourist stakeholders?

There is a need for strong partnerships and decisive action to address the negative side effects of tourism, such as environmental damage, in accordance with the 2030 sustainable development agenda.