World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) executive director Julia Simpson said the sector must be “wide-eyed” about the challenges facing travel.
“WTTC data shows that our sector was responsible for 8.1% of global emissions in 2019. That’s why our sector’s efforts towards more sustainable fuels such as SAF, biodiesel and alternative marine fuels are so important,” he added.
He stated that “we, as an industry, must also embrace future technologies and, most importantly, the AI revolution. The impact of AI on travel and tourism will be more profound than any technological development since the invention of the World Wide Web.
Despite this, the board indicated that this year will be an excellent year for tourism in Germany, Europe and the world. “2024 will be an excellent year not only for tourism here in Germany, but also for Europe and the world.”
“Last year, right here on this stage, I said that travel is back. Now, just 12 months later, it’s not only back, it’s booming,” he said.
According to WTTC data, arrivals to Greece and Portugal are up more than 20% year-on-year.
“Spain, the world’s second most popular destination, will also have a big year with arrivals up 13 percent,” Simpson said.
Referring to the German tourism industry, the WTTC executive director noted that compared to 2023, there has been double-digit growth in visitor numbers from key source markets such as the UK, Spain and Greece.
“Further, our data shows that more travelers from the United States will visit Germany this year than last year,” she said during her participation at IBT Berlin 2024.
Source: Arecoa.com
