case study of sustainable tourism

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Sustainable Tourism Case Studies

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The Sustainable Tourism Case Studies Clearinghouse aims to provide examples of how the tourism industry is addressing a variety of challenges – from workforce housing to coastal degradation. NC State University students have designed these case studies to highlight solutions from tourism destinations across the United States and around the world, so community leaders and tourism stakeholders can adapt solutions to fit the unique challenges of their destination.

NC State students want to know what sustainable tourism challenges you are facing. Solutions to these challenges will be shared in the NC State Extension Sustainable Tourism Case Study Clearinghouse. Share the challenges you’d like solutions for  HERE with a brief survey .

Photo: NC State University

Case Studies

• Voluntary Visitor Fee Programs (2024)
• Policies and Planning Strategies for Tourism Workforce Housing (2023)
• Use of Oyster Reefs to Reduce Coastal Degradation in Tourism Destination Communities (2023)

Current Student Researchers

The development of these case studies are supported with the NC State College of Natural Resource’s Lighthouse Fund for Sustainable Tourism. 

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Http://tourism.oregonstate.edu.

Sustainable Tourism Case Studies

Innovative and promising practices in sustainable tourism..

Innovative and promising practices in sustainable tourism.   Edited by Nicole Vaugeous, Miles Phillips, Doug Arbogast and Patrick Brouder

The intent of this volume is to provide an opportunity for academics, extension professionals, industry stakeholders and community practitioners to reflect, discuss and share the innovative approaches that they have taken to develop sustainable tourism in a variety of different contexts. This volume includes nine cases from across North and Central America reaching from Hawaii in the west to New England in the east and from Quebec in the north to Costa Rica in the south. Case studies are a valuable way to synthesize and share lessons learned and they help to create new knowledge and enhanced applications in practice. There are two main audiences for this volume: 1) faculty and students in tourism related academic programs who will benefit from having access to current case studies that highlight how various stakeholders are approaching common issues, opportunities and trends in tourism, and 2) extension agents and practitioners who will gain important insights from the lessons learned in the current case study contexts. Volume 1 in its entirety:  https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/16372 ; DOI: 10.25316/IR-8748

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Introduction…………………………..3

• Indigenous Tourism and Reconciliation: The Case of Kitcisakik Cultural Immersions……………….7
• Hawaii Ecotourism Association’s Sustainable Tour Certification Program: Promoting Best Practices to Conserve a Unique Place ……22
• Transdisciplinary University Engagement for Sustainable Tourism Planning…………………..38
• Expanding Agritourism In Butte County, California ………………..58
• Recreation Economies and Sustainable Tourism: Mountain Biking at Kingdom Trail Association in Vermont …………………..76
• Kentucky Trail Town Program: Facilitating communities capitalizing on adventure tourism for community and economic development…………….94
• Enhanced performance and visitor satisfaction in artisan businesses: A case study of the evaluation of the Économusée® model in British Columbia…112
• Reverse Osmosis: Cultural Sensitivity Training in the Costa Rican Luxury Ecolodge Setting………………….130
• Stakeholder Engagement and Collaborative Corridor Management: The Case of New Hampshire Route 1A/1B Byway Corridor ………..152

Volume 1 in its entirety:  https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/16372 ; DOI: 10.25316/IR-8748

• Arellano et al.:  https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/16677 ; DOI: 10.25316/IR-9041
• Cox:  https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/16676 ; DOI: 10.25316/IR-9040
• Eades et al.:  https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/16675 ; DOI: 10.25316/IR-9039
• Hardesty et al.:  https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/16616 ; DOI: 10.25316/IR-8982
• Kelsey et al.:  https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/16614 ; DOI: 10.25316/IR-8981
• Koo:  https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/16585 ; DOI: 10.25316/IR-8953
• Predyk & Vaugeois:  https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/16584 ; DOI: 10.25316/IR-8952
• Nowaczek:  https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/16530 ; DOI: 10.25316/IR-8900
• Robertson:  https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/16529 ; DOI: 10.25316/IR-8899

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A sustainable tourism model transforms economic development: the Egypt case study

Yomna Mohamed, Head of Experimentation

September 12, 2022

Egypt is a world-renowned touristic destination. Tell someone you are visiting Egypt, and the pictures immediately come into focus: the iconic pyramids of Giza, with the mysterious Sphinx standing guard; the beautiful beaches along the coast, warm and inviting; the vibrant and bustling bazaars, infused with the legacy of the pharaohs, teeming with the rich cultures of its people.

