Overtourism occurs when too many visitors create more problems than benefits, leading to social, environmental, and economic impacts.

Overtourism in cities like Barcelona and Venice sparks local protests over high prices, shop homogenization, and low-wage jobs.

Overtourism harms habitats and wildlife, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism that prioritizes local communities and the environment.

The tourism industry often fails to provide a living wage to locals, as most of the money goes to international companies rather than the community.

Social media can contribute to overtourism, straining local infrastructure and resources by causing overcrowding at popular hot spots.

Cities like Amsterdam and Venice have implemented measures such as admission fees and hotel bans to manage overtourism.

Sustainable tourism strategies must consider ecological and social factors, limit visitor numbers, and promote responsible travel practices.

Sustainable tourism practices can help local economies, but only $5 of every $100 spent on trips currently benefits them.

Eco-friendly transportation systems, like electric or self-driving vehicles, can reduce tourism's environmental impact, but face barriers such as high costs and limited charging infrastructure.

National policies, incentives, and public-private partnerships can promote eco-friendly transportation systems.

Stakeholder engagement and participatory governance are crucial for developing sustainable tourism strategies tailored to local needs.

Adopting sustainable tourism practices can help mitigate overtourism's negative impacts and promote a more sustainable industry.

Managing overtourism requires a comprehensive approach that considers social, environmental, and economic impacts and involves sustainable practices and community involvement.

Sustainable tourism balances economic growth with environmental preservation and community well-being.

Overtourism occurs when too many visitors create more problems than benefits, leading to social, environmental, and economic impacts.

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Sedona Film Festival presents ‘Crowded Out’

“Crowded Out” is a powerful short documentary exploring over-tourism, featuring interviews with local residents and global experts. (Image provided by SIFF)

Originally Published: September 14, 2022 8:43 p.m.

The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the third film in its four-week Sustainable Tourism Film Series. “Crowded Out: The Story of Overtourism” will show on Thursday, Sept. 22 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre at 4 p.m. The event will also include a selection of “Sustainable Travel: Where Next?” short films along with a panel discussion.

“Crowded Out” is a powerful short documentary exploring overtourism, featuring interviews with local residents and global experts.

Overtourism occurs when there are too many visitors to a particular destination. When rent prices push out local tenants to make way for holiday rentals, when narrow roads become jammed with tourist vehicles, when tourists cannot view landmarks because of the crowds – these are all signs of overtourism.

And it is the backlash from local residents that has made overtourism news. Cities such as Barcelona, Venice and Dubrovnik, and places once thought of as remote such as Iceland and Skye have suffered firsthand, and the protests by local residents have spread.

There has been decades of virtually uncontrolled growth, and it has crossed a threshold: in many destinations, tourism now demonstrably creates more problems than benefits.

This special event will also include a selection of short films from “Sustainable Travel: Where Next?” This series includes short-form documentary films, featuring insightful stories from the global travel and tourism sector showing how they are driving sustainable travel and protecting these precious destinations.

Following the screenings, there will be a panel discussion with representatives the City of Sedona, the Sedona Chamber of Commerce, Keep Sedona Beautiful and the tourism and hospitality industry here.

“Crowded Out: The Story of Overtourism” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 4 p.m. Tickets are $12, or $9 for Film Festival members. For tickets and more information, please call 928-282-1177. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, in West Sedona. For more information, visit: www.SedonaFilmFestival.org.

The final film in the Sustainable Tourism Series is:

Thursday, Sept. 29 at 4 p.m. “Vendemmia”

Overtourism in cities like Barcelona and Venice sparks local protests over high prices, shop homogenization, and low-wage jobs.

