The Case for Responsible Travel : Trends & Statistics 2018

February 25, 2018

The travel and tourism industry is booming. During 2017, the UN’s International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, international tourist arrivals grew by 7% to reach a total of 1.326 billion. This total far exceeds the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s 2010-2020 long-term projections of 3.8% growth per year.1 In January 2018, UNWTO projected a 4-5% increase for 2018;2 during the first four months of 2018, growth was 6%, already surpassing expectations.3 In addition, UNWTO provides rough estimates that apart from the 1.3 billion international trips, there are another 5-6 billion domestic trips. 4 What factors are responsible for this growth? The range of causes that have been identified include, but are not limited to, a growing middle class, emerging new travel markets, improved connectivity, and travel options to fit a wide range of budgets. The World Travel & Tourism Council reports that in 2017, the travel and tourism sector accounted for 10.4% of global GDP and 313 million jobs, or 9.9% of total employment.5 At its best, the travel industry provides critical economic, environmental, and sociocultural value. But in recent years, the question for an increasing number of destinations has become, “How much is too much of a good thing?” At the same time, under-touristed and emerging destinations are vying for their piece of the pie. How do we sustainably and equitably distribute the benefits so that destinations on both ends of the spectrum can thrive? When considering these questions, it is helpful to understand the following terms.

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Established in 2015, The Wanderlust Report is a digital lifestyle magazine for conscientious jetsetters who want to explore the world in a socially responsible way. With a focus on luxury living and conscious travel, the magazine features destination guides, exclusive interviews with global tastemakers, and trendspotting reports from our network of insiders around the world.

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