Sustainable travel is contributing to the fight against illegal wildlife trade for global biodiversity protection

BEIJING, June 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As one of the world's largest industries representing 10% of the global economy, travel and tourism has become an integral part of modern lifestyle. However, unsustainable travel practices, including the consumption of Illegal wildlife products, are putting immense pressure on ecosystems and accelerating biodiversity loss.

Tourism also contributes significantly to climate change, responsible for an estimated 6.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2023. In ecologically sensitive areas, frequent human activities can lead to habitat destruction, environmental pollution and disturbance of wildlife. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)'s Living Planet Report 2024, there has been a 73% decline in the average size of monitored wildlife populations over just 50 years between 1970 and 2020.

Sustainable tourism, as defined by the UN Environment Program and the UN World Tourism Organization, is "tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities."In China, a shift towards sustainable travel is emerging as a powerful way to counter the  risks from global climate change and biodiversity loss.

The country banned the domestic ivory trade from 2018, however, outbound travelers remain exposed to illegal wildlife markets abroad, such as in Southeast Asia and Africa. User-generated content and local tour guides are among the major sources shaping tourist decisions, and in some cases, directing them to markets that sell illegal wildlife products. Influencing travel behaviours is increasingly important for global conservation.

Stakeholders in China's tourism sector are working to mainstream sustainability. One initiative, the Sustainable Travel Alliance (STA), launched by WWF China in 2020, has brought together 50 member companies by 2025. These companies are committed to:

• Protecting wildlife and natural habitats, refusing illegal wildlife products.
• Saving resources and minimizing food waste.
• Reducing the impact of plastic waste on biodiversity.

To equip tour operators with tools for promoting sustainable travel, WWF China and its partners have trained more than 1,500 frontline staff, while also supporting businesses in launching their own sustainability initiatives. A set of Sustainable Travel Guidelines tailored for hotels, travellers, and travel agencies developed by WWF China also offers practical, easy-to-implement recommendations to support responsible tourism practices at every stage of a journey.

On the traveler side, digital outreach plays a critical role. Building on behavioral insights regarding travelers' decision-making mechanism, WWF China has designed targeted social marketing campaigns to deliver customized messages encouraging sustainable travel and discouraging the purchase and transportation of illegal wildlife products, serving as a reminder before their outbound travel. These campaigns use data-driven segmentation via social media platforms, reaching the right audience at the right time and collecting digital pledges to raise awareness of supporting sustainable travel.

At physical touchpoints, such as airports, train stations, boarding passes, and in-flight media, WWF's public service announcements further reinforce the message to practice sustainable travel and refuse illegal wildlife products.

Regionally, WWF China and its partners have also initiated dialogues across China, Thailand and Viet Nam, emphasizing cross-border cooperation in reducing wildlife trafficking linked to tourism, while exploring innovative approaches of the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for wildlife conservation, advancing low-carbon hotel initiatives, and employing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards to encourage responsible travel behaviors.

Biodiversity underpins the health of our economies and societies, yet it is under threat. From elephant ranges in Africa to sea turtle nesting beaches in the Pacific, what we practice today is what travelers may still witness tomorrow.

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