Simpson states that the Caribbean “is the region of the world most dependent on international tourism.
The contribution of the travel and tourism sector grew by 3% in the period 2010-2010, but this progress was achieved while reducing the impact of greenhouse gases, which only increased by 1.4%.
This performance is recorded in a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Global Center for Sustainable Tourism, based in Saudi Arabia.
According to WTTC’s Economic Impact report, the Caribbean, the most tourism-dependent region in the world, achieved a recovery of almost 37% in its contribution to GDP in 2021, reaching almost US$40 billion. However, this contribution is still 36% short of pre-pandemic levels.
During the same year, in addition to being the second region with the second highest progress in the recovery of the Travel & Tourism sector, behind only South Asia, Caribbean tourism generated only 1.4% of the sector’s total emissions at the global level.
Regionally, the sector was responsible for 17.8% of total emissions, 8% below the figures recorded in 2019.
Julia Simpson, President and CEO of the WTTC, said that the Caribbean “is the region of the world most dependent on international tourism. The region’s economy and future depend on a thriving tourism sector and greater public-private collaboration.
“We can now provide Caribbean governments with the comprehensive information they need to achieve a more sustainable and resilient Travel & Tourism sector.
“Growth in the tourism sector can be matched with actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but to achieve our goals, we must take bigger and bolder steps to reduce our absolute emissions.
“We need government support to accelerate the production of sustainable aviation fuels and renewable energy sources, which will have a significant impact on our footprint.”
Among the actions WTTC has taken in virtue of gradually decreasing greenhouse gas emissions is the launch of the Net Zero roadmap for the Travel & Tourism sector, which contains the initiatives with which it will be possible for the industry to stop generating greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The agency also continues to publish innovative social and environmental research data as part of its Social and Environmental Impact Report.
Source: Mitur.gob.do
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