The World Travel and Tourism Council's chief on Thursday urged governments to provide incentives for companies to produce sustainable aviation fuel on a wider scale, in a push to reduce the sector's carbon footprint.
Transport makes up 40 per cent of the travel and tourism sector's greenhouse gas emissions, out of which 36 per cent comes from international aviation and two-thirds from domestic flights and ground transport, according to the WTTC.
“In the hard-to-abate area of jet fuel for aviation, we need to support the urgent production of sustainable aviation fuels,” WTTC president and chief executive Julia Simpson said, praising recent legislation in the US and Europe to support higher production.
Ms Simpson was speaking at the opening of the WTTC's annual global summit, held for the first time in Africa, in the Rwandan capital Kigali.
The opening was attended by presidents, ministers, government officials and tourism sector stakeholders.
“The truth is right now, we're simply not making enough [sustainable aviation fuel]. So I urge every minister in this room, take a look at SAF production in your country. It's actually quite a good investment opportunity as well,” Ms Simpson said.
Switching to electric ground vehicles, sourcing renewable energy and expanding the production of sustainable aviation fuel will help reduce the transport sector's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
“If we can crack those three, we will massively reduce the impact on the environment from the travel and tourism sector,” Ms Simpson said.
The issue of urgent climate action and taking measures for sustainable travel and tourism were the dominant themes at the WTTC gathering.
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan in her speech emphasised the need for African countries to prioritise environmental conservation in order for the tourism industry to make strides in its future growth.
“Africa is regarded as the guardian of nature,” she said.
If the continent aims to continue relying on natural attractions, it is imperative to conserve and preserve its natural sites and cultural traditions, she said.
“We in Africa should emphasise eco-tourism, which prompts responsible travel to natural areas and provides economic benefits to local communities,” she said.
Rwanda's President Paul Kagame also said that conservation is a big part of his country's strategy to build a more sustainable future.
In a separate panel, Paul Griffiths, the chief executive of Dubai Airports, said the global tourism industry and governments need to work together on a common strategy to achieve sustainability goals more urgently.
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Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes.
The car
Hertz offers compact car rental from about $300 (Dh1,100) per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.
The national park
Entry to Mount Rainier National Park costs $30 for one vehicle and passengers for up to seven days. Accommodation can be booked through mtrainierguestservices.com. Prices vary according to season. Rooms at the Holiday Inn Yakima cost from $125 per night, excluding breakfast.
Credits
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Director: Mudassar Aziz
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
Top Hundred overseas picks
London Spirit: Kieron Pollard, Riley Meredith
Welsh Fire: Adam Zampa, David Miller, Naseem Shah
Manchester Originals: Andre Russell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sean Abbott
Northern Superchargers: Dwayne Bravo, Wahab Riaz
Oval Invincibles: Sunil Narine, Rilee Rossouw
Trent Rockets: Colin Munro
Birmingham Phoenix: Matthew Wade, Kane Richardson
Southern Brave: Quinton de Kock
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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Dolittle
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Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
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