sustainable development of tourism definition

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GSTC2024 Global Conference

Royal djurgården, stockholm, sweden - april 23-26, gstc criteria, the global sustainability standards in travel and tourism, public consultation, revision of the gstc accreditation manual for certification of hotel/accommodation & tour operator v.4.0, what is sustainable tourism.

There are many terms that float around that may sound similar but actually refer to something distinct.

Definition of Sustainable Tourism

Negative impacts to a destination include economic leakage, damage to the natural environment and overcrowding to name a few.

Positive impacts to a destination include job creation, cultural heritage preservation and interpretation, wildlife preservation landscape restoration, and more.

Sustainable tourism is defined by the UN Environment Program and UN World Tourism Organization 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.”

Additionally, they say that sustainable tourism “refers to the environmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance must be established between these three dimensions to guarantee its long-term sustainability” ( UNEP & UNWTO , 2005: 11-12. Making Tourism More Sustainable – A Guide for Policy Makers ).

Definition of Ecotourism

Fennell described it as such: “Ecotourism is a sustainable form of natural resource-based tourism that focuses primarily on experiencing and learning about nature, and which is ethically managed to be low-impact, non-consumptive, and locally-oriented. It typically occurs in natural areas, and should contribute to the conservation or preservation of such areas” (Fennell, 1999: 43. Ecotourism: An Introduction ).

The  Mohonk Agreement (2000) , a proposal for international certification of Sustainable Tourism and Ecotourism, saw ecotourism as “sustainable tourism with a natural area focus, which benefits the environment and communities visited, and fosters environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation, and awareness.”

The ecotourism definition by the  Global Ecotourism Network (GEN) : “Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and creates knowledge and understanding through interpretation and education of all involved (visitors, staff and the visited).”

Definitions of Responsible Travel

Responsible Travel refers to the behavior of individual travelers aspiring to make choices according to sustainable tourism practices. The behaviors usually align with minimizing the negative impacts and maximizing positive ones when one visits a tourism destination.

Travelers that want to learn more about how to be a responsible traveler can visit the section on the GSTC website For Travelers .

Summary of the difference between Sustainable Tourism, Ecotourism, and Responsible Travel

Ecotourism is a niche segment of tourism in natural areas.

Sustainable Tourism does not refer to a specific type of tourism, rather it is an aspiration for the impacts of all forms of tourism to be sustainable for generations to come.

Responsible Travel is a term referring to the behavior and style of individual travelers. The behaviors align with making a positive impact to the destination rather than negative ones.

Sustainable Tourism and the GSTC Criteria

They are the result of a worldwide effort to develop a common language about sustainability in tourism. They are categorized in four pillars: (A) Sustainable management; (B) Socioeconomic impacts; (C) Cultural impacts; (D) Environmental impacts.

These standards were built on decades of prior work from industry experts around the globe. During the process of development, they were widely consulted in both developed and developing countries. They reflect our goal in attaining a global consensus on sustainable tourism.

The process of developing the Criteria was designed to adhere to the standards-setting code of the ISEAL Alliance. The ISEAL Alliance is the international body providing guidance for the management of sustainability standards in all sectors. That code is informed by relevant ISO standards .

Finally, the GSTC Criteria are the starting goals that businesses, governments, and destinations should achieve. Tourism destinations each have their own culture, environment, customs, and laws. Therefore, the Criteria are designed to be adapted to local conditions and supplemented by additional criteria for the specific location and activity.

There are three sets of Criteria

• GSTC Industry Criteria = relates to the sustainable management of private sector travel industry, focusing currently on Hotels and Tour Operators.
• GSTC Destination Criteria = relates to sustainable management of Tourism Destinations.
• GSTC MICE Criteria = relates to sustainable management of Venues, Event Organizers and Events & Exhibitions.

Learn more about Sustainable Tourism

Reading one article is not enough. The GSTC website offers those interested in learning more about sustainable tourism the needed resources. Make sure you visit the relevant pages for you:

• For Hotels & Accommodations
• For Tour Operators
• For Governments & Destinations
• For Corporate and Business Travel

You can also join one of the regular GSTC courses:

• Want to gain in-depth knowledge of the GSTC Criteria and understand sustainable tourism? The GSTC Sustainable Tourism course is for you.
• Engaged with corporate and business travel? The GSTC Sustainable Business Travel course is for you.
• Are you a hotelier or work in the hospitality sector? GSTC Sustainable Hotel course

GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Schedule

✓ Gain in-depth knowledge of the GSTC Criteria, the global standard for sustainability in travel and tourism. ✓ Make informed decisions on how to implement sustainability practices for your company or destination. ✓ Get ready for developing viable and actionable sustainable tourism policies and practices for your organization

I’ve participated in the course to get a comprehensive overview of destination sustainability criteria. Much more than this, the course gave me the up-to-date analysis of current trends, and a huge number of relevant cases from the destinations, the industry networks and the service providers. I strongly recommend to attend the course.

My course facilitator and teacher (Ayako and Antje) went above and beyond to answer our questions and provide us with additional resources. The course content (the GSTC Criteria) was delivered in an understandable and organized way. Learning the GSTC Criteria and how it applies to our own projects, businesses, and destinations is integral to anyone wanting to do any kind of work in the future centered around travel. I appreciated that the course was delivered in an interactive way over Zoom, and not just something we watched on YouTube. For me, being able to interact with fellow students from around the world, was a big plus. Was well worth it, and I highly recommend the course!

