Tourism as a source of prosperity: praise and criticism combined!

Tourism as a source of prosperity: praise and criticism combined!

At the LTS general assembly, A. Hofer, President of the State Association for Tourism (LTS), emphasized the importance of tourism for the region's prosperity. He criticized the fact that the contribution of tourism as an economic engine, job machine and income generator is not sufficiently recognized. Hofer questioned the common measurement of prosperity, which is often based only on arrivals, overnight stays and sales. In fact, a study by the University of Bolzano shows that the population in South Tyrol perceives negative effects of tourism, such as rising real estate prices, traffic congestion and increased costs of living.

In addition, a clear majority of the population does not want any further growth in tourism. HGV director Mooswalder described public skepticism as misplaced, but noted that the “tourism mindset” among locals is increasingly declining. He pointed out that tourism, together with the public sector, are key drivers of the order situation in the main construction and ancillary industries.

Challenges in tourism

The industry provides over 50,000 jobs during peak season, but fewer year-round positions are available. On an annual average, around 37,500 people are employed in tourism, which corresponds to around 14% of the total workforce. It has been found that productivity in tourism is lower and pay is often uncompetitive. The challenges of demographic change also lead to a shortage of qualified workers. Hofer warned that excessive tourism could be harmful because it absorbs young workers who could be more usefully employed in other areas.

Overall, tourism contributes to prosperity in South Tyrol, but the region remains the most tourism-intensive in the Central Alps. Against this background, experts believe that a reorientation of economic policy is necessary in order to take into account the limits of growth and respond to the wishes of the population.

Sustainability and positive impulses from tourism

Despite the challenges, tourism around the world also offers opportunities for positive change. How Plant values reports, partnership working between the tourism industry, governments and local communities is crucial to maximize benefits and minimize negative impacts. Tourism has the potential to protect nature, secure income streams and have positive effects on education and health.

In the global context, tourism accounts for around 10% of economic output and creates hundreds of millions of jobs. Interestingly, domestic tourism is outpacing international travel movements, while international tourism is close to pre-pandemic levels with 1.3 billion arrivals in 2023. However, it is important to be aware of the environmental impact: tourism contributes 5-8% of global CO2 emissions and could increase by 130% by 2035.

In tourist regions, not only high water consumption rates are noted, but also inadequate waste disposal, which leads to environmental problems. There is also a risk that social inequalities will be increased. The path to sustainable tourism requires taking long-term economic, social and cultural needs into account and using resources carefully in order to preserve cultural identity.