Travel and tourism (T&T) are vital economic enablers for many countries and local communities, supporting an estimated 10 percent of global GDP, seven percent of global exports, and roughly one in 10 jobs worldwide (World Bank, 2023). The lockdowns and travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a major blow to this sector, and recent factors such as rising inflation and geopolitical instability could present further risk to recovery. However, data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO, 2022) suggest that international tourism is well on its way to returning to pre-pandemic levels. Indeed, Visa’s own analysis finds that international arrivals in 2022 were 75 to 80 percent of 2019 levels, and spending while abroad also matched the recovery (Visa Business and Economic Insights, 2022).
This comes as the climate crisis intensifies, with the summer of 2023 being the hottest on record and numerous communities experiencing droughts, floods, wildfires, heat waves, and other disasters linked to climate change. In response, governments, communities, and businesses are increasingly prioritizing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep warming below the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5°C (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC], n.d.).
The continued growth of T&T creates a core tension between myriad economic and social benefits that tourism delivers for many countries and communities and the negative environmental and social externalities it causes. While the carbon-intensive nature of T&T is a major concern, especially regarding transportation, this is not the only challenge. In many locations, the T&T sector is heavily dependent on the natural environment. Visitors to local attractions put pressure on local ecosystems and biodiversity, and their behaviour and overcrowding can negatively affect destination communities.
As a result of these challenges, the concept and pursuit of sustainable T&T has become more prevalent. At a global level, international bodies such as the UNWTO and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) are trying to formally define and measure sustainability. Businesses across the T&T value chain are actively responding to requirements and expectations of sustainability performance and transparency. In addition, consumer interest in sustainable T&T is growing. Recent survey data suggest that 66 percent of travellers worldwide are aware of the concept, and 46 percent have actively searched for sustainable travel options (Visa, 2023).
As a global payments network, Visa facilitates payments across T&T value chains, giving us a unique perspective on travellers’ consumption choices and patterns, which contribute significantly to the overall environmental footprint of the T&T sector. Examining spend patterns can help assess how a traveller might behave. For example, when travellers arrive in a new city or country, they make countless decisions—what attractions they visit, where and what they eat, the means of transportation they use throughout their trip, and more—that have a significant impact on the local environment, economy, and community. To better understand these choices and the attitudes that drive them, the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute (VEEI) partnered with Oxford Economics to survey more than 1,600 consumers across five countries and conduct interviews with subject matter experts.1 The survey results presented here focus on two verticals, transportation and attractions, and find that many consumers express a willingness to adjust their behaviour to achieve sustainable outcomes. While the results are promising, there is a notable and well-known “say-do” gap in travellers’ stated preferences versus their actual consumption patterns (Ipsos, 2021). Our research finds that information barriers are a notable contributor to the say-do gap. These barriers include a lack of accessible information and a lack of credible information, where sources are available but not trusted.
Travel and tourism (T&T) are vital economic enablers for many countries and local communities, supporting an estimated 10 percent of global GDP, seven percent of global exports, and roughly one in 10 jobs worldwide (World Bank, 2023). The lockdowns and travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a major blow to this sector, and recent factors such as rising inflation and geopolitical instability could present further risk to recovery. However, data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO, 2022) suggest that international tourism is well on its way to returning to pre-pandemic levels. Indeed, Visa’s own analysis finds that international arrivals in 2022 were 75 to 80 percent of 2019 levels, and spending while abroad also matched the recovery (Visa Business and Economic Insights, 2022).
This comes as the climate crisis intensifies, with the summer of 2023 being the hottest on record and numerous communities experiencing droughts, floods, wildfires, heat waves, and other disasters linked to climate change. In response, governments, communities, and businesses are increasingly prioritizing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep warming below the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5°C (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC], n.d.).
The continued growth of T&T creates a core tension between myriad economic and social benefits that tourism delivers for many countries and communities and the negative environmental and social externalities it causes. While the carbon-intensive nature of T&T is a major concern, especially regarding transportation, this is not the only challenge. In many locations, the T&T sector is heavily dependent on the natural environment. Visitors to local attractions put pressure on local ecosystems and biodiversity, and their behaviour and overcrowding can negatively affect destination communities.
As a result of these challenges, the concept and pursuit of sustainable T&T has become more prevalent. At a global level, international bodies such as the UNWTO and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) are trying to formally define and measure sustainability. Businesses across the T&T value chain are actively responding to requirements and expectations of sustainability performance and transparency. In addition, consumer interest in sustainable T&T is growing. Recent survey data suggest that 66 percent of travellers worldwide are aware of the concept, and 46 percent have actively searched for sustainable travel options (Visa, 2023).
As a global payments network, Visa facilitates payments across T&T value chains, giving us a unique perspective on travellers’ consumption choices and patterns, which contribute significantly to the overall environmental footprint of the T&T sector. Examining spend patterns can help assess how a traveller might behave. For example, when travellers arrive in a new city or country, they make countless decisions—what attractions they visit, where and what they eat, the means of transportation they use throughout their trip, and more—that have a significant impact on the local environment, economy, and community. To better understand these choices and the attitudes that drive them, the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute (VEEI) partnered with Oxford Economics to survey more than 1,600 consumers across five countries and conduct interviews with subject matter experts.1 The survey results presented here focus on two verticals, transportation and attractions, and find that many consumers express a willingness to adjust their behaviour to achieve sustainable outcomes. While the results are promising, there is a notable and well-known “say-do” gap in travellers’ stated preferences versus their actual consumption patterns (Ipsos, 2021). Our research finds that information barriers are a notable contributor to the say-do gap. These barriers include a lack of accessible information and a lack of credible information, where sources are available but not trusted.
.webp)