This course has been very relevant and provides in-depth knowledge of GSTC criteria for sustainable practices for destinations as well as the travel industry [with] plenty of real life examples and share links to plenty of reading material throughout the course. … As we move forward during these difficult COVID times, learning our lessons on the damage to nature, it becomes all the more important for industry professionals to get trained and step up efforts to embrace sustainability in all aspects of tourism. Hence, I recommend this course to all industry professionals.

This course enables participants to connect with the GSTC team directly, over an easy to use platform and network around the world. Using real life examples and detail in each of the 4 sections of the GSTC.

The GSTC training was a great way to connect, network, and engage in mind-broadening and eye-opening discussions with others in the diverse field of sustainable tourism. I would highly recommend this as a starting point for anyone interested in the journey of regenerative and sustainable tourism.

The course was great and the on- the-go discussions added great value to keep abreast of trends from across the globe. Participants from various parts of the world brought in their experiences and made the course very interesting.

Hearing about actual destinations applying Sustainable Tourism initiatives and learning from real situations practicing Sustainable Tourism, as well as the related successes and challenges, was very informative and valuable. My favorite part was the unexpected camaraderie from and connections with the other participants. I genuinely enjoyed the online discussion, sharing of ideas, and breakout groups and, overall, meeting so many others who she a passion for Sustainable Tourism. Thank you, GSTC, for a great course!

A complete holistic approach to sustainable tourism. The comprehensive lessons given each week break down the GSTC Criteria and are paired with practical examples, international experts and ‘hands on’ online workshops. The opportunity to discuss and share insights from all the participants around the world not only contributes to my own knowledge but to also my professional network. I highly recommend this course for anyone discovering sustainable tourism.

The course is quick and handy way to immerse in the issues of Sustainability in Tourism and a great kick start in starting your own business or destination program. I could have had the course even longer and especially the live sessions were great to get to know some of the other participants and share their knowledge and experiences – best practices are the best way to get started and to get valuable information. Highly recommended!

The course was so informative and presented in an engaging & interesting way. The examples & speakers gave us a lot to think about and many tangible ways that we can make a difference in our travel business. Thank you!

This course has given me an approach to the GSTC Criteria, where the basic and complete structure to move forward on sustainable paths is visualized. The reflections generated through real examples, discussions and available material are key to better internalize what sustainability means. Ideas applicable to our business and our work area appear during the course that contribute positively to one’s reality. I will recommend this course, for its contribution to the objective, honest and constructive understanding of what sustainability is.

I can only highly recommend the course for every travel and tourism professional- it is a great motivational boost to get into action and helps me support destinations in bringing the idea of destination stewardship – an inclusive and holistic approach – alive. We do not need more and more tourists, we need sustainable tourism.

Taking the GSTC training at this point in time was extremely valuable. It gave me a sustainable tourism framework to help assess what I’ve been able to accomplish and also consider the role that sustainable experiential travel may mean as we begin to inch our way out of the world of zero tourism towards something likely new and different. One other great benefit of the training was starting to get acquainted and sharing with other participants and instructors from around the globe. These connections will be valuable for a very long time to come.

I found this online course well structured and enjoyable. The trainers are really inspiring, extremely knowledgeable about the field and very supportive. The live online sessions give a great introduction to key topics, and there are online lessons, discussion forums and reference material to deepen knowledge. I feel like I have access to so much wisdom, and it is great to be part of a global community of sustainable tourism practitioners.

Thank you GSTC for such a great course. The content was relevant, the case studies were inspiring and the course structure was spot on! I can’t wait to take my learnings and inspiration and activate it across regional destinations in Australia. Keep up the great work.

What I liked the most about this course is the well-defined structure, the opinion sharing with online classmates, and the up-to-date topics. It makes the experience much more effective and enjoyable.

Excellent course that sets the foundations for sustainable tourism practice.I was very new with sustainable tourism and now after the course I have very solid understanding and skills to apply to my job. In addition, the amazing network of professionals sharing ideas is another great tool!

This course provided me with a thorough understanding of how to implement sustainable travel practices. I will definitely integrate information from this training into my work with travel organizations and destinations to help them achieve short-term progress through a long-term strategy.

The GSTC training provides a comprehensive overview of key indicators for a holistic view of sustainable tourism. The training provided an excellent opportunity to network with other tourism professionals, and to share ideas, develop plans, and comment on sustainable tourism initiatives that are being implemented in a diverse array of locations globally. I’m grateful for the connections that I made and for the helpful feedback on ideas for improving sustainability in several operations.

Useful and inspiring! The way the course is organised with lots of practical experience from colleagues in the tourism sector is indeed the most useful and interesting part of the course, [making it easier] to approach the GSTC criteria.

The GSTC course was really great to me because it gave me an in-depth knowledge about sustainable tourism. The combination of the criteria explanation and the presentation from other experts was really great, as it gave us the know-how, lots of samples and case studies. Before joining this course, I had heard about the term sustainable tourism many times, but [was not sure] what it is all about and how we can achieve it. I am glad to have gained the bigger picture of sustainable tourism. I’m developing my village to be a community based tourism destination, and now I can adopt and apply the standard locally.

A great training program that gives the participants a thorough understanding on the sustainable management of both destinations and individual businesses. Anyone from the industry – from the business or the government side – should understand the bigger picture of the destination level management as well as the industrial level so that both public and private sectors can work together for a more sustainable tourism industry.

The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program provided an up-to-date perspective and holistic approach on the topic. I really enjoyed taking part in the group discussions and hearing about the realities of other destinations and their challenges.

