European Travel Commission CEO identifies climate change as top tourism threat

Eduardo Santander, CEO of the European Travel Commission (ETC), has identified climate change as the primary threat to the tourism industry. During a recent summit, Santander noted that tourism accounts for 10 percent of the European economy and over 10 percent of Spain’s GDP.

Santander cited issues such as heat-related train disruptions and low river levels due to drought affecting cruise lines as evidence of climate impact. He also emphasized the need for increased investment in infrastructure to manage the pressures of “overtourism,” which causes congestion in airports and local communities.

However, critics argue that climate change is not the most significant threat. They suggest that “overtourism” and the resulting local backlash, including violent anti-tourist protests in popular European cities, pose a more immediate risk to the sector. Critics also contend that weather-related travel disruptions are a historical constant rather than a new phenomenon driven solely by climate change.