As the top destination for tourists visiting North Africa, how might Egypt evolve its tourism industry into a sustainable engine for economic development – particularly as the world emerges from the pandemic?  More fundamentally, might tourism sector provide an opportunity to rethink the development model capable of withstanding & thriving in the context of interlinked, largely unpredictable and fast-moving crises – from food security and changing climate, to rapid inflation, polarization, economic downturn & inequality?

This is the critical question facing UNDP Egypt, one of nine country offices selected by UNDP’s Strategic Innovation Unit to join the second cohort of Deep Demonstrations, an initiative financed by the Government of Denmark.

In this post, we detail the context for tourism in Egypt, consider emerging trends in the economic model, and share progress to date in shaping broader system transformation.

The Egyptian Context

Egypt is best characterized as a Low-Cost Mass Tourism Magnet. According to the IMF , the tourism industry employed 10 percent of the population and contributed to about 12 percent of GDP pre-pandemic. Egypt ranks first in Africa, fifth in MENA, and 51 st globally in the travel and tourism development index (TTDI). It is a top performer in the MENA region with regards to environmental sustainability (31), natural and cultural resources (33), and business and cultural travel (22). With over 100 million in population, Egypt is both a prime destination for nature-based activities and a home to rich cultural diversity.

While the pandemic has definitely been an accelerant, the combination of economic factors and new norms that underpin global tourism raise fundamental questions about long-term viability (see fig 1). Even as the global airline industry recovers from the pandemic, the costs of long-haul travel have become increasingly unaffordable – not only in the rising price of fuel but also in its contributions to climate change. The unexpected benefits of lockdown, improved environments and ecosystems, have countries questioning whether they want to return to the risky, crowded, over-reaching pre-pandemic world. And COVID-19 has magnified the vulnerability of local communities who already do not benefit from unsustainable tourism.

fig 1. Macro Trends, or the Opportunity Space for Change

This requires rethinking the model entirely. The circumstances call for collective effort that transforms the system to one based on sustainability, resilience, and putting local communities first.

Looking at the adjacent possible and entry points for unlocking systems transformation

In response, UNDP Egypt has embarked on a journey to rethink the tourism model and develop a portfolio of policy options on sustainable tourism that align with national priorities.

This approach relies not on a singular discrete intervention but a full system-wide transformation. The adaptive framework is designed to continuously learn from experience and detect new opportunities or needs in the system. A portfolio-based approach serves as a dynamic repository of strategic ideas that frame policy, an investment pipeline for funders, and a coordinating mechanism for relevant stakeholders.

In order to design this portfolio, it is necessary to start with strategic intent. This involves three specific actions –

1. Create a shared vision at the national level: 

This frames the possibilities for a transformative agenda and mobilizes stakeholders to build sustainable, innovative tourism in Egypt. A critical mindset shift is seeing investment in the population and nature as an investment in tourism, where tourism becomes an entry point for rethinking the country’s existing development paradigms.

2. Reimagine a tourism industry that benefits all: 

These include activities that strengthen climate resilience and deliver sustainable benefits to local communities at the forefront.

3. Expand the diversity of business models: 

By focusing on innovative and integrated experiences for tourists, Egypt can accelerate and drive sustainable growth in the industry.

Informed by this strategic intent, existing models, and portfolio ambitions, we have identified three main shifts to create in conjunction with our partners and stakeholders, showcased in fig 2.

fig 2. Three Shifts in the Model

As innovation advisors, we have learned to trust the process. Through this system transformation framework, two parallel but complementary pathways have emerged –

1. Continuously exploring and deeply learning the needs and opportunities in the system; and

2. Identifying key policy options that accelerate the investment pipeline

We are taking these shifts and translating them into specific and coherent offers to be pursued with partners. A sample of these is shown in fig 3.

fig 3. Three Shifts, in Practice

A system transformation is premised on collective action and stakeholder engagement around a coherent approach. In this deep demonstration on sustainable tourism, we embarked on a journey to learn about the problem space, design a portfolio of policy options, and activate a set of evidence-based interventions.

