Asia’s Persistent Pollution Problems Weigh on Tourism Opportunities
Photo Credit: Pollution hangs over west Delhi, ranked as the world's most polluted city. Flickr / Jean-Etienne Minh-Duy Poirrier
Skift Take
If China can make good progress to reduce pollution levels, why can't other Asian countries do it? Makes us sick — pun intended — just thinking about it.
When a hotel upgrade consists of an in-room air purifier, you know pollution has gone too far. Or when executives, especially those with children, start turning down job offers or requesting a new post because they can see through the heavy smog that this isn’t the way to live or the place to work.
Asia dominates the list of world’s most polluted countries, with Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Thailand among the top 25, according to the recently released 2018 World Air Quality Report by IQAir AirVisual.
This unwanted distinction for Asia carries lots of implications for the tourism industry, as travelers and industry workers pay closer attention to pollution levels.
The Middle East also ranks high, with Bahrain, Kuwait, and United Arab Emirates among the top 10.
Delhi took the cake as the world’s most polluted capital city in 2018. In Southeast Asia, the capitals Jakarta and Hanoi, are worst, while a number of Thai cities also ra
