The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has released a groundbreaking report, titled 'Water Roadmap for Travel & Tourism,' revealing a consistent decrease in the water intensity of the global Travel & Tourism sector amid its continuous growth.

Despite being one of the fastest-growing sectors, contributing 10.4% to the global GDP in 2019 and employing one in 10 people globally, Travel & Tourism's water usage fluctuated between 3.5% and 5.8% of global freshwater in 2021 and 2019, respectively. While this share is lower than that of key sectors like agriculture and food, accounting for 70% of global water usage, there remains a need for additional efforts due to the escalating challenge of water scarcity in sustainable development.

The report underlines the critical role of Travel & Tourism stakeholders in implementing sustainable water practices globally to achieve further progress. In collaboration with Accenture and Oxford Economics, WTTC has provided a framework to set water targets, reduce water footprints, and enhance water resilience within the global travel and tourism sector.

The data, a result of the partnership between WTTC and the Saudi-based Sustainable Tourism Global Center, indicates that from 2010 to 2019, Asia Pacific, Americas, and the Middle East witnessed increased water usage in Travel & Tourism amid significant growth in international arrivals. In contrast, Europe and Africa experienced a 1% decline in water usage despite a yearly increase in international arrivals of 5% and 4%, respectively.

This accomplishment underscores the potential within the Travel & Tourism sector to further diminish water usage and align with the SDG 6 goals of the global water action agenda.

WTTC President & CEO, Julia Simpson, emphasized the sector's unique influence and global reach in addressing water scarcity: "With this report, we aim to inspire a transformative journey toward responsible water use and a regenerative future, accelerating progress towards achieving SDG 61."

Jesko-Philipp Neuenburg, Global Travel and Aviation Sustainability Lead at Accenture, highlighted the transformative power of data and technology, stating: "Technology and data are enablers of sustainability and can play an important role in water stewardship efforts across the travel supply chain."

As climate change intensifies extreme weather events, the report emphasizes the vital importance of building resilience for the sector's long-term survival. Recognizing interdependencies and assigning a monetary value to water risks are pivotal moves, ensuring Travel & Tourism navigates risks, meets stakeholder expectations, and leads global water stewardship.

In the face of emerging risks, the report advocates for the adoption of digital technologies as an innovative approach to tackle complexity head-on. The Water Management Action Framework, introduced in the report, outlines four key steps, rejecting a 'one-size-fits-all' solution and emphasizing water footprint reduction and resilience building across supply chains.

Acknowledging the indispensable role of Travel & Tourism, WTTC issues a resounding call for collective action to safeguard water ecosystems. The framework guides stakeholders towards sustainability, emphasizing science-based targets, internal prioritization, appropriate funding, and collaborative measures for a resilient future.