We have yet to determine where best to introduce this portfolio of interventions, but we invite all potential partners to learn alongside and act with us as we work together to make tourism a sustainable economic engine in Egypt.

Sustainable tourism

Related sdgs, promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable ....

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Publications.

Tourism is one of the world's fastest growing industries and an important source of foreign exchange and employment, while being closely linked to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of many countries, especially developing countries. Maritime or ocean-related tourism, as well as coastal tourism, are for example vital sectors of the economy in small island developing States (SIDS) and coastal least developed countries (LDCs) (see also: The Potential of the Blue Economy report as well as the Community of Ocean Action on sustainable blue economy).

The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities".

Based on General assembly resolution 70/193, 2017 was declared as the  International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development SDG target 8.9, aims to “by 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”. The importance of sustainable tourism is also highlighted in SDG target 12.b. which aims to “develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”.

Tourism is also identified as one of the tools to “by 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries” as comprised in SDG target 14.7.

In the Rio+20 outcome document The Future We want, sustainable tourism is defined by paragraph 130 as a significant contributor “to the three dimensions of sustainable development” thanks to its close linkages to other sectors and its ability to create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities. Therefore, Member States recognize “the need to support sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building that promote environmental awareness, conserve and protect the environment, respect wildlife, flora, biodiversity, ecosystems and cultural diversity, and improve the welfare and livelihoods of local communities by supporting their local economies and the human and natural environment as a whole. ” In paragraph 130, Member States also “call for enhanced support for sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building in developing countries in order to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development”.

In paragraph 131, Member States “encourage the promotion of investment in sustainable tourism, including eco-tourism and cultural tourism, which may include creating small- and medium-sized enterprises and facilitating access to finance, including through microcredit initiatives for the poor, indigenous peoples and local communities in areas with high eco-tourism potential”. In this regard, Member States also “underline the importance of establishing, where necessary, appropriate guidelines and regulations in accordance with national priorities and legislation for promoting and supporting sustainable tourism”.

In 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg called for the promotion of sustainable tourism development, including non-consumptive and eco-tourism, in Chapter IV, paragraph 43 of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

At the Johannesburg Summit, the launch of the “Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) initiative was announced. The initiative was inaugurated by the World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with UNCTAD, in order to develop sustainable tourism as a force for poverty alleviation.

The UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) last reviewed the issue of sustainable tourism in 2001, when it was acting as the Preparatory Committee for the Johannesburg Summit.

The importance of sustainable tourism was also mentioned in Agenda 21.

For more information and documents on this topic,  please visit this link

UNWTO Annual Report 2015

2015 was a landmark year for the global community. In September, the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a universal agenda for planet and people. Among the 17 SDGs and 169 associated targets, tourism is explicitly featured in Goa...

UNWTO Annual Report 2016

In December 2015, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. This is a unique opportunity to devote a year to activities that promote the transformational power of tourism to help us reach a better future. This important cele...

Emerging Issues for Small Island Developing States

The 2012 UNEP Foresight Process on Emerging Global Environmental Issues primarily identified emerging environmental issues and possible solutions on a global scale and perspective. In 2013, UNEP carried out a similar exercise to identify priority emerging environmental issues that are of concern to ...

Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom, We recognize that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for su...

15 Years of the UNWTO World Tourism Network on Child Protection: A Compilation of Good Practices

Although it is widely recognized that tourism is not the cause of child exploitation, it can aggravate the problem when parts of its infrastructure, such as transport networks and accommodation facilities, are exploited by child abusers for nefarious ends. Additionally, many other factors that contr...

Towards Measuring the Economic Value of Wildlife Watching Tourism in Africa

Set against the backdrop of the ongoing poaching crisis driven by a dramatic increase in the illicit trade in wildlife products, this briefing paper intends to support the ongoing efforts of African governments and the broader international community in the fight against poaching. Specifically, this...

Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 1970-2012

Previous Caribbean assessments lumped data together into a single database regardless of geographic location, reef environment, depth, oceanographic conditions, etc. Data from shallow lagoons and back reef environments were combined with data from deep fore-reef environments and atolls. Geographic c...

Natural Resources Forum: Special Issue Tourism

The journal considers papers on all topics relevant to sustainable development. In addition, it dedicates series, issues and special sections to specific themes that are relevant to the current discussions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)....