I think the training was very useful and gave me many insights that I will use in my daily work to develop more sustainable tourism. The training class was also a good group for networking.

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is the most widely recognized institution for offering sustainability courses for tourism professionals.

This is a one-of-a-kind course that provides the tools in getting you started. Not to mention, you’re also collaborating with people and organizations across the globe facing similar challenges. The feedback from fellow students was invaluable and honestly, what better way to tackle some big challenges related to the environment than with people from different countries and backgrounds. I’d take this course again just for those connections!

The [GSTC course] has been a remarkable learning experience and a great introduction to sustainable tourism. The combination of online resources, discussion forums, weekly live events with guest presenters provides a deeper understanding and useful tools in sustainable tourism. The trainers have incredible expertise in both tourism and sustainability and share their knowledge and passion about current sustainability practices. I would highly recommend this course to everyone involved in the tourism industry or have a interest in sustainable tourism.

An excellent programme run by well qualified professional staff and trainers. The guest speakers were world class and materials industry leading. A definite must for any tourism professional who is serious about making sustainable impacts for the betterment of our industry.

Amazing learning experience. Exceeded my expectations by far. Excellently organized and facilitated. Great dynamics in discussions with course participants – so much to learn from. Highly valuable best practices and interactive modules really made the best learning experience I had until now! It really motivated and inspired me to continue on the road of global sustainable tourism.

The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training gave me the tools and network to be able to work for a more sustainable tourism sector in the area where I’m based (South Sweden). The structure with the four principles makes it easy to follow and to discuss also outside the GSTC world. The examples from the other participants were great, and we will continue sharing good and bad examples from destinations all over the world.

To work on sustainability is a never-ending story and can be overwhelming at times. The GSTC training supports a structured approach toward continuous improvement. It provides applicable tools to evaluate our sustainability performance and guidance for setting long-term strategies. It allows you to break down this massive task into achievable working packages.

The GSTC training was a great first touch point for me into the world of sustainable tourism and destination management. I loved hearing case studies from around the world and real life examples on how the GSTC criteria can make a difference. The course has enabled me to start building on these criteria within my job.

The training has enable me to go through all the GSTC Criteria thoroughly with better knowledge of sustainable tourism standard and practices. It will be useful as basic guidelines for the Foundation to use these Criteria, as the destination wants to embark in becoming a sustainable tourism destination, aiming to become GSTC-Certified.

I would definitely recommend GSTC training to absolutely everyone in the tourism industry. The entire [GSTC] framework is extremely useful and important – a framework of values and ideas that is evolving, and that is meant for us a roadmap to make things better for people and companies that may be starting from different points in the journey towards sustainability.

The quality of this training was really first class; materials, presentations, trainer support, resources and discussions. The forum helped keep everything relevant and up to date, and I also liked the format of the live events. All guest presenters were excellent; I liked that they were sharing real life experiences and not just theoretical examples. From each and every live presentation I gained ideas, reinforcements to my own experiences and enthusiasm for what I and my colleagues are doing in our own part of the world.

The STTP programme has been a good introduction to the principles of sustainable tourism. It was a good mix of presentations and cases of sustainable tourism in real-life, insights from experts from various countries and across tourism sectors and explanation of key GSTC criteria. Participants were encouraged to share their experiences and observations through discussion forums and presentations, which made the sessions more lively. The final exam is recommended for those who wish to test their ability to put these principles to practice. I highly recommend this course to tourism industry professionals wishing to incorporate sustainable tourism management at work.

The GSTC training provided me with a deep understanding of the criteria. My fellow classmates were industry experts in various sectors from around the world, bringing the criteria to life with valuable examples/discussions of how they have implemented the very practices we were learning.

My first impression was the organization, it was perfect regarding the admin efforts and the learning tools. The course materials were really useful, as well as the live sessions from which I gained a deep understanding and experience from the other participants. I really want to have the chance to thank all the team who was involved, and of course I would recommend people working in the tourism industry to join this course

The training gave me a clear understanding of the challenges we face and the actions to take to make sustainability effective, [covering] each of the main areas in a systematic way with enough technical detail for those who needed it, without losing the less technical trainees (like myself) who needed to understand the broad overview of sustainable tourism practices

The overview of standards, coupled with best practice and real world examples has been very beneficial for my work in destination management and responsible tourism development. The ability to meet likeminded industry colleagues, who are working in this arena was also highly valuable.

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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

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• 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.

What Is Sustainable Tourism and Why Is It Important?

Sustainable management and socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental impacts are the four pillars of sustainable tourism

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What Makes Tourism Sustainable?

The role of tourists, types of sustainable tourism.

Sustainable tourism considers its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts by addressing the needs of its ecological surroundings and the local communities. This is achieved by protecting natural environments and wildlife when developing and managing tourism activities, providing only authentic experiences for tourists that don’t appropriate or misrepresent local heritage and culture, or creating direct socioeconomic benefits for local communities through training and employment.

As people begin to pay more attention to sustainability and the direct and indirect effects of their actions, travel destinations and organizations are following suit. For example, the New Zealand Tourism Sustainability Commitment is aiming to see every New Zealand tourism business committed to sustainability by 2025, while the island country of Palau has required visitors to sign an eco pledge upon entry since 2017.

Tourism industries are considered successfully sustainable when they can meet the needs of travelers while having a low impact on natural resources and generating long-term employment for locals. By creating positive experiences for local people, travelers, and the industry itself, properly managed sustainable tourism can meet the needs of the present without compromising the future.

