QUEZON CITY -- The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) releases the 2012 to 2020 preliminary estimates on Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST) in the country. It provides the following tourism related information, covering both the inbound and domestic tourism: 1) water consumption, 2) energy consumption from the use of electricity and petroleum and other fuel products, and 3) carbon dioxide emission derived from energy use.

The MST aims to provide useful information towards promoting a suitable balance among the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental aspects of tourism development to ensure its long-term sustainability.

Accommodation Services for Visitors accounted for an average of 78.8 percent share of the total water consumption of tourism from 2012 to 2020. From 2012 to 2019, the average water consumption of tourism was 440.99 million cubic meters (m3). In 2020, it was 109.62 million m3 or -84.6 percent lower than the 711.61 million m3 recorded in 2019. The share of tourism to total water consumption of the economy was 2.5 percent in 2020, lower than the average share of 14.8 percent from 2012 to 2019. (Tables 3.19, 3.20, 3.21, and 4.7)

From 2012 to 2019, the average energy consumption of tourism from the use of electricity and petroleum and other fuel products was 11,264.48 kilotonnes of oil equivalent (KTOE). It accounted for an average share of 16.6 percent to the total energy consumption of the economy from the use of electricity and petroleum and other fuel products in the same period. In 2020, the energy consumption of tourism was only 3,533.24 KTOE or 4.6 percent of the total energy consumption of the economy from the use of electricity and petroleum and other fuel products for the year. This was lower by -80.9 percent compared to 18,534.47 KTOE recorded in 2019. Accommodation Services for Visitors accounted for the largest share of energy consumption of tourism from the period 2012 to 2020. (Tables 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, and 4.3)

Meanwhile, Carbon dioxide (CO2) emission resulting from the use of electricity and petroleum and other fuel products by the tourism sector posted an average of 13,292.94 Gigagrams (Gg) or 19.7 percent share of the total CO2 emission of the economy from 2012 to 2019. In 2020, the CO2 emission from the use of electricity and petroleum and other fuel products of the tourism sector was 4,475.62 Gg, which is -79.1 percent lower than the 21,372.91 Gg recorded in 2019. (Tables 3.16, 3.17, and 4.6) (PSA)