Thailand: Supporting Sustainable Development in Thailand: A Geographic Clusters Approach

Market forces and government policies, including the Tenth National Development Plan (2007-2012), are moving Thailand toward a more geographically specialized economy. There is a growing consensus that Thailand’s comparative and competitive advantages lie in amenity services that have high reliance...

Road Map on Building a Green Economy for Sustainable Development in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Grenada

This publication is the product of an international study led by the Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in cooperation with the Ministry of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs and the Ministry of Environment, Foreig...

Natural Resources Forum, a United Nations Sustainable Development Journal (NRF)

  Natural Resources Forum, a United Nations Sustainable Development Journal, seeks to address gaps in current knowledge and stimulate relevant policy discussions, leading to the implementation of the sustainable development agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable...

UN Ocean Conference 2025

Our Ocean, Our Future, Our Responsibility “The ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and to our future. The ocean is an important source of the planet’s biodiversity and plays a vital role in the climate system and water cycle. The ocean provides a range of ecosystem services, supplies us with

UN Ocean Conference 2022

The UN Ocean Conference 2022, co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal, came at a critical time as the world was strengthening its efforts to mobilize, create and drive solutions to realize the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

58th Session of the Commission for Social Development – CSocD58

22nd general assembly of the united nations world tourism organization, world tourism day 2017 official celebration.

This year’s World Tourism Day, held on 27 September, will be focused on Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development. Celebrated in line with the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the Day will be dedicated to exploring the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Deve

World Tourism Day 2016 Official Celebration

Accessible Tourism for all is about the creation of environments that can cater for the needs of all of us, whether we are traveling or staying at home. May that be due to a disability, even temporary, families with small children, or the ageing population, at some point in our lives, sooner or late

4th Global Summit on City Tourism

The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the Regional Council for Tourism of Marrakesh with support of the Government of Morroco are organizing the 4th Global Summit on City Tourism in Marrakesh, Morroco (9-10 December 2015). International experts in city tourism, representatives of city DMOs, of

2nd Euro-Asian Mountain Resorts Conference

The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and Ulsan Metropolitan City with support of the Government of the Republic of Korea are organizing the 2nd Euro-Asian Mountain Resorts Conference, in Ulsan, Republic of Korea (14 - 16 October 2015). Under the title “Paving the Way for a Bright Future for Mounta

21st General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization

Unwto regional conference enhancing brand africa - fostering tourism development.

Tourism is one of the Africa’s most promising sectors in terms of development, and represents a major opportunity to foster inclusive development, increase the region’s participation in the global economy and generate revenues for investment in other activities, including environmental preservation.

