Eight percent: why tourism is underestimating its carbon footprint

According to Helga Weisz, tourism is an important industry – not only in South Tyrol but also in Germany. However, it comes with a high emissions intensity. Calculating these emissions is a challenge, since tourism is not defined as a distinct economic sector in the official, internationally harmonized economic statistics. Current estimates, however, indicate that approximately eight percent of global greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to the tourism industry – comparable to those of the healthcare sector. Rising visitor numbers, intensive travel, and increasing resource consumption are exacerbating the situation – and call for fundamentally new solutions.

The “elephant in the room”: travel to and from destinations

The biggest driver of emissions in tourism? Guest travel to and from destinations by private car. “That’s the elephant in the room,” says Weisz, since these emissions don’t appear in official national climate accounts and are a prime example of the statistical and political grey areas in climate policy. Experts still disagree on whether these emissions should be attributed to the tourism industry or to private households. For similar reasons, the emissions from international air and maritime travel are also not fully accounted for – simply because no agreement has been reached on how to fairly allocate responsibility. National greenhouse gas inventories, for instance, typically only include domestic flights. The same goes for waterborne transport. The result: tourism’s true climate impact is significantly underestimated.

Between growth and climate goals – a “squaring of the circle”?

Helga Weisz summed up a central dilemma in a single sentence: “An economic sector that is growing while needing to reduce emissions – that’s an extremely difficult task.” This tension is characteristic of tourism, which is widely seen as a growth industry. Precisely for this reason, Weisz advocates for a shared responsibility approach: not only consumers, but also service providers, policymakers, and infrastructure stakeholders must work together on solutions. Individual choices matter, she emphasized, but they are not enough on their own. The major levers for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the tourism sector lie in electricity sourcing, buildings, and mobility. In terms of building renovations and the adoption of decarbonized heating systems, significant progress has already been made.

Animal products push the CO₂ footprint up

Another key focus of her talk was food and gastronomy. Weisz pointed out that the core issue is not primarily regional sourcing, but rather the proportion of animal-based products. It’s not food transportation that poses the greatest climate burden, but the high consumption of meat and dairy. The associated greenhouse gases originate in the supply chain – in agriculture, fertilizer use, and the carbon-intensive inputs typical of industrial farming.

Greenwashing and voluntary offsetting

Another crucial aspect of reducing emissions, Weisz argued, is transparent and honest communication from the tourism industry. “Greenwashing is a major problem because it erodes consumer trust,” she stressed, calling for stricter regulation and oversight of the standards and criteria that define when products can be labeled as “green” or “climate neutral.” Land-based carbon offset projects – such as those in the Amazon or Congo Basin – may appear, at first glance, to support climate action. In reality, however, they often exacerbate land-use conflicts, result in minimal actual CO₂ reductions, and instead contribute to new forms of land grabbing – at the expense of local populations who rely on that land for food, shelter, cultural practices, and survival.

Clear communication grounded in concrete data and facts

Data and facts are also the foundation for communicating sustainability, emphasized Stefanie Prieth. Only when they are available can communication be honest and authentic. “That doesn’t always succeed – neither for us nor for the businesses we support. I believe a lot of this is deeply ingrained in us: we’ve grown up learning to present things in the most positive light, and we’re only now beginning to develop this new sensitivity.”

A destination is always the sum of many sectors. Close cooperation between the tourism sector and local municipalities is essential, aligned with the new municipal development programs emerging across South Tyrol. “In our tourism organizations, both locals and guests are considered. This shift from traditional destination management to a holistic approach of managing the living environment was an especially important step,” Prieth emphasized.

Sustainable tourism is more than a technical issue of CO₂ – it is a social and structural task that can only succeed if politics, business, and society act together. The transformation must be braver, faster, and more interconnected. Unfortunately, progress in tourism innovation remains painfully slow. New business models are needed, but concrete solutions are often lacking. “I’d also like to see more political frameworks here,” said Prieth. “We need both push and pull. On one side, something has to come from above, while on the other, we’re working to motivate and raise awareness among businesses for more climate-conscious operations.”

Change begins in the mind

One person who has already successfully implemented concrete measures is Kurt Resch of the Steineggerhof. Forty percent of the animal products used in the kitchen were responsible for 80 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions. “By deliberately reducing that share to around 20 percent, we were able to cut emissions – although they still account for 60 percent, which shows how large the impact of animal products really is. This shift was easy to implement and not only reduced CO₂ but also significantly lowered procurement costs,” said Resch.

All investments in nature-based operations – solar thermal systems, photovoltaics, or pellet heating – were initially major expenses. “In the long run, though, we’re saving a lot of money, and that’s something other businesses still need to understand. Our CO₂ emissions per overnight stay are very low at 2.2 kilograms. For comparison: the average is 9 kilograms, while a luxury establishment can reach up to 40 kilograms.”

Incentives must also be created to encourage guests to travel sustainably – for example, by offering price advantages for those who arrive by train. The most important factor in making the shift, Resch emphasized, is mindset. “We don’t have to give things up – we just need to live differently.”

“Tourism is a cross-cutting sector,” concluded Harald Pechlaner. “And that’s where its great potential lies. If tourism can succeed in understanding itself as an interconnected system, it can become a true driver of change – provided that the many different players in the sector act together.”