Photo credit: Golero / Getty Images via UNDP.org Excerpt from undp.org
Tourism is booming. International arrivals are climbing past pre-pandemic levels, fueling jobs and economic growth. At the same time, the sector is under pressure to go greener, with eco-labels and sustainability pledges on the rise.
Yet behind the scenes lies an invisible, largely unknown footprint: hazardous chemicals hidden across the supply chains that power tourism – from the farms that produce food for guests to the textiles furnishing hotel rooms. These substances quietly pollute air, soil, and water, threatening the very destinations travelers come to enjoy.