• January 2017 International Year of Tourism In the context of the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the International Year aims to support a change in policies, business practices and consumer behavior towards a more sustainable tourism sector that can contribute to the SDGs.
• January 2015 Targets 8.9, 12 b,14.7 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development commits Member States, through Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.9 to “devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”. The importance of sustainable tourism, as a driver for jobs creation and the promotion of local culture and products, is also highlighted in Sustainable Development Goal target 12.b. Tourism is also identified as one of the tools to “increase [by 2030] the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries”, through Sustainable Development Goals Target 14.7.
• January 2012 Future We Want (Para 130-131) Sustainable tourism is defined as a significant contributor “to the three dimensions of sustainable development” thanks to its close linkages to other sectors and its ability to create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities. Therefore, Member States recognize “the need to support sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building that promote environmental awareness, conserve and protect the environment, respect wildlife, flora, biodiversity, ecosystems and cultural diversity, and improve the welfare and livelihoods of local communities” as well as to “encourage the promotion of investment in sustainable tourism, including eco-tourism and cultural tourism, which may include creating small and medium sized enterprises and facilitating access to finance, including through microcredit initiatives for the poor, indigenous peoples and local communities in areas with high eco-tourism potential”.
• January 2009 Roadmap for Recovery UNWTO announced in March 2009 the elaboration of a Roadmap for Recovery to be finalized by UNWTO’s General Assembly, based on seven action points. The Roadmap includes a set of 15 recommendations based on three interlocking action areas: resilience, stimulus, green economy aimed at supporting the tourism sector and the global economy.
• January 2008 Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria The Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria represent the minimum requirements any tourism business should observe in order to ensure preservation and respect of the natural and cultural resources and make sure at the same time that tourism potential as tool for poverty alleviation is enforced. The Criteria are 41 and distributed into four different categories: 1) sustainability management, 2) social and economic 3) cultural 4) environmental.
• January 2003 WTO becomes a UN specialized body By Resolution 453 (XV), the Assembly agreed on the transformation of the WTO into a United Nations specialized body. Such transformation was later ratified by the United Nations General Assembly with the adoption of Resolution A/RES/58/232.
• January 2003 1st Int. Conf. on Climate Change and Tourism The conference was organized in order to gather tourism authorities, organizations, businesses and scientists to discuss on the impact that climate change can have on the tourist sector. The event took place from 9 till 11 April 2003 in Djerba, Tunisia.
• January 2002 World Ecotourism Summit Held in May 2002, in Quebec City, Canada, the Summit represented the most important event in the framework of the International Year of Ecosystem. The Summit identified as main themes: ecotourism policy and planning, regulation of ecotourism, product development, marketing and promotion of ecotourism and monitoring costs and benefits of ecotourism.
• January 1985 Tourism Bill of Rights and Tourist Code At the World Tourism Organization Sixth Assembly held in Sofia in 1985, the Tourism Bill of Rights and Tourist Code were adopted, setting out the rights and duties of tourists and host populations and formulating policies and action for implementation by states and the tourist industry.
• January 1982 Acapulco Document Adopted in 1982, the Acapulco Document acknowledges the new dimension and role of tourism as a positive instrument towards the improvement of the quality of life for all peoples, as well as a significant force for peace and international understanding. The Acapulco Document also urges Member States to elaborate their policies, plans and programmes on tourism, in accordance with their national priorities and within the framework of the programme of work of the World Tourism Organization.

Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information.

Sustainable Tourism Toolkit

UNESCO World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Toolkit

• Toolkit About the Sustainable Tourism Toolkit How to use this guide? Our Objective Resource Library
• Guides Strategic foundations Guide 1: Understanding Guide 2: Strategy Guide 3: Governance Guide 4: Engagement Core Delivery Guide 5: Communication Guide 6: Infrastructure Guide 7: Value Guide 8: Behaviour Guide 9: Investment Guide 10: Monitoring
• Case Studies Guide 1: Historic Town of Vigan Guide 2: Angkor Guide 2: Ichkeul National Park Guide 3: Melaka and George Town Guide 4: Avebury Guide 4: Old and New Towns of Edinburgh Guide 4: Great Barrier Reef Guide 4: Røros mining town and the circumference Guide 5: Røros Mining Town and the Circumference Guide 6: Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape (United Kingdom) Guide 7: Røros Mining Town and the Circumference Guide 8: Wadi Al-Hitan Guide 9: Land of Frankincense

Sustainable planning and management of tourism is one of the most pressing challenges concerning the future of the World Heritage Convention today and is the focus of the UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme.

These 'How To' guides for World Heritage Site managers and other key stakeholders will enable a growing number of World Heritage Site communities to make positive changes to the way they pro-actively manage tourism.

How to use this guide

These easily accessible 'How To' guides are focused on best practice approaches to sustainable economic development through tourism.  The first of their kind, the 'How To' resources offer direction and guidance to managers of World Heritage tourism destinations and other stakeholders to help identify the most suitable solutions for circumstances in their local environments and aid in developing general know-how for the management of each destination.

The 'How To' guides bring best practice knowledge to the full WH community, so that site managers, tourism professionals, conservation professionals, and communities around the world understand the possibilities of sustainable tourism and what key issues have already been achieved. These resources are a valuable asset to site managers in particular, who often lack the tools and know-how to effectively manage and maximise tourism benefits, while minimising its negative impacts.

Our series of guides have been structured as a step-by-step process for site managers.

• Guides 1-4 establish the basic foundations for sustainable tourism (these are coloured yellow).
• Guides 5-10 are tailored to more specific issues, which will have greater relevance at some sites than at others (these are coloured orange).

We recommend that site managers explore each guide, however,  as sustainable tourism is a holistic process, addressing all issues in a strategic manner.

Our Objective

The goal is to stimulate local solutions in communities through capacity-building in best practice. With the immense scale and variation of World Heritage Properties around the globe, coupled with scarce human and financial resources, this is now more important than ever. Site managers and other stakeholders in the tourism sector must have access to these types of  innovative sustainability tools in order to develop and formulate their own successful results.