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Content: Point of view
Lin Chi-yin
Lin Chi-yin: "Traveling Everywhere" and "Over-Travel"
Earlier, the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Hsia Baolong, advocated the concept of “travel everywhere ” to fully explore Hong Kong ’ s tourism resources.
To speed up the implementation of the concept, the authorities are planning to set up a "special class" to bring together people inside and outside the Government for in-depth discussions.
In recent days, officials and legislators have expressed their views on the development of "red tourism", exploring new spots in the community, beautifying the streets, and presenting some scenes in the movies.
Simply put, it may be the story behind the attraction, or the accumulated word of mouth on social media, and every tree and grass anywhere can become a tourist attraction.
Of course, the author hopes that the "class" can launch various new ideas; and since the task of the class is to implement the concept of "travel everywhere", then how to implement the concept is the best for Hong Kong, the industry, the community and the public, the class can not ignore.
The University of Hong Kong campus has been forced by tourists, and the school has implemented reservation measures this month.
HKU itself has a complete management structure, and the university can still implement crowd control according to the situation. However, if some scenic spots that go deep into the community or even close to residential buildings are really "red hot", it may not be easy to implement crowd control.
“Everywhere travel ” is a concept, the key to implementation lies in the ability of the authorities to foresee problems. If you rely only on“ see and see ”, it is very likely that good things will turn into bad things.
“Aggressive ” Travel
In 2018, the word “overtourism ” was chosen as the Oxford English Dictionary ’ s word of the year, referring to the negative effects of overloading the area, declining quality of life and environmental damage caused by the influx of tourists to tourist attractions.
For example, Venice, Italy, which has long been affected by “overtourism ”, is not a“ once in a lifetime ” – the local population is only 50,000, and the number of daily tourists has exceeded the local population; during peak season, the number of daily visitors has even doubled.
I have friends who visited the place more than a decade ago, and they all agreed to say that people are crowded and will not go again.
In addition to Venice, some European cities or small islands with a tourism-led economy (such as the Canarias in Spain) also face the problem of job opportunities, high prices, and a homogenization of shops. Multinational companies invest heavily in hotels and holiday cottages, which also lead to higher rents, which locals can ’ t afford.
Even if tourism brings a lot of jobs to the region, it does not mean that the average person can earn a living wage.
People in these places understand the importance of tourism to the local economy, but they do not want the tourism industry to be unlimited, resulting in the resources of the whole place are only for the service of tourists.
"Tourism Hazards" and How to Deal with them
In Japanese society after the epidemic, a similar term, "tourism nuisance", has also appeared to describe problems such as traffic, noise, nuisance, and garbage pollution caused by too many tourists.
This phenomenon, in addition to the popularity of exchange rates, affordable air tickets, and people's desire to travel after the epidemic, social media will also have the effect of focusing on specific hot spots.
In the era of image-led, everyone can follow the picture, some places that were not originally planned as tourist attractions have begun to face sudden overcrowding.
Hong Kong people who love to visit Japan will not be unfamiliar with two “attractions ”: the Daokou near Enojima Electric Railway ’ s Kamakura University Station, and a Lawson convenience store in Kawaguchi-cho.
The former is the "holy place" of the popular manga "When Men are in the bottle". In recent years, the crossing has been congested with traffic due to frequent visits by tourists to "punch", local people can not get on the electric train, and some tourists are dangerous for taking good photos. Lawson is also a "punch" attraction, and the picture is a convenience store with a beautiful view of Mount Fuji. of tourists are constantly crossing the road and parking without permission, causing local residents to feel troubled.
Too many tourists can also lead to a decline in the quality of service, even in Japan, which values the spirit of “work people ”.
When I visited Japan last year, I saw some shops find ways to deal with “tourism hazards ” on their own, such as not allowing diners to take photos in the store, so that after the photos are uploaded to social media, it will cause more people to come and see them; limiting the number of diners to the number of people that the staff can serve, even if the seats are not full.
However, some tourists always find it difficult to understand the intentions behind these arrangements, and I have heard some tourists complain: "Obviously there is still a place, why not let us sit?"
When these conflicts can no longer be handled by businesses and residents themselves, how to strike a balance between “tourism ” and“ public nuisance ” will gradually become a policy issue.
The most extreme way to deal with it is to “eliminate ” popular attractions – coincidentally, the authorities of Kawaguchiko recently erected a 20-meter-long and 2.5-meter-high“ black curtain ” in front of Lawson to drive away tourists who came to take photos.
The reason why the authorities have to take extreme measures is that management alone can not prevent tourists from rushing out of the road, which is actually to "play the spot".
In addition, there are more and more tourist cities and hotspots charging tourists "admission fees" or "admission fees", but this method can not play a large role.
In Venice, for example, the city has been charging a 5 euro entry fee (about HK $42) to “overnight ” travelers since last month.
However, these fees simply cannot curb the huge demand for tourists, and the revenue is mainly used as a financial source to cope with "excessive travel", which can only cure the symptoms, not the root cause.
The Real Meaning of “Travel Everywhere ”
At this point, some people may point out that the above problems will only become problems if we succeed in attracting tourists to Hong Kong; what we have to focus on is how to get more people to come to Hong Kong.
However, how much tourism can bring to a city depends on the management and policies of the city, not on the remedial measures that can be taken.
Although the share of tourism industry in Hong Kong's economy is far less than that of the "tourist city" mentioned above, Hong Kong can't wait to see that other places are looking for countermeasures for the "tourism nuisance", and even start to turn to attack, redefine the tourism industry from the planning level and actively promote tourist education.
In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, for example, the government announced last month that it would ban new hotels and limit the number of cruise ships to return the city to a livable and tourism-friendly city. In Kamakura, Japan, people are no longer concentrated at certain points by decentralizing transportation (such as the launch of electric tricycle rental business) and proactively promoting multiple circumnavigation routes (such as the travel routes at 13 locations of Kamakura Shogunate).
The main disadvantage of post-event remediation is that the difficulty and cost of solving the problem are greatly increased, which will also affect the experience of tourists. More than 10 years ago, the North District of Hong Kong also experienced a pharmacy every few steps, and the situation of residents in the North District driving out water consignors on their own, which hurt the feelings of the people of the two places.
In particular, there are many policy issues that can be foreseen in advance, and we do not have to go through them personally before we know what the problem is (for example, the legal problems faced by cleaners under the garbage levy will not be known until the moment of trial).
Since there is a great deal of experience and policy measures in various places to refer to, the “Special Class ” must also strike a balance between tourism and city operations when formulating tourist routes and supporting packages, otherwise the attraction will only lead to losses. After the city of Kamakura solved the problem of overcrowding of tourists, the tourism industry representative of Kanagawa Prefecture (that is, the seat of Kamakura City) pointed out:“ Attraction is not tourism. ” The amount of time it takes to win is certainly not appropriate.
“Travel Everywhere ” is not just about adding tourist attractions, but promoting quality tourism in a more nuanced and proactive way to avoid problems.
The author is a public policy consultant.
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Overtourism harms habitats and wildlife, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism that prioritizes local communities and the environment.

