For tourism to be based on low-carbon growth, the accommodation, air and land transport clusters need to be fully engaged. Innovation in energy use and sources such as renewable primary energy, transport to and within destinations, and a change in consumer behaviour are all part of the solution. This will require substantial investment that takes into account the imperatives of sustainability without hampering competitiveness.

As part of the Astana EXPO 2017, UNWTO and Kazakhstan held the World Conference on Tourism and Future Energy to discuss new opportunities and innovative solutions that could help the global tourism sector to contribute to low-carbon growth.

This report details the key takeaways from each discussion. The conference concluded that there is great urgency but also great opportunities for tourism to become a leading sector by reducing its CO2 emissions and become part of the decarbonized economy of the mid-21st century.