Ideally, site managers and other users will begin to navigate through this system by learning basic ideas and guidance. The system then enables the user to delve deeper into any given subject that falls in line with their local interests, needs, and aspirations.

Our objective for these guidance resources is to enable the growth and success of an entire community of World Heritage Properties, making positive changes to their local surroundings and pro-actively managing tourism in their areas. In parallel, by establishing this community, we aim to facilitate knowledge exchange of the most progressive ideas, and encourage their implementation and evolution.

The driving ethic for the 'How To' guides is to explain critically important ideas for sustainable tourism in World Heritage sites in a clear and concise manner, conveying the key knowledge and processes in a reading time of under 20 minutes per idea. Our goal is to make implementing the ideas of sustainable tourism easier to understand and put into practice for all parties involved.

Getting started

We understand the complex range of different societies in which World Heritage sites exist, and the many challenges site managers face on a daily basis. While the intention is to encourage each site to undertake most, or at least many, of the tasks included in the guides, considering them together all at once may seem daunting and even impossible.

We have developed this tool as a source of guidance and inspiration. It is a menu of ideas from which you, the user, may choose to put into practice, helping your World Heritage site become more sustainable for its current and future visitors.

Getting to know these 'How To' guides will move your site towards better self-management and sustainability rather than demand a level of sophistication that might simply be unattainable for some World Heritage sites. We would urge all site managers to read through these resources thoroughly and begin to think about what positive steps can be taken to implement these changes. Again, we remind each user that results will differ for each site, and the circumstances of the local environment and community must always be taken into consideration.

Download all Guides

Pdf version.

All Case Studies

Resource library, global good practice examples.

Tourism, Culture and Sustainable Development

UNESCO (2006)

English French

IUCN World Heritage Advice Note. Environmental Assessment & World Heritage

IUCN (2013)

Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessments for Cultural World Heritage Properties

ICOMOS (2011)

Managing Tourism at World Heritage Sites: a Practical Manual for World Heritage Site Managers

UNESCO World Heritage Paper Series n°1 (2002)

Climate Change. Adaptation and Mitigation in the Tourism Sector: Frameworks, Tools and Practices

UNEP (2008)

Enhancing our Heritage Toolkit

UNESCO World Heritage Paper Series n°23 (2008)

Best Practice Guidelines for Great Ape Tourism

IUCN (2010)

Criteria for Sustainable Tourism for the three Biosphere Reserves Aggtelek, Babia Góra and Šumava

Ecological Tourism in Europe (ETE) and UNESCO-BRESCE (2009)

Practical, profitable, protected. A starter guide to developing sustainable tourism in protected areas

ECEAT in partnership with the EUROPARC Federation (2012)

The contribution of tourism to sustainable development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals

BMZ  Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development Position Paper 2|2011e (2012)

Guide on EU funding for the tourism sector (2014-2020)

European Commission, Directorate-General for Entreprise and Industry (2014)

Sustainable Tourism for Development Guidebook

UNWTO (2013)

World Heritage: Challenges for the Millennium

UNESCO (2007)

The Urban Rehabilitation of Medinas : The World Bank Experience in the Middle East and North Africa

The World Bank (2010)

Adapting to change: the state of conservation of World Heritage forests in 2011

UNESCO World Heritage Paper Series n°30 (2011)

UNESCO Pacific World Heritage Workshop (5-9 September 2011, Apia, Samoa)

UNESCO (2012)

Safeguarding Precious Resources for Island Communities

UNESCO World Heritage Paper Series n°38 (2014)

Terrestrial biodiversity and the World Heritage List: identifying broad gaps and potential candidate sites for inclusion in the natural World Heritage network

Culture & Development Nº 11

UNESCO (2014)

Sustainability is a complex system to navigate. Please feel free to ask any questions regarding the information provided in the 'How To' guides, or send us your feedback. We are here to help.

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Case studies, ranging from single action initiatives, to comprehensive management systems, cover socio-economic, cultural and environmental issues. They illustrate the broad umbrella of sustainable tourism within which a number of issues can find sustenance!

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Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST)

The Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST) is an internationally agreed reference framework for measuring the economic, social and environmental aspects of tourism.