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Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
The Guardian: Tourism contributes significantly to the climate crisis
It is a terrible paradox of the climate crisis that some of the most beautiful – and popular – places in the world are also the most vulnerable, especially as most of them have poor infrastructure, which means that with rising temperatures, increasing weather extremes, drying up water sources and the death of natural habitats, these places face another devastating loss, especially tourists.
Tourism contributes significantly to the climate crisis – around 8% of global emissions – and hordes of visitors cause many problems, including excessive development and degradation of natural areas.
The revenue generated by tourists can bring enormous economic benefits to these destinations, and many do not own other forms of industry or otherwise rely on extractive industries such as mining or logging.
She added that tourism can also spread awareness of environmental problems, such as bleaching coral reefs or endangered animal species, and provide funding for conservation efforts.
This complex relationship was highlighted during the coronavirus outbreak, when tourism stopped, carbon emissions dropped, wildlife flourished, and leatherback turtles in Thailand laid the largest number of eggs in two decades, but all this has come at a cost, with the global tourism industry taking a heavy toll, triggering an emergency in developing countries, families struggling to find food, illegal logging in some places has increased, and overfishing has increased.
As the rebuilding of tourism begins, it has become impossible to ignore that the future of the industry is inextricably linked to the climate crisis.
Instead of becoming a major cause of the climate crisis, tourism can be used to raise awareness, increase tourism resources and improve infrastructure.

The tourism industry often fails to provide a living wage to locals, as most of the money goes to international companies rather than the community.

