In the context of this year’s World Tourism Day dedicated to “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation”, it is time to highlight the global impact of the industry and the travel tech role in driving the industry towards a more sustainable future.
As the United Nation states, travel and tourism have transformative potential and are agents of positive change. According to the UN Tourism Organization, the number of international tourists grew by 5% up to 690 million in the first half of 2025. World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reports show that travel and tourism contributed USD10.9 trillion to global GDP in 2024, while 357 million jobs around the world were supported by both sectors. Their contribution to tax stood at USD 3.3 trillion globally in 2023 representing 9.6% of all revenues. The economic relevance of the industry is also a sign of its responsibility as a catalyst for social progress and in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
As Managing Director of Belvera Partners, a PR agency focused on B2B travel technology, Roman Townsend emphasizes the role that travel tech companies are playing in making tourism more sustainable. “From AI solutions that optimize flight paths and manage the flow of visitors to digital apps that promote new destinations or replace paper-guides, pesticide free plague prevention systems and platforms that support local content creators, travel tech is transforming the industry making it more environmentally friendly and helping it drive social progress.”
Daniel Boyle is the General Manager of Transport at Terrapinn and responsible for organizing the World Aviation Festival that, as the world’s largest aviation tech event, will bring together more than 4,500 attendees from October 7th to 9th in Lisbon. For him, technology is allowing travel businesses to measure and scale their environmental and social sustainability schemes. “Airlines and airports are investing heavily in tools such as predictive analytics, digital twins and AI-driven operations to optimise flight paths, reduce contrails, cut fuel burn and improve on-time performance – all of which directly reduce emissions” – explains Boyle. “It’s a story of innovation as much as responsibility – the same companies developing next-generation retail, loyalty and digital ops solutions are also looking at SAF adoption, hydrogen aircraft, more efficient ground ops, and better passenger experience.”
Digitalization, reducing the use of chemical products as well as the carbon footprint of hotels are at the heart of Valpas, a Finnish startup that has developed an IoT-enabled device to stop bed bugs infestations without pesticides. “Hospitality is being asked for real impact, but too often sustainability means compromise – especially at the higher end of the market. At Valpas, we challenge that notion and prove you can have both. By replacing biodiversity-damaging pesticides with clean in-room technology, we keep hotels bed bug–free and certify a safe stay, delivering a climate impact more than twice as effective as skipping daily linen washes, while protecting local biodiversity. It is a win for the guest, the hotel, and the planet.” – says Martim Gois, CEO and Co-founder of Valpas.
For Rubén Gutiérrez, President at GoNexus Group, a company with a wide expertise in technological travel innovations and personalized services; generating a positive impact on the environment and the communities where GoNexus operates is vital. “Technology enables us to be more agile and sustainable, while driving recycling programs, carbon offsetting, and animal welfare” – states Gutiérrez. GoNexus has an ambitious goal: to be 100% paper-free by 2027. Through the actions already implemented, it has reduced over 70 tons of paper annually, protected 1,200 trees and lowered water, energy, and 3,800 tons CO₂ emissions. “In addition, we develop initiatives such as the Growing Together scholarship program, donating tablets for education, organizing beach clean-ups, and building alliances that foster a circular economy.”
Civitatis is an online platform for booking activities, day trips and guided tours. It offers nearly 96,000 activities in 4,200 destinations and has more than 30 million customers. “Our strategy is based on digitalization, diversification and deseasonalization supporting to over 8,000 local providers worldwide” – says Enrique Espinel, Chief Operating Officer at Civitatis. “We are fostering a more responsible model promoting authentic experiences, spreading tourism throughout the year and giving visibility to less crowded destinations. At the end of the day, we are helping to boost local economies and offering more sustainable travel options for both residents and travellers.”
Sally Bunnell, Founder and CEO of NaviSavi, the B2B2C travel platform dedicated to User Generated Content (UGC) short videos, is sure about what businesses such as NaviSavi can do to drive equity and sustainable transformation in tourism. “True sustainability in tourism means giving back to the people who bring destinations to life. By hiring local creators, highlighting small businesses, and ensuring tourism dollars stay in the community, we are building a circular digital economy that transforms content into opportunity.”
To be sustainable, tourism needs to be inclusive and accessible as well. TUR4all is the world’s leading platform dedicated to fully accessible travel experiences and an agency with a clear purpose that reinvests 100% of its profits in improving the quality of life of people with disabilities. Francisco Sardón, President of IMPULSA IGUALDAD, the organisation behind TUR4all Travel, states: “On the occasion of World Tourism Day, we reaffirm our commitment to a sustainable and inclusive tourism model that delivers benefits for people, communities and the planet. We champion accessible experiences, the stimulation of local economies, the creation of inclusive employment, and the conservation of the natural environment. We believe in purpose-driven tourism, capable of positively transforming the way people travel and contributing to a fairer and more responsible future.”