What Is Sustainability?

At its core, sustainability focuses on balance — maintaining our environmental, social, and economic benefits without using up the resources that future generations will need to thrive. In the past, sustainability ideals tended to lean towards business, though more modern definitions of sustainability highlight finding ways to avoid depleting natural resources in order to keep an ecological balance and maintain the quality of environmental and human societies.

Since tourism impacts and is impacted by a wide range of different activities and industries, all sectors and stakeholders (tourists, governments, host communities, tourism businesses) need to collaborate on sustainable tourism in order for it to be successful.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) , which is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of sustainable tourism, and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) , the global standard for sustainable travel and tourism, have similar opinions on what makes tourism sustainable. By their account, sustainable tourism should make the best use of environmental resources while helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity, respect the socio-culture of local host communities, and contribute to intercultural understanding. Economically, it should also ensure viable long-term operations that will provide benefits to all stakeholders, whether that includes stable employment to locals, social services, or contributions to poverty alleviation.

The GSTC has developed a series of criteria to create a common language about sustainable travel and tourism. These criteria are used to distinguish sustainable destinations and organizations, but can also help create sustainable policies for businesses and government agencies. Arranged in four pillars, the global baseline standards include sustainable management, socioeconomic impact, cultural impacts, and environmental impacts.

Travel Tip:

The GSTC is an excellent resource for travelers who want to find sustainably managed destinations and accommodations and learn how to become a more sustainable traveler in general.

Environment 

Protecting natural environments is the bedrock of sustainable tourism. Data released by the World Tourism Organization estimates that tourism-based CO2 emissions are forecast to increase 25% by 2030. In 2016, tourism transport-related emissions contributed to 5% of all man-made emissions, while transport-related emissions from long-haul international travel were expected to grow 45% by 2030.

The environmental ramifications of tourism don’t end with carbon emissions, either. Unsustainably managed tourism can create waste problems, lead to land loss or soil erosion, increase natural habitat loss, and put pressure on endangered species . More often than not, the resources in these places are already scarce, and sadly, the negative effects can contribute to the destruction of the very environment on which the industry depends.

Industries and destinations that want to be sustainable must do their part to conserve resources, reduce pollution, and conserve biodiversity and important ecosystems. In order to achieve this, proper resource management and management of waste and emissions is important. In Bali, for example, tourism consumes 65% of local water resources, while in Zanzibar, tourists use 15 times as much water per night as local residents.

Another factor to environmentally focused sustainable tourism comes in the form of purchasing: Does the tour operator, hotel, or restaurant favor locally sourced suppliers and products? How do they manage their food waste and dispose of goods? Something as simple as offering paper straws instead of plastic ones can make a huge dent in an organization’s harmful pollutant footprint.

Recently, there has been an uptick in companies that promote carbon offsetting . The idea behind carbon offsetting is to compensate for generated greenhouse gas emissions by canceling out emissions somewhere else. Much like the idea that reducing or reusing should be considered first before recycling , carbon offsetting shouldn’t be the primary goal. Sustainable tourism industries always work towards reducing emissions first and offset what they can’t.

Properly managed sustainable tourism also has the power to provide alternatives to need-based professions and behaviors like poaching . Often, and especially in underdeveloped countries, residents turn to environmentally harmful practices due to poverty and other social issues. At Periyar Tiger Reserve in India, for example, an unregulated increase in tourists made it more difficult to control poaching in the area. In response, an eco development program aimed at providing employment for locals turned 85 former poachers into reserve gamekeepers. Under supervision of the reserve’s management staff, the group of gamekeepers have developed a series of tourism packages and are now protecting land instead of exploiting it. They’ve found that jobs in responsible wildlife tourism are more rewarding and lucrative than illegal work.

Flying nonstop and spending more time in a single destination can help save CO2, since planes use more fuel the more times they take off.

Local Culture and Residents

One of the most important and overlooked aspects of sustainable tourism is contributing to protecting, preserving, and enhancing local sites and traditions. These include areas of historical, archaeological, or cultural significance, but also "intangible heritage," such as ceremonial dance or traditional art techniques.

In cases where a site is being used as a tourist attraction, it is important that the tourism doesn’t impede access to local residents. For example, some tourist organizations create local programs that offer residents the chance to visit tourism sites with cultural value in their own countries. A program called “Children in the Wilderness” run by Wilderness Safaris educates children in rural Africa about the importance of wildlife conservation and valuable leadership development tools. Vacations booked through travel site Responsible Travel contribute to the company’s “Trip for a Trip” program, which organizes day trips for disadvantaged youth who live near popular tourist destinations but have never had the opportunity to visit.

Sustainable tourism bodies work alongside communities to incorporate various local cultural expressions as part of a traveler’s experiences and ensure that they are appropriately represented. They collaborate with locals and seek their input on culturally appropriate interpretation of sites, and train guides to give visitors a valuable (and correct) impression of the site. The key is to inspire travelers to want to protect the area because they understand its significance.

Bhutan, a small landlocked country in South Asia, has enforced a system of all-inclusive tax for international visitors since 1997 ($200 per day in the off season and $250 per day in the high season). This way, the government is able to restrict the tourism market to local entrepreneurs exclusively and restrict tourism to specific regions, ensuring that the country’s most precious natural resources won’t be exploited.

Incorporating volunteer work into your vacation is an amazing way to learn more about the local culture and help contribute to your host community at the same time. You can also book a trip that is focused primarily on volunteer work through a locally run charity or non profit (just be sure that the job isn’t taking employment opportunities away from residents).