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“Let the tourists go home! ” – Over-sightseeing is overwhelming the residents of Europe ’ s popular cities
Lisa Stüve
14 July 2024
Many of Europe ’ s holiday destinations are expected to see record numbers of visitors this summer.
However, local residents were deeply troubled by the development of mass tourism and took to the streets to protest.
Is there a solution?
Https: / / p.dw.com / p / 4iD5I
In many of Europe's most popular tourist cities, residents began to protest against the influx of tourists.
Venice is one of them, the local residents are plagued by tourism, the city's housing prices are rising, and the number of available housing is decreasing.
Venice ’ s Old Town also has a resident population of less than 49,000, compared to an estimated 20 million tourists visiting Venice each year.
Europe has the most visitors from all over the world, and Venice isn ’ t the only city to suffer from a surge in visitors.
In Barcelona and other tourist cities in Spain, there are increasing reports of local residents protesting against tourists.
In Lisbon, Prague and Amsterdam, large-scale tourism has led to growing tensions between tourists and locals.
Residents everywhere protested for the same reasons: rising rents, soaring property prices, and problems with access to resources.
Tourism is one of the economic sources
The EU estimates that tourism accounts for about 10 per cent of the economy's total output.
About 12.3 million people are employed in the industry.
“But these are just abstract numbers, ” says Sebastian Zenker, a tourism researcher at Copenhagen Business School.
He pointed out that if rents rise at the same time, property prices exceed residents' affordability, and restaurants are affordable only to tourists, then the income from tourism will not bring real benefits to local residents.
For locals, tourism development must provide them with the balance they feel – that is, liveability is not unduly negatively affected while benefiting from tourism.
Although a large number of people are employed in the tourism industry, "only a few have a good income or can make a living from it," Zeng said in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
He said low wages were a problem.
In Italy, where there is no legal minimum wage, the minimum hourly wage is 4.85 euros in Portugal and 6.87 euros in Spain.
Big tourist tax
Where did all the money go?
Paul Peeters, who studies sustainable tourism and transportation at the University of Breda in the Netherlands, says the money is mostly going to the airline industry, large hotel chains, international companies and cruise lines.
When calculating the flow of tourism, the choice of travel mode is crucial. Cruise tourists eat and drink on board, and passengers who order through large travel agencies usually sell their tickets, hotels, and meals in packages, which tend to spend less locally.
But at the same time, the arrival of tourists brings with it air pollution and water consumption – all at the expense of local residents.
This sense of imbalance has further exacerbated tensions between locals and tourists.
All stakeholders in the tourism industry understand that they need tourists, and the question is how to develop tourism and what kind of tourism to develop.
Copenhagen tourism researcher Zeng Ke said.
Restrictive marketing, rules and bans
The first policies are in place.
For example, new hotels are no longer allowed in Amsterdam.
In addition, the city is trying to control drug and party-themed tourism through targeted restrictive marketing measures.
“De-marketing ” refers to advertising strategies designed to reduce the demand for a product from a specific target group – for example, the city of Amsterdam.
In Lisbon and Palma de Mallorca, the housing market has long been disconnected from the needs of residents and economic realities.
Response: No new rental licenses will be issued to online short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb.
Mallorca has set a time limit for tourist rental housing.
Barcelona has taken a more radical step: the city ’ s 10,000 vacation apartment permits for tourists are set to expire in 2028.
The move aims to reduce pressure on the housing market.
Rents in Barcelona have risen by more than 60% in the past decade.
In addition, there will be further restrictions on the scope of cruise activities or additional charges.
From 2021, Venice will no longer allow large cruise ships to sail into its waters in its historic center.
Amsterdam plans to adopt a similar measure in 2026.
This will not only reduce the number of tourists, but also reduce air pollution.
Are tourists bad too?
Similar to Amsterdam, Mallorca wants to shake off the image of a party city.
They hope to reduce the overall number of tourists, and will be more willing to accept those who can afford to spend.
This is known in industry jargon as “high quality tourism ”.
But is this the solution to the problem?
“It ’ s not, ” says Macià Blázquez-Salom, a geography professor and activist.
He is also a resident of Mallorca.
He believes that excessive emphasis on “luxury tourism ” will only exacerbate inequality.
“‘ Party tours ’ and ‘ beach tours ’ are often limited to specific areas and operate on a scale and standardised basis similar to factory production lines, ” Blasker-Salon told Deutsche Welle.
Its immediate impact is often limited to a small part of the city.
In contrast, tourists with high spending power typically have higher demand, consume more water, tend to travel more excursions, and generally have the financial means to purchase property.
“This will further promote gentrification (Gentrifizierung) and with it the possibility of real estate speculation, ” explains Blaske Salon.
"This type of visitor will have a direct impact on the lives of all the residents," the statement said.
Making tourism sustainable
The tourism industry is still largely driven by pure data growth and is delighted with the growing number of visitors each year.
But for residents of places like Barcelona, Venice and Mallorca, further growth is no longer an acceptable option.
Is there a solution?
Peters says keeping visitor numbers within the limits of what cities and communities can afford or as a way to do it.
He said that ecological and social factors should be taken into account when formulating tourism development strategies and management measures.
For tourism to be sustainable, agreements must be reached with airlines, ports and airport operators, which are often driven by overcapacity – that is, by expanding growth.
© 2024 Deutsche Welle Copyright Notice: All content in this article is protected by copyright law and may not be used without special permission from Deutsche Welle.
Any misconduct will lead to recovery and criminal prosecution.

Social media can contribute to overtourism, straining local infrastructure and resources by causing overcrowding at popular hot spots.

Cities like Amsterdam and Venice have implemented measures such as admission fees and hotel bans to manage overtourism.

Sustainable tourism strategies must consider ecological and social factors, limit visitor numbers, and promote responsible travel practices.

Title:

Content: 7 simple ways to make your next trip more eco-friendly

PHOTO: Unsplash

AsiaOne has launched EarthOne, a new section dedicated to environmental issues — because we love the planet and we believe science. Find articles like this there.

Travel is finally open again and everyone is trying to make the most of it. But while you're at it, think about how you can make your travel more eco-friendly by leaving a smaller carbon footprint behind.

Sustainable tourism is all about reducing tourism's negative impacts and maximising its positive benefits for communities, cultures, ecosystems, and the planet, both for immediate impact and for future generations to come.

Here's how to be a more sustainable traveller:

Choose a destination that values sustainability

Did you know that choosing to travel to a conservation-minded destination is one of the most important things travellers can do? As a general rule, the shorter the distance you travel from home, the lower your carbon footprint.

Likewise, destinations that value their natural and cultural heritage not only elevate the quality of the travel experience, but also greatly support the livelihoods of those who work in the travel industry.

According to the 2022 Environmental Performance Index (a measure of the country's performance on high-priority environmental issues), Denmark, UK and Finland, take the top slots respectively as the world's most sustainable countries.

Get off the beaten path

Avoid over-crowded tourist trips and look beyond the trending top 10 bucket list destinations of the moment by getting off the beaten path.