As a living example of going beyond GDP, MST supports the production in countries of reliable, internationally comparable data on the performance of countries and subnational tourism destinations when it comes to the sustainability of tourism.  

All in all, MST leads to more robust data to ensure that tourism action on the ground really contributes to the betterment of people’s lives now and into the future.  

The MST Statistical Framework has been developed by UN Tourism in partnership with leading countries, and with the support of the United Nations Statistics Division, the International Labour Organization and others. 

Under the auspices of the UN Tourism Committee on Statistics, the development of the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism was led by the Expert Group on MST with the technical guidance of the Editorial Board on MST.

Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism

The Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (SF-MST) is an organizing structure for integrating statistics on the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainable tourism.

Pilot studies and country experiences

Country pilot studies have contributed to the design and development of the statistical framework by testing its relevance and feasibility.

RELATED INITIATIVES

Sustainable development goals indicators.

UN Tourism Committee on Statistics liaises with the official UN process (IAEG-SDGs) on the development of statistical indicators for the measurement of tourism's role in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

ESG Framework for tourism businesses

While a number of ESG reporting and disclosure initiatives already exist, they have been developed relatively independently, meaning the comparability and scalability of ESG reporting is limited. In this context, UN Tourism is joining efforts to provide a single ESG framework that can be used as a single reference by all kinds of tourism businesses.

DOCUMENTS/PUBLICATIONS

• SF-MST Brochure
• Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (SF-MST) - Draft, version February 2024
• Experiences from Pilot Studies in Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism: A Synopsis for Policymakers
• Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism - Learning from Pilots

Events related to MST

• MST: Closing the gap between policy and statistics (27 February 2024, New York, UN Headquarters)
• UN Tourism Regional Workshop on Measuring Tourism Asia-Pacific (15 - 17 March 2023, Kathmandu, Nepal)
• UN Tourism Asia-Pacific Workshop on Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (29 March and 14 December 2021, Philippines)
• Virtual 63rd ISI World Statistics Congress 2021 (11 - 16 July 2021)
• High Level Discussion on Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (12 March 2021)
• Accounting and Statistics for Sustainable Tourism (8 March 2017, New York, UN Headquarters)

MST in the media

• Palma Declaration: “The path towards social sustainability of tourism in the EU”
• Planificación e indicadores: la hoja de ruta para el turismo sostenible
• La sostenibilidad turística en datos, según el análisis de Deloitte
• Kraus-Winkler: Österreich federführend bei internationalen Nachhaltigkeitsstandards im Tourismus

?The #UN55SC has adopted the UN Tourism Statistical Framework for Measuring Tourism Sustainability.? This milestone marks a pivotal moment in our efforts to measure tourism's impacts on the economy, society, and environment. Congratulations to all involved! ? pic.twitter.com/eVqSv70a6f — UN Tourism (@UNWTO) March 1, 2024

How to Optimize Promotion Tactics for Sustainable Tourism Product through 360-degree Communication? (Case Study in Poncokusumo, Malang)

• Putri, Gabriella Sagita
• Ananta, Ida Bagus
• Rafiqi, Hindam Basith
• Persada, Satria Fadil
• Elysia, Fosetta
• Panduhati, Kartika Laras

The presence of a tourism village in Indonesia might be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen small, micro, and medium-sized businesses as a driving force in the local economy. The goal of Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) development is to create a tourism village supported by MSMEs that combines natural and culture attractions, local gastronomic and artisan, and public service facilities. Poncokusumo village, one of Malang's tourism villages, has a distinct personality when compared to other Malang tourism villages. The goal of this research is to look at promotional strategies for sustainable tourism products in Poncokusumo village to strengthen the village's tourism identity. This is a qualitative study in which the informants were chosen on purpose; they are the head of Poncokusumo village, the leader of the tourist local community (Pokdarwis), and an entrepreneur. According to the research findings, the 360-degree communication approach is best for supporting offline promotional operations. 360-degree marketing communication is also being considered to strengthen tourism village identity. A 360-degree model of marketing communication is built in three stages: pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase in a sustainable tourist product. This paper also contributed to the sustainable development goals which focus on decent work and economic growth. The existence of sustainable product in tourism village is an attraction that encourage local economic growth.

• Tourism village;
• sustainable tourism;
• sustainable product;