Australia losing tourism appeal as fliers count carbon emissions

Australia is losing its appeal as a destination for international business events, and even high-profile rock stars, because of the carbon that’s emitted flying there, according to the head of the Tourism & Transport Forum Australia.

Overseas businesses and conference companies have become more reluctant to let Australia host events because it’s a long-haul destination, Margy Osmond, the industry group’s chief executive officer, said at a renewable aviation fuels event in Canberra on Tuesday.

“Many businesses don’t want to take part in a conference that is going to damage their own carbon targets, nor do they want to send a whole lot of delegates to a conference that far away,” Osmond said. “So we are already seeing really significant impacts on our attractiveness as a business events destination.”

The aviation industry is assessing the potential cost of inaction as it attempts to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Sustainable fuel, which can cut emissions by as much as 80%, is key to the plan but current supply is less than 1% of airlines’ global requirements.

Business events currently inject around A$17 billion ($11 billion) into Australia’s tourism economy, Osmond said.

Osmond also said visits from superstars like Taylor Swift, who performed in Melbourne and Sydney last month, will become rarer due to the carbon footprint of flying to Australia. 

“That will be an increasing trend,” she said. “It will change the map.”

Osmond said she has lobbied the Australian government to spend at least A$300 million over the next four years to kick-start a domestic sustainable fuels industry.