While it may be tempting to go to the more popular places that everyone else is visiting, it is usually more rewarding to go somewhere that's still less traversed and off most people's radars.

Instead of going big and expected, visit smaller cities and help spread (economic) tourism benefits to other local communities.

If you do choose to visit crowded and popular cities, consider doing so outside peak (tourist) period times.

Tip: If you're planning a cruise, opt for a small ship cruise line because they can visit smaller ports and can help alleviate tourism pressure on common cruise destinations.

Visit parks and protected areas – but be responsible

National parks, marine sanctuaries, and other protected areas play an important role in protecting the planet's natural resources and biodiversity.

Many countries rely on tourism fees such as entrance fees and operator permits to preserve these special places and help fund the conservation activities necessary to protect these areas, while also providing income to local communities.

Just remember not to litter, to stay on clearly marked trails, and to leave the wildlife alone!

Support local economies

According to The World Tourism Organisation, out of every $100 spent during a trip, sometimes as little as only $5 actually benefits the destination! This means a huge missed opportunity for travel to support local economies.

Choose to book your trip from travel and environmentally-conscious activity providers that ensure tourism dollars go directly to local communities instead of big-chain businesses.

If possible, consider visiting places that need (economical) support such as somewhere that needs rebuilding after a disaster (earthquakes, hurricane, tsunami, etc).

Travel and tourism are one of the fastest ways to recovery and travellers can help further by volunteering in environmental and social projects to help rebuild the devastated communities.

Use eco-friendly modes of transportation

It's no surprise that travel is a significant contributor to climate change, with air travel and driving making up the largest part of tourism's carbon footprint.

Though all modes of transportation require energy, some are more efficient and cleaner than others, how you get to and from and around your destination makes a difference.

Read Also
8 tips to become a more sustainable traveller in 2022

In addition to travelling slowly via trains or bicycles (the environmental impact of a bike is zero) for example, there are other ways that you can reduce travel carbon emissions.

An extra bonus: slow travel is also better for the environment since it reduces the amount of carbon emissions generated by flying or driving between destinations.

However, remember that there's no one-size-fits-all guideline for which method of transportation is best, since carbon footprint also depends on the type of energy being used. Hence the most sustainable option will vary from one destination to the next.

For instance, electric trains in the Netherlands are powered by wind energy and public transport in Luxembourg is free, meaning you can save money and help the environment by hopping on a train, a tram, or a bus instead of renting a car.

Book eco-friendly accommodations

Before booking your next trip, consider how your choice of accommodation affects the local ecosystem.

A zero-plastic policy, using renewable energy from solar panels, a rainwater filtration system, planting trees and serving local produce for meals are all good examples of a hotel being eco-friendly.

ALSO READ: Travel eco-friendly by visiting these green resorts

Limit energy use and conserve water

Everyone loves a long, hot shower after a whole day of sightseeing but give a thought to how much energy and water is being wasted like this.

Make your stay as eco-friendly as possible by conserving local water and energy resources, turning off electronics not in use, and avoiding unnecessary laundering of bedsheets and towels.

This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.

Sustainable tourism practices can help local economies, but only $5 of every $100 spent on trips currently benefits them.

Eco-friendly transportation systems, like electric or self-driving vehicles, can reduce tourism's environmental impact, but face barriers such as high costs and limited charging infrastructure.

