Travel and tourism accounted for over 10% of global gross domestic product, supporting one in ten jobs worldwide in 2019. During the global pandemic, however, industry and destinations experienced one of the most dramatic downturns in its history. Many sustainable tourism advocates called for a whole new philosophy of managing tourism, focusing on regenerating local culture and ecosystems and lowering carbon emissions in efficient and inspired ways. International tourism grew 86% in the first quarter of 2023 and is expected to fully rebound, with strong summer seasons expected throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
Will governments invest in more sustainable systems for managing tourism or simply return to driving for higher and higher visitation rates? Can sustainability and regeneration efforts deliver net-positive results for local people while also lowering carbon emissions? At present, many efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are on the table, but many destinations around the world are proceeding to not only rebuild but also expand. Who is responsible for these decisions and what is the role of both the public and private sectors?
Join Megan Epler-Wood, Cornell’s sustainable travel expert, and Signe Jungersted, our guest strategic advisor and destination marketer, for a forward-thinking conversation about the future of destination management.
RESOURCES / NEXT STEPSGroup NAOCourt Ruling Upholds Schiphol Move to Reduce Flight CapacitySustainable Tourism Destination Management courseEpisode 1 in the Sustainable Tourism on a Changing Planet series: The Challenges of Transformation in a Global IndustryEpisode 2 in the Sustainable Tourism on a Changing Planet series:
Creating Inclusive Destinations With Social EquitySustainable Tourism Asset Management Program (STAMP)Megan’s book “Sustainable Tourism on a Finite Planet” 