It's not difficult to make a business case for sustainable tourism, especially if one looks at a destination as a product. Think of protecting a destination, cultural landmark, or ecosystem as an investment. By keeping the environment healthy and the locals happy, sustainable tourism will maximize the efficiency of business resources. This is especially true in places where locals are more likely to voice their concerns if they feel like the industry is treating visitors better than residents.

Not only does reducing reliance on natural resources help save money in the long run, studies have shown that modern travelers are likely to participate in environmentally friendly tourism. In 2019, Booking.com found that 73% of travelers preferred an eco-sustainable hotel over a traditional one and 72% of travelers believed that people need to make sustainable travel choices for the sake of future generations.

Always be mindful of where your souvenirs are coming from and whether or not the money is going directly towards the local economy. For example, opt for handcrafted souvenirs made by local artisans.

Growth in the travel and tourism sectors alone has outpaced the overall global economy growth for nine years in a row. Prior to the pandemic, travel and tourism accounted for an $9.6 trillion contribution to the global GDP and 333 million jobs (or one in four new jobs around the world).

Sustainable travel dollars help support employees, who in turn pay taxes that contribute to their local economy. If those employees are not paid a fair wage or aren’t treated fairly, the traveler is unknowingly supporting damaging or unsustainable practices that do nothing to contribute to the future of the community. Similarly, if a hotel doesn’t take into account its ecological footprint, it may be building infrastructure on animal nesting grounds or contributing to excessive pollution. The same goes for attractions, since sustainably managed spots (like nature preserves) often put profits towards conservation and research.

Costa Rica was able to turn a severe deforestation crisis in the 1980s into a diversified tourism-based economy by designating 25.56% of land protected as either a national park, wildlife refuge, or reserve.

While traveling, think of how you would want your home country or home town to be treated by visitors.

Are You a Sustainable Traveler?

Sustainable travelers understand that their actions create an ecological and social footprint on the places they visit. Be mindful of the destinations , accommodations, and activities you choose, and choose destinations that are closer to home or extend your length of stay to save resources. Consider switching to more environmentally friendly modes of transportation such as bicycles, trains, or walking while on vacation. Look into supporting locally run tour operations or local family-owned businesses rather than large international chains. Don’t engage in activities that harm wildlife, such as elephant riding or tiger petting , and opt instead for a wildlife sanctuary (or better yet, attend a beach clean up or plan an hour or two of some volunteer work that interests you). Leave natural areas as you found them by taking out what you carry in, not littering, and respecting the local residents and their traditions.

Most of us travel to experience the world. New cultures, new traditions, new sights and smells and tastes are what makes traveling so rewarding. It is our responsibility as travelers to ensure that these destinations are protected not only for the sake of the communities who rely upon them, but for a future generation of travelers.

Sustainable tourism has many different layers, most of which oppose the more traditional forms of mass tourism that are more likely to lead to environmental damage, loss of culture, pollution, negative economic impacts, and overtourism.

Ecotourism highlights responsible travel to natural areas that focus on environmental conservation. A sustainable tourism body supports and contributes to biodiversity conservation by managing its own property responsibly and respecting or enhancing nearby natural protected areas (or areas of high biological value). Most of the time, this looks like a financial compensation to conservation management, but it can also include making sure that tours, attractions, and infrastructure don’t disturb natural ecosystems.

On the same page, wildlife interactions with free roaming wildlife should be non-invasive and managed responsibly to avoid negative impacts to the animals. As a traveler, prioritize visits to accredited rescue and rehabilitation centers that focus on treating, rehoming, or releasing animals back into the wild, such as the Jaguar Rescue Center in Costa Rica.

Soft Tourism

Soft tourism may highlight local experiences, local languages, or encourage longer time spent in individual areas. This is opposed to hard tourism featuring short duration of visits, travel without respecting culture, taking lots of selfies , and generally feeling a sense of superiority as a tourist.

Many World Heritage Sites, for example, pay special attention to protection, preservation, and sustainability by promoting soft tourism. Peru’s famed Machu Picchu was previously known as one of the world’s worst victims of overtourism , or a place of interest that has experienced negative effects (such as traffic or litter) from excessive numbers of tourists. The attraction has taken steps to control damages in recent years, requiring hikers to hire local guides on the Inca Trail, specifying dates and time on visitor tickets to negate overcrowding, and banning all single use plastics from the site.

Traveling during a destination’s shoulder season , the period between the peak and low seasons, typically combines good weather and low prices without the large crowds. This allows better opportunities to immerse yourself in a new place without contributing to overtourism, but also provides the local economy with income during a normally slow season.

Rural Tourism

Rural tourism applies to tourism that takes place in non-urbanized areas such as national parks, forests, nature reserves, and mountain areas. This can mean anything from camping and glamping to hiking and WOOFing. Rural tourism is a great way to practice sustainable tourism, since it usually requires less use of natural resources.

Community Tourism

Community-based tourism involves tourism where local residents invite travelers to visit their own communities. It sometimes includes overnight stays and often takes place in rural or underdeveloped countries. This type of tourism fosters connection and enables tourists to gain an in-depth knowledge of local habitats, wildlife, and traditional cultures — all while providing direct economic benefits to the host communities. Ecuador is a world leader in community tourism, offering unique accommodation options like the Sani Lodge run by the local Kichwa indigenous community, which offers responsible cultural experiences in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest.