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Content: Friday 2nd December 2022 Abu Dhabi UAE
Prayer times
News Highlights
Today 's Issue
Today 's Issue
United Arab Emirates
“Transportation. ”
Global standards
“Transportation. ”
Global standards
December 2, 2022 02: 25
Hala Al Khayat (Abu Dhabi)
Since its establishment, the UAE has achieved many achievements in the transport and infrastructure sector. The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan have been keen to strengthen the transport and infrastructure system. These efforts and achievements under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, have contributed to the country 's leadership. Top 10 global leaders in 20 key indicators of global competitiveness for energy and infrastructure sector for 2021.
The UAE government seeks to ensure sustainable development along with preserving the environment, while achieving the ideal balance between economic development and social development, as it stressed in the UAE Vision 2021 the importance of infrastructure, and to become one of the best in the world in the quality of airports, seaports and road infrastructure.
The concerned authorities in the UAE are considering several alternatives, from self-driving vehicles to air taxis, suspended transport units and the future hyperloop train, all of which are being considered for implementation in the coming years.
Foreseeing the future
The UAE is looking forward to the future by developing a smart and sustainable transport sector, and by adopting everything that is developed and modern in this vital sector.
Abu Dhabi is embarking on a new phase of development in the environmentally friendly sustainable transport sector, as part of the Smart Mobility Management Strategy in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which aims to support the transition towards smart and sustainable transport based on knowledge and innovative solutions.
The second phase of the Smart Mobility project was launched on Yas Island and Saadiyat Island, through self-driving vehicles (TXAI), the first fully automated taxis in the UAE, and the self-driving bus service Robobus, to build a smart transportation system that supports development across various sectors and facilitates the mobility of residents and visitors to the emirate.
Sustainable transport
The concerned sectors of the transport sector in the UAE confirm their commitment to supporting sustainable transport and the existing trend towards the use of low-emission vehicles, adopting the best specifications and standards for various means of transport, applying the latest technologies in this sector, and motivating members of the community to move more towards the use of environmentally friendly vehicles, in order to enhance the quality of life standards in the Emirate.
The country is working to establish the necessary infrastructure, including legislation and advanced technology for the use of self-driving vehicles, and to promote smart and sustainable transport.
Suspended transport units are a future mobility system being studied by Dubai ’ s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and have several times less land use than conventional systems with the same capacity and five times less energy efficiency than air vehicles.
Smart Mobility Apps
Many smart phone applications allow guide UAE residents and tourists to reach their destinations to shorten time and distances. In addition to the globally popular Google Maps application that can be used throughout the UAE, Senyar provides a unified navigation system across the UAE as well, and helps users to find addresses easily and efficiently.
Darb provides GIS based mobility solutions for mobility within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and Smart Drive, Makani and Hare applications enable trip planning and positioning in Dubai without the need to be connected to the Internet.
The public transport system in the UAE plays a prominent role in enhancing the aesthetic image of tourist sites after its success in transforming the concept of mass mobility into a recreational trip and a stop on the schedule of visitors, especially the Dubai Metro, which has become the most used means of attending major events in Dubai.
Transportation facilities
The UAE has some of the best and most advanced transport and infrastructure in the world. Public transport means vary in the country to meet the aspirations and needs of the country ’ s residents and tourists, including buses, metro, trams, taxis and marine transport that integrate together to connect all urban areas within the country, ensuring easy and safe transportation for passengers and passengers.
The concerned authorities are working to improve and develop the road network infrastructure, preserve the main road assets, and ensure that the main road network operates effectively, safely and with minimal impact on the environment, in line with its objectives to reduce traffic congestion and increase the flow of traffic throughout the country.
Attracting investors
The UAE has been able to design road networks in an advanced manner to achieve its comprehensive and sustainable development objectives and attract investors who aspire to establish their businesses in a way that ensures stability and profitability.
Competitiveness indicators
In light of the continued development of the transport sector in the UAE, it is expected that the country will rise to higher levels in the coming period in all competitiveness indicators for the sector issued by all specialized international institutions.
Over the past years, the UAE has succeeded in providing a distinctive legislative environment for the transport sector in general and the largest infrastructure in the Middle East to serve air transport in particular, where there are the largest airports and a large fleet of aircraft, as well as the necessary logistics services for the sector.
Taxis
Taxis in the UAE are one of the main means of transport used by visitors and tourists, as their fleets are professionally managed, and they are widespread and clean and equipped with meters to organize and adjust the tariff accurately.
It can also be booked through dedicated smart applications.
Uber services are also available, and taxi services are run 24 hours a day, there are taxis for women driven by female drivers, and large taxis for visitors and tourists.
Public transport buses
The public transport bus network is the main means that connects the diverse transport network together and all the emirates of the country. It is the most extensive transport network, covering tourist centers, business areas and residential areas. These buses are modern, air-conditioned, equipped with amenities for people of determination, audio-visual aids, camera surveillance, and seats for women and children....
Maritime Transport
Maritime transport means include many options, such as water taxis, water buses, ferries, and abra boats. The use of maritime transport means can be adopted in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, where they cover important and vital areas in the main cities.
Abu Dhabi City offers a daily ferry service between Delma Island, Mangrove Port and Jebel Dhanna Marina. These services are also available in Dubai at Bur Dubai, Deira, Jumeirah and Dubai Marina, and are interlinked with Sharjah stations.
Union Train
The launch of the national railway program with investments of 50 billion dirhams came to form an integrated system for the transport of goods and passengers at the level of the UAE.
Etihad Rail is the first road transport system linking various cities and regions of the UAE from Ghweifat to Fujairah, contributing to the development of a comprehensive and integrated transport system that opens development horizons and provides economic opportunities worth AED 200 billion.
The national railway programme will consolidate the UAE ’ s global superiority in logistics, with the Etihad Cargo train connecting four major ports, including the construction of seven logistics hubs in the country, and the transport volume will reach 85 million tons of cargo in 2040.
Dubai Tram
The Dubai Tram is one of the safest and most aesthetically pleasing modes of transport in the world. Designed to be an integral part of Dubai ’ s transportation network, the Dubai Tram is the first tram project outside Europe to run a full line of ground electricity without the need for overhead wires.
The Dubai Tram connects key locations in the city, such as the Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Damac stations on the Dubai Metro Red Line, and runs from Dubai Marina to Palm Jumeirah along Al Sufouh Road.
It is also connected to the Palm Jumeirah Monorail, and the automated transport network achieves high levels of comfort, ease of movement and safety for passengers.
Seven compartments
The Dubai Tram network is 10.6 kilometers long and passes through 11 stations distributed over a number of residential areas. Each of the trams consists of seven cabins distributed between the silver and gold grades, and a cabin in the silver class was allocated for women and children.
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National policies, incentives, and public-private partnerships can promote eco-friendly transportation systems.

