From the Field: Greening tourism in Malaysia

from-the-field:-greening-tourism-in-malaysia

Malaysia is turning towards sustainable ‘green’ tourism.

Climate and Environment

When done well, tourism can serve as a sustainable cornerstone of a country’s economy, simultaneously supporting ecosystems and livelihoods, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

A school of fish gathers off Lang Tengah Island, Malaysia.

In Malaysia, tourism is a major economic sector and generated over $18 billion in revenue in 2019.

After revenues plummeted by 72 per cent during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Malaysian authorities, with the help of UNDP’s sustainable tourism recovery project, looked to reinvigorate the industry by putting out a greener welcome mat for global visitors.

On World Tourism Day, marked annually on 27 September, find out how they did it here.