" Transport-related CO 2  Emissions of the Tourism Sector – Modelling Results ." World Tourism Organization and International Transport Forum , 2019, doi:10.18111/9789284416660

" 45 Arrivals Every Second ." The World Counts.

Becken, Susanne. " Water Equity- Contrasting Tourism Water Use With That of the Local Community ." Water Resources and Industry , vol. 7-8, 2014, pp. 9-22, doi:10.1016/j.wri.2014.09.002

Kutty, Govindan M., and T.K. Raghavan Nair. " Periyar Tiger Reserve: Poachers Turned Gamekeepers ." Food and Agriculture Organization.

" GSTC Destination Criteria ." Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Rinzin, Chhewang, et al. " Ecotourism as a Mechanism for Sustainable Development: the Case of Bhutan ." Environmental Sciences , vol. 4, no. 2, 2007, pp. 109-125, doi:10.1080/15693430701365420

" Booking.com Reveals Key Findings From Its 2019 Sustainable Travel Report ." Booking.com.

" Economic Impact Reports ." World Travel and Tourism Council .

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Coral reforestation helps restore desolated reefs around Landaa Giraavaru Island on Baa Atoll in the Republic of Maldives.

For travelers, sustainability is the word—but there are many definitions of it

Most people want to support sustainable tourism, even though the concept remains fuzzy.

The word “overtourism” is a relatively new term—but its novelty has not diminished the portent of its meaning: “An excessive number of tourist visits to a popular destination or attraction, resulting in damage to the local environment and historical sites and in poorer quality of life for residents,” according to the Oxford Dictionary .  

As travel recovers from pandemic lows, travelers are once again experiencing the consequences of overtourism at enticing, but crowded, destinations. The UN World Tourism Organization, along with public and private sector partners, marks September 27 as World Tourism Day and uses this platform to discuss tourism’s social, political, economic, and environmental impacts.

This day highlights the importance of sustainable tourism —a framework for engaging travelers and the travel industry at large in supporting goals that include protecting the environment, addressing climate change, minimizing plastic consumption , and expanding economic development in communities affected by tourism.

Getting the facts

A National Geographic survey of 3,500 adults in the U.S. reveals strong support for sustainability. That’s the good news—but the challenge will be helping travelers take meaningful actions. According to the survey—which was conducted in 2019—while 42 percent of U.S. travelers would be willing to prioritize sustainable travel in the future, only 15 percent of these travelers are sufficiently familiar with what sustainable travel actually means.  

( Learn about how to turn overtourism into sustainable global tourism .)

In the National Geographic survey, consumers most familiar with sustainable travel are young: 50 percent are 18 to 34 years old. Among travelers who understand the sustainable travel concept, 56 percent acknowledge travel has an impact on local communities and that it’s important to protect natural sites and cultural places.

The survey has informed National Geographic’s experiential travel and media businesses and sparked conversations for creating solutions around sustainability. Our travel content focuses on environmentally friendly practices, protecting cultural and natural heritage, providing social and economic benefits for local communities, and inspiring travelers to become conservation ambassadors. In short, we see every National Geographic traveler as a curious explorer who seeks to build an ethic of conserving all that makes a destination unique.

Building better practices

National Geographic Expeditions operates hundreds of trips each year, spanning all seven continents and more than 80 destinations. Rooted in the National Geographic Society ’s legacy of exploration, the company supports the Society's mission to inspire people to care about the planet by providing meaningful opportunities to explore it. Proceeds from all travel programs support the Society’s efforts to increase global understanding through exploration, education and scientific research.

National Geographic Expeditions offers a range of group travel experiences, including land expeditions, cruises, and active adventures, many of which take place around eco-lodges that are rigorously vetted for their sustainability practices.  

These independent lodges incorporate innovative sustainability practices into their everyday operations, including supporting natural and cultural heritage, sourcing products regionally, and giving back to the local community.

For example, South Africa’s Grootbos Lodge launched a foundation to support the Masakhane Community Farm and Training Centre. Through this program, the lodge has given plots of land to local people who have completed the training, increasing their income and access to local, healthy foods; so far the program has benefitted more than 138 community members.

As a media brand, National Geographic encourages travelers to seek out and support properties that embrace a mission to help protect people and the environment. Not only do these accommodations make direct and meaningful impacts in their own communities, but staying at one helps educate travelers in effective ways to preserve and protect the places they visit.

Supporting sustainability

The travel industry is crucially dependent on the health of local communities, environments, and cultures. As many experts note, we need to invest in the resiliency of places affected by overtourism and climate change to achieve sustainable tourism.

( Should some of the world’s endangered places be off-limits to tourists ?)

National Geographic’s coverage stresses the importance of reducing our carbon footprint and encourages travelers to step off the beaten path and linger longer, respect cultural differences and invest in communities, reconnect with nature and support organizations that are protecting the planet. Here are 12 ways to travel sustainably , reported by our staff editors.

Storytelling can help by highlighting problems brought on by tourism and surfacing practices and technologies to mitigate negative impacts. A key goal of our storytelling mission at National Geographic Travel is to dig deeper into the topic of sustainable tourism and provide resources, practical tips, and destination advice for travelers who seek to explore the world in all its beauty—while leaving behind a lighter footprint.

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Ask an Expert: What is Sustainable Tourism?

Tourism has been one of the industries most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. But as the outbreak loosens its grip on the United States, the industry is showing signs of a recovery as people resume domestic travel and visit their favorite destinations. 

