Travel comes with serious environmental consequences. A significant study published in Nature Climate Change in 2018 revealed that tourism contributes approximately 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, a figure three times higher than previous estimates. The primary source of these emissions is transportation—especially aviation and driving—followed by accommodation and consumer choices.
Air travel alone accounts for one-fifth of these emissions. Besides greenhouse gases, tourism causes local issues such as deforestation, pollution from boat traffic, waste, resource strain, and habitat damage in popular destinations. These impacts threaten natural environments and fuel problems like overtourism, which further stresses ecosystems and communities. As travel grows, sustainable practices are essential to minimise its environmental footprint.
A 2024 report by Down To Earth highlights a surge in global tourism emissions, driven mainly by 20 countries. A study in Nature Communications reveals that post-pandemic travel is expected to exceed 20 billion trips this year, increasing emissions. The United States, China, and India are the biggest contributors, especially through domestic travel. Tourism emissions have grown 40% from 2009 to 2019, rising faster than the global economy. In 2019, the U.S., China, and India accounted for nearly 40 percent of tourism emissions. This disparity shows wealthy nations have much higher per-capita tourism emissions. Urgent sustainable solutions are needed as tourism expands globally. Here is a look at what you can do to minimise your impact.
The Down To Earth report reveals that accommodation emissions vary greatly. Large resorts and hotels with modern amenities tend to produce the most emissions, while smaller lodgings like homestays and guesthouses usually have a smaller footprint. Spending on accommodation, food, and transport has steadily risen, increasing overall emissions.
Your choice of stay influences carbon output through energy use for heating, cooling, lighting, water consumption, and waste management. Choosing eco-certified places, staying in existing accommodations rather than new builds—since clearing land for new tourism infrastructure harms habitats—and supporting sustainable food and waste programs can greatly reduce your accommodation’s carbon footprint.
Tourism contributes significantly to solid waste, especially plastics, due to high consumption and limited local waste systems. Tourists often rely on single-use packaging, overwhelming destinations’ waste management and polluting ecosystems. To reduce this impact, travellers can pack reusable items like water bottles, coffee cups, and shopping bags, and avoid single-use plastics such as straws and wrapped items.
Proper waste disposal by carrying trash until a bin is found is essential. Supporting local waste reduction initiatives and choosing eco-friendly accommodations also helps. Pack sustainable products and travel light to minimise waste. During your trip, refuse unnecessary plastics, dispose of waste responsibly, support green businesses, and participate in cleanups.
New developments can disrupt a place’s architectural harmony by ignoring its unique style and history. Tourists can help preserve architectural character by choosing sustainable, locally focused travel and supporting businesses that respect heritage. Opting for accommodations that adaptively reuse historic buildings helps revitalise rather than replace old structures. Visitors can also advocate for development that honors a site’s history and natural environment, promoting harmony between new and existing architecture.
By supporting local artisans and ecotourism, tourists encourage development that aligns with a destination’s built and natural heritage. Speaking up to local authorities and tour operators about preserving architectural identity reinforces its value as a non-renewable resource. Conscious travel choices can protect the visual and cultural continuity of destinations, ensuring their unique charm endures for future generations.
Tourism can be both high-impact and consumptive, as it heavily relies on resource consumption (energy, water, land) and often leads to significant environmental impacts. Low-impact, non-consumptive tourism focuses on experiences that don’t deplete natural resources or disturb wildlife. Low-impact means reducing negative effects such as carbon emissions, resource overuse, and overcrowding. Non-consumptive means avoiding activities that take or damage natural resources.
Airplane exhaust produces water vapor that forms contrails, which can develop into cirrus clouds that trap heat and increase global warming. High-emission travel—like planes, cars, and large vehicles—burns fossil fuels, releasing significant CO2 and pollutants that harm the climate and air quality. Longer journeys, especially long-haul flights, create more emissions. Many short trips are made by private car even when walking, biking, or public transport are options, increasing carbon footprints unnecessarily.
To travel sustainably, choose public transport like trains or buses for shorter trips, and walk or bike locally. For unavoidable flights, book economy class and consider carbon offsets. In cities, try cycling, use bike-share programmes, shared shuttles, or rent electric or hybrid vehicles when possible to reduce your environmental impact.
Over-tourism can lead to gentrification and strain local resources, causing displacement of residents, cultural loss, social tensions, and higher living costs. As tourism boosts property values, traditional businesses often get replaced by tourist-focused ones, changing the community’s character and pushing out long-term residents. This influx also overwhelms infrastructure like transportation, healthcare, and waste management, affecting locals’ daily lives. Cultural impacts include commodification of traditions and loss of authenticity, leading to social conflicts and cultural misunderstandings.
To reduce these effects, tourists should support local economies by choosing locally owned guesthouses, dining at small restaurants, buying from artisans, and hiring local guides. Traveling off-season, exploring less-visited areas, and traveling in smaller groups also help reduce pressure. Using sustainable transport and learning about local customs promotes respectful, responsible tourism that benefits communities while preserving their unique culture and environment.
Tourism can harm wildlife by disrupting natural habitats, causing stress, injury, and pollution, and spreading invasive species. Noise, crowds, and bright lights scare animals, interfering with feeding, breeding, and parenting. Tourists may unintentionally injure animals by feeding or touching them, or by encroaching on their space. Habitat loss from building resorts fragments wildlife areas, reducing living space. Pollution from litter and sewage threatens animal health, while invasive species introduced unintentionally upset ecosystems. These impacts reduce biodiversity and disturb predator-prey relationships.
To minimise harm, keep a safe distance—at least 100 yards from large animals and 25 yards from others—and use zoom lenses for photography. Stay on marked trails, avoid nests and burrows, and pack out all trash. Never feed or touch wildlife, and avoid attractions exploiting animals. Support ethical tour operators, research local wildlife guidelines, and practice “leave no trace” principles.