The topic examined how decarbonisation has become inseparable from the long‑term competitiveness of European tourism. Building on the monthly article “Decarbonising Tourism: Navigating Climate Goals and Global Competitiveness” and the online discussion “Decarbonising tourism: Can Europe lead the way in climate and competitiveness?” in December 2025, it focused on the growing carbon footprint of tourism, increasing climate risks, and the strategic choices facing Europe’s destinations and businesses, highlighting how well‑designed climate action can support resilience, innovation, and economic performance. 

Key themes included:

• The carbon intensity of tourism and the dominance of transport related emissions
• Climate risks as a direct threat to destination competitiveness
• The role of destinations and governance in steering low carbon transitions
• Regenerative and nature positive approaches as part of long‑term competitiveness strategies

The initiatives showcased illustrate how destinations and SMEs are advancing decarbonisation and competitiveness through low‑carbon mobility, nature‑based tourism, and sustainable infrastructure development, including

• “Great Western Greenways” initiative: more than 3,600 km of old disused railway lines have been recovered as cycling and hiking itineraries  
• “Portuguese Trails” initiative: highlights how collaboration between the national railway agency and Turismo de Portugal is promoting greenways and trails for cycling and walking. 
• High-Speed Rail plan, European Commission: aims to better connect Europe by train and shorten travel times, while strengthening the EU’s global competitiveness
• Flight Emissions Label (FEL), European Commission: voluntary tool which offers a clear and trustworthy methodology for calculating flight emissions. 

Stakeholder stories highlight the ongoing efforts to improve decarbonization and competitive tourism efforts by SMEs and destinations. 

Key conclusions and emerging trends include: 

• Decarbonization is increasingly framed as a competitiveness imperative, as climate impacts and policy pressures directly affect destination performance and investment attractiveness. 
• Transport remains the largest source of tourism emissions, making low‑carbon mobility a central challenge for achieving meaningful reductions
• Climate risks are already reshaping tourism geography, particularly in climate‑sensitive regions, reinforcing the need for mitigation and adaptation to preserve long‑term competitiveness. 
• Destinations play a key role in leading decarbonization, through governance, regulation, and coordination of stakeholders at local and regional levels.
• Regenerative and nature-positive tourism approaches are gaining traction, offering a pathway that links emission reductions with ecosystem restoration and stronger destination resilience.