Title:

Content: There were 1,831 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 394,911 in the last 365 days.

Innovative Transport Solutions are Key to Addressing Climate Change

Asia and the Pacific, responsible for over half of global greenhouse gas emissions, is highly vulnerable to climate change. Strategic, integrated, and innovative solutions are urgently needed.

Asia and the Pacific are currently responsible for over 50% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The region is also highly vulnerable to extreme weather and related disasters, with annual losses estimated at $675 billion and disproportionate impacts on women, poor and vulnerable populations, people with disabilities, the elderly, and young people.

Transport-related global greenhouse gas emissions in the region are approximately 31%. The road transport sector is still the top contributor to CO2 emissions in the region with freight transport playing a dominant role.

Heavy duty vehicles account for 35% of transport CO2 emissions while light duty vehicles account for 27%.  Accelerating transport decarbonization is crucial to the march towards net zero carbon emissions.

The region should work together to create an enabling environment that attracts public and private investment in revenue-generating climate projects, generate knowledge, and promote innovations and technologies to help decarbonize the sector and build climate resilient transport infrastructure.

To address these issues, the region needs to take the following actions:

Promote strategic and programmatic solutions. Rather than focusing on individual transport projects that insufficiently tackle the climate issues they generate, we need long-term engagement between countries and partners that address climate change.

This can be done by providing upstream, midstream, and downstream support, including policy and institutional environment strengthening, to address climate change; embedding climate change in systems for fiscal planning and building processes; and strategically financing projects and programs that meet the climate agenda.

Support a fundamental shift. Countries in the region must improve their policy and institutional environments for addressing climate change in transport.  This can be done through the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework, which comprises the core of how to reduce carbon emissions in transport.

It is also vital to incorporate climate resilience into transport infrastructure, such as through design, as well as connectivity that enables vulnerable communities to thrive despite climate impact, or lowering emissions by encouraging low carbon vehicles and reducing traffic volume. This requires an integrated, multi-sectoral approach leveraging expertise and skills beyond transport.

Promote technological innovations. We cannot address climate challenges solely through traditional technologies, systems, and approaches. Countries in the region and their development partners should continue to identify effective, innovative methods and technologies and demonstrate these to increase confidence and uptake, using knowledge exchange between members where possible.

 Electric mobility is the transforming agent for a massive change to low or zero carbon emissions. We’ve seen this in the People’s Republic of China through its campaign in the use of electric buses and lessons learned. Today, as electric mobility costs have fallen dramatically, the focus of public financing is to provide charging infrastructure and spur private sector investments in electric vehicles.

Mobilize private sector financing. To achieve a global transition towards net zero, clean energy or transport investments need to increase three to seven-fold in emerging and developing economies. The private sector can boost finance to the required scale by contributing know-how and efficiency.

To meet the climate challenge, we need to partner with the private sector in projects supporting e-mobility and bundling with solar and wind, help in project design to generate development impact, manage donor trust funds to ensure projects are financially viable, as well as to mitigate risks and provide technical assistance to boost sponsor experience and capability.

 The transport sector has great potential across sectors to focus on low carbon emission projects and ensure that climate-vulnerable populations are not left out. The speed of transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles (EVs) depends on national policies and the market development of EVs

The region needs to work together to create an enabling environment that attracts public and private investment in revenue-generating climate projects, generate knowledge, and promote innovation and technologies to help decarbonize the sector and build climate resilient transport infrastructure.

Stakeholder engagement and participatory governance are crucial for developing sustainable tourism strategies tailored to local needs.

Title:

Content: InYourArea Community

Communities in Gwynedd and Snowdonia to benefit from sustainable tourism

Two authorities will cooperate to ensure that the visitor economy will not damage the area's culture and environment.

By InYourArea Community

The Caernarfon Food Festival is among the visitor attractions which will promote the area's culture

Submitted by Gwynedd Council

Gwynedd Council and Snowdonia National Park Authority have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on sustainable tourism to formalise their commitment to working together.

The two authorities intend that the people, environment, language and culture of Gwynedd and Snowdonia will benefit from all aspects of the visitor economy.

This commitment follows years of collaboration in the field - both before the pandemic and during the Covid period. The partners will continue to work together on this key agenda and stage a conference at the end of the month to discuss the next steps to embed the vision.

