ITB Berlin News - DAY 3 Edition
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I EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW I<br />
© Messe <strong>Berlin</strong> GmbH<br />
World-leading climate expert answers<br />
critical questions on responsible tourism<br />
and how to master it<br />
Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, Director Emeritus of the Potsdam<br />
Institute for Climate Impact Research, paints a picture of a more sustainable<br />
future at <strong>ITB</strong> <strong>Berlin</strong> 2023<br />
IN TOURISM,<br />
YOU ARE<br />
DIRECTLY<br />
DESTROYING<br />
WHAT YOU<br />
OFFER TO YOUR<br />
CLIENTS IF YOU<br />
OPERATE IN AN<br />
UNSUSTAINABLE<br />
WAY<br />
GOTHENBURG<br />
The renowned professor<br />
is gracing the stage at<br />
the world's biggest travel<br />
trade show this morning,<br />
addressing a critical<br />
question for tourism: "Can<br />
we preserve the world while<br />
enjoying it?"<br />
Ahead of his inspiring keynote<br />
speech, we spoke to Prof<br />
Schellnhuber about his latest<br />
research on responsible tourism<br />
including key trends, challenges<br />
and opportunities.<br />
What information should<br />
responsible tourism companies<br />
be monitoring and why?<br />
On the one hand, we have to<br />
look at the sheer data in terms of<br />
what's happening. For example,<br />
how are emissions growing? The<br />
World Tourism Organization asked<br />
for a 50% reduction of emissions<br />
from the tourism industry by<br />
2030. We need to monitor the<br />
real emissions coming from all<br />
its sectors combined. It is about<br />
keeping an eye on your own data<br />
when it comes to emissions and<br />
not shying away from precisely<br />
calculating the negative impacts<br />
of your services as well as the<br />
positives.<br />
Based on your research, what<br />
are the main identifiable trends<br />
in responsible tourism?<br />
I think we need a very clear cut<br />
definition of what responsible<br />
tourism is: You must not harm or<br />
destroy the site you are visiting<br />
and you must not impair the<br />
community which is providing<br />
access. Very few people consider<br />
climate change at present. But in<br />
tourism, you are directly destroying<br />
what you offer to your clients if you<br />
operate in an unsustainable way.<br />
Beach tourism for example is an<br />
essential part of the travel industry<br />
but we are now on a course of<br />
destroying the world's beaches.<br />
It is also about finding a balance<br />
between the short term and<br />
long term approach to the travel<br />
industry. Then, we have pioneers<br />
and influencers discovering<br />
untouched communities and<br />
ecosystems. Through social<br />
media, these places become<br />
known to millions of people...<br />
but by praising a place, you can<br />
destroy it within just a few years.<br />
So you have to make sure you<br />
have an agenda, a timetable for<br />
16 <strong>ITB</strong> BERLIN NEWS • THURS<strong>DAY</strong> 9 TH MARCH 2023<br />
www.itb-berlin-news.com