Leader of Gwynedd Council, Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn, said:

"Any visitor economy must ensure that the people and communities of Gwynedd are central to it and benefit from it.

"I am delighted that the Council and the Park have agreed a joint vision for sustainable tourism for the future, with a particular emphasis on our language, culture and heritage.

"We want to ensure that the visitor economy benefits our communities and protects our environment and wildlife, while maximising the benefits to Gwynedd's communities and businesses.

"The last 18 months have highlighted the need for us as authorities to continue our joint working to ensure that our area benefits from tourism - on our terms.

"What is key is that we are able to secure truly sustainable tourism and that the area is in no way losing out from the visitor economy. We want to see local people benefit from good sustainable jobs in the field all year round.”

Councillor Wyn Jones, Chairman of Snowdonia National Park Authority added:

“It is very important to see Local Authorities working together to protect our communities by nurturing our economy and local businesses.

“This work will conserve the core features that define the National Park through its wonderfully unique qualities.

“The Authority and Gwynedd Council are committed to doing the best for the people who live and work in the area by promoting sustainable tourism which also in turn addresses the effects of climate change.”

As part of ensuring a shared vision of a sustainable visitor economy for Gwynedd and Eryri, the authorities are staging a virtual conference on 30 November 30. It will welcome representatives from local communities, businesses working in the field and experts on sustainable tourism.

The conference will include presentations by international tourism expert Professor Terry Stevens, along with a representative from the Isle of Arran to highlight how to balance community, environment and the visitor economy.

Adopting sustainable tourism practices can help mitigate overtourism's negative impacts and promote a more sustainable industry.

Managing overtourism requires a comprehensive approach that considers social, environmental, and economic impacts and involves sustainable practices and community involvement.

Sustainable tourism balances economic growth with environmental preservation and community well-being.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
Abdul Raziq opens the plenary session of the Senate
Chancellor Abdel Wahab Abdel Razek opened the plenary session of the Senate to discuss the request of MP Hazem El Gendy, addressed to the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, to clarify the government policy on mechanisms to achieve sustainable tourism development, which aims to balance economic development and preservation of the environment and cultural heritage on the one hand, and achieve economic and social benefits for the state on the other.
The MP said: Tourism occupies an important position in the economies of many developed and developing countries, because of its effective contributions to national income, and its direct impact on the level of employment and unemployment in all tourist areas.
He pointed out that the economic importance of the tourism sector came strikingly in the second half of the twentieth century, where it has become one of the important components in the economic structure of many countries of the world, including Egypt, as tourism resources have become a significant proportion of global output.
The senator pointed out that Egypt is one of the most prominent tourist attractions globally, due to its cultural diversity, and tourism is a leading economic sector at the national level, due to its foreign exchange earnings, as well as being a labour-intensive sector, whether direct or indirect employment.
He pointed out that the concerned state bodies are joining forces to support and develop this sector as it is one of the pillars of the national economy and tourism development in order to achieve it must be balanced and sustainable by adopting programs aimed at the continuous and balanced expansion of tourism resources, increasing quality and rationalizing productivity in various tourism services, linking them to the elements of the environment, uses of new energy, and developing human resources. It is known for sustainable tourism development.
He pointed out that sustainable tourism development is based on the management of resources in a manner that achieves economic and social benefits while preserving cultural heritage and the continuity of ecological processes, biodiversity and the basic components of life.
He said that the future of tourism in general depends on the protection of wildlife and biodiversity, and the integration and interdependence of environmental and economic concepts.
The Senate, headed by Counselor Abdel Wahab Abdel Razek, will also review in its plenary session a request for clarification of the policies of the government, represented by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, on: ways to enhance tourist attraction to Egypt and develop domestic tourism through effective promotional strategies, submitted by MP Guevara Mohamed Ahmed El Jafi.
He said that tourism is a vital sector in the economy of many countries, and plays an important role in promoting economic development and job creation, pointing out that it contributes directly to improving the balance of payments of the country, and this is achieved by the flow of foreign capital invested in tourism projects, revenues collected from tourists, as well as the benefits that can be achieved by creating economic relations between the tourism sector and other economic and service sectors.
He explained that one of the most important factors contributing to the success of the tourism sector is promotion, which is a vital bridge between tourist destinations and potential visitors, and contributes to building a positive image of the destination, and contributes to attracting more tourists.
The importance of tourism promotion is that it contributes to enhancing awareness of tourist destinations through innovative marketing campaigns, highlighting the beauty and attractiveness of the destination and motivating potential visitors to explore it, which reflects positively on the national economy. Tourism promotion is not only a means to attract tourists, but also a vital tool to promote comprehensive development, build bridges of understanding and exchange between cultures and achieve environmental and economic sustainability.
He stressed that the development of effective strategies to promote tourism has become one of the pillars of tourism development to ensure the maximum benefit of the state at the economic and social levels.