Popular tourist destinations across the country have experienced record visitation rates in recent months. At Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina, for example, visitation totals for the first six months of the year were 26% higher than visitation totals for the same period in 2002, the busiest year on record. 

The tourism boom, however, could have negative impacts on surrounding communities, according to Whitney Knollenberg , an assistant professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at NC State’s College of Natural Resources. 

Knollenberg, whose research focuses on sustainable tourism development, said rapid tourism growth at destinations can cause a number of social, environmental and economic impacts, including increased cost of living in nearby communities and damage to natural resources through overuse. 

In response, Knollenberg is working with residents, businesses and other stakeholders in North Carolina to identify opportunities for sustainable tourism development. We recently spoke with Knollenberg to discuss her research efforts and to learn more about the benefits of sustainable tourism. Check out the Q&A below.

What is sustainable tourism? 

Tourism generates economic, environmental, and social impacts on all destinations and those visit, do business, and live in them. Sustainable tourism is an approach to tourism development and management that aims to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on a destination and minimize the negative impacts. Environmental impacts are often the focus of sustainable tourism development and management, but social and economic impacts are equally important. By maximizing the positive impacts, destination communities and tourism businesses remain viable for generations to come.

Why is sustainable tourism needed? 

Tourism is a powerful force. Some people compare it to a fire; it can cook your dinner or it can burn your house down. This means that while tourism can bring many positive impacts to a community — improved quality of life for residents, protection of natural resources, and jobs — it also can bring negative impacts. Sustainable tourism is needed as a way to develop and manage tourism to ensure that the positive impacts are maximized.

How can sustainable tourism be implemented?

Sustainable tourism can be implemented at the community level, within individual businesses, or by tourists themselves. Implementing sustainable tourism requires buy-in and support from those who are impacted by tourism, including residents, businesses, employees and others. Because tourism impacts each of these stakeholders in different ways, destination and industry leaders must engage with each stakeholder group to determine which positive impacts they want to maximize and which negative impacts they want to minimize. 

What are the challenges associated with sustainable tourism? 

Sustainable tourism requires a considerable amount of proactive planning and consistent assessment of tourism’s impacts on destinations. As tourism destinations change over time the positive and negative impacts of tourism change as well. Community and industry leaders must be proactive and collaborative to identify who is being impacted by tourism and what impacts they are experiencing. They must be willing to adapt plans and policies to ensure that the positive impacts of tourism are maximized. 

Can you provide an example of sustainable tourism?

One example of a sustainable tourism practice that I’ve identified through my research is implemented in Ocracoke, North Carolina where the economy is heavily dependent on tourism. As an island accessible only by ferry and with limited housing availability, Ocracoke faces challenges with attracting and maintaining a workforce for tourism businesses. 

Business owners and community leaders in Ocracoke recognize that the people of the tourism workforce are the heart of the industry and without them it doesn’t function. So to minimize the negative economic impacts of tourism for tourism employees and residents, many local restaurants keep a few menu items at a lower price to allow tourism employees to enjoy the local dining scene just as the tourists do. 

To maximize the positive social impacts of tourism, local leaders utilize taxes generated through tourism to host events that celebrate and connect residents and tourism employees, building a strong network of support and appreciation that increases the community’s resilience and appeal to those looking to live and work in Ocracoke.

For the Media:  If you would like to speak with Whitney Knollenberg for a story, please contact Laura Oleniacz at [email protected] or Andrew Moore at [email protected].

• Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management Research
• Parks Recreation and Tourism Management
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Reaffirming its resolutions 53/199 of 15 December 1998 and 61/185 of 20 December 2006 on the proclamation of international years, Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980 on international years and anniversaries, particularly paragraphs 1 to 10 of the annex thereto on the agreed criteria for the proclamation of international years, as well as paragraphs 13 and 14, which state that an international year should not be proclaimed before the basic arrangements necessary for its organization and financing have been made, Recalling the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The future we want”, as endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 66/288 of 27 July 2012, which recognizes, inter alia, that well-designed and well-managed tourism can make a significant contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable development, has close linkages to other sectors and can create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities, Reaffirming its resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, in which it adopted a comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative Sustainable Development Goals and targets, its commitment to working tirelessly for the full implementation of this Agenda by 2030, its recognition that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, its commitment to achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions — economic, social and environmental — in a balanced and integrated manner, and to building upon the achievements of the Mi llennium Development Goals and seeking to address their unfinished business, Reaffirming also its resolution 69/313 of 27 July 2015 on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, which is an integral p art of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, supports and complements it, helps to contextualize its means of implementation targets with concrete policies and actions, and reaffirms the strong political commitment to address the challenge of financ ing and creating an enabling A/RES/70/193 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017 environment at all levels for sustainable development in the spirit of global partnership and solidarity, Recalling that the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011–2020,1 adopted at the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, as endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 65/280 of 17 June 2011, supports the efforts of the least developed countries to develop a sustainable tourism sector, in particular through infrastructure and human capital development, increased access to finance and enhanced access to global tourism networks and distribution channels, Recalling also that the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, adopted at the third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, as endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 69/15 of 14 November 2014, recognizes that sustainable tourism represents an important driver of sustainable economic growth and decent job creation, Recalling further that the Vienna Declaration and the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014–2024, adopted at the second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, as endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 69/137 of 12 December 2014, recognizes that tourism can play an important role in building the economic sector, providing employment and generating foreign exchange, Reaffirming the importance of supporting the African Union’s Agenda 2063, as well as its 10-year plan of action, as a strategic framework for ensuring a positive socioeconomic transformation in Africa within the next 50 years, and its continental programme, embedded in the resolutions of the General Assembly on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, which promotes sustainable tourism, Recalling its resolutions 2148 (XXI) of 4 November 1966, entitled “International Tourist Year”, 53/200 of 15 December 1998, entitled “Proclamation of 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism”, 65/148 of 20 December 2010, entitled “Global Code of Ethics for Tourism”, 68/207 of 20 December 2013, entitled “Sustainable tourism and sustainable development in Central America”, and 69/233 of 19 December 2014, entitled “Promotion of sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, for poverty eradication and environment protection”, Taking note of the resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization at its twenty-first session, held in Medellin, Colombia, from 12 to 17 September 2015, on the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017, Welcoming the efforts of the World Tourism Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and others to promote ecotourism and sustainable tourism worldwide, Welcoming also the adoption of the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production patterns by the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 and the launching of the sustainable tourism programme of the framework, and encouraging further implementation through capacity-building projects and initiatives to support sustainable tourism, Recognizing the importance of international tourism, and particularly of the designation of an international year of sustainable tourism for development, in fostering better understanding among peoples everywhere, leading to a greater awareness of the rich heritage of various civilizations and bringing about a better appreciation of the inherent values of different cultures, thereby contributing to the strengthening of peace in the world, Recognizing also the important role of sustainable tourism as a positive instrument towards the eradication of poverty, the protection of the environment, the improvement of quality of life and the economic empowerment of women and youth and its contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable development, especially in developing countries, 1. Decides to proclaim 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development; 2. Invites the World Tourism Organization, mindful of the provisions contained in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67, to facilitate the organization and implementation of the International Year, in collaboration with Governments, relevant organizations of the United Nations system, international and regional organizations and other relevant stakeholders; 3. Stresses that the costs of all activities that may arise from the implementation of the present resolution that are above and beyond the activities currently within the mandate of the lead agency should be met from voluntary contributions; 4. Encourages all States, the United Nations system and all other actors to take advantage of the International Year to promote actions at all levels, including through international cooperation, and to support sustainable tourism as a means of promoting and accelerating sustainable development, especially poverty eradication; 5. Requests the World Tourism Organization, mindful of the provisions of paragraphs 23 to 27 of the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67, to inform the General Assembly at its seventy-third session on the implementation of the present resolution, elaborating on the evaluation of the International Year.

III. Recommendations of the Second Committee 42. The Second Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft resolutions: Draft resolution I International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017 The General Assembly, 1. Decides to proclaim 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development; 2. Invites the World Tourism Organization, mindful of the provisions contained in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67, to facilitate the organization and implementation of the International Year, in collaboration with Governments, relevant organizations of the United Nations system, other international and regional organizations and other relevant stakeholders; 4. Encourages all States, the United Nations system and all other actors to take advantage of the International Year to promote actions at all levels, including through international cooperation, and to support sustainable tourism as a means of promoting and accelerating sustainable development, especially poverty eradication; 5. Requests the World Tourism Organization, mindful of the provisions of paragraphs 23 to 27 of the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67, to inform the General Assembly at its seventy-third session on the implementation of the present resolution, elaborating on the evaluation of the International Year. Draft resolution IV Sustainable tourism and sustainable development in Central America The General Assembly, 12. Invites States Members of the United Nations and other stakeholders and the World Tourism Organization to continue to support the activities undertaken by the Central American countries for the promotion of responsible and sustainable tourism in the region, in the context of emergency preparedness and mitigation of and response to natural disasters, as well as for capacity-building, in order to create jobs and promote local culture and products, by empowering women and youth and extending the benefits of tourism to all sectors of society, including the most vulnerable and marginalized groups of the population, while minimizing its negative impact, and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals; 15. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its seventy-second session a report on the implementation of the present resolution, and decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-second session the item entitled “Sustainable development”, unless otherwise agreed in the discussions on the revitalization of the Second Committee. Draft resolution VIII Global Code of Ethics for Tourism The General Assembly, 6. Invites the States Members of the United Nations and other stakeholders to support the activities undertaken by, inter alia, the World Tourism Organization for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism, including in the context of capacity-building to promote achievement of the sustainable development goals, that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products, by empowering women and youth and extending the benefits of tourism to all sectors of society, including the most vulnerable and marginalized groups of the population, while minimizing its negative impact; 7. Recalls the related targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which, inter alia, aim to devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products as well as develop tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism; 8. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution within his report related to sustainable tourism, in consultation with the World Tourism Organization, and decides to include the item entitled “Global Code of Ethics for Tourism” in the provisional agenda of its seventy-fifth session, unless otherwise agreed in the discussions on the revitalization of the Second Committee.

Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 8.9 By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 12.b Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 14.7 By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

30. Recognizing that sustainable tourism represents an important driver of sustainable economic growth and decent job creation, we strongly support small island developing States in taking the following actions: (a) Developing and implementing policies that promote responsive, responsible, resilient and sustainable tourism, inclusive of all peoples; (b) Diversifying sustainable tourism through products and services, including large-scale tourism projects with positive economic, social and environmental impacts and the development of ecotourism, agritourism and cultural tourism; (c) Promoting policies that allow local communities to gain optimum benefits from tourism while allowing them to determine the extent and nature of their participation; (d) Designing and implementing participatory measures to enhance employment opportunities, in particular of women, youth and persons with disabilities, including through partnerships and capacity development, while conserving their natural, built and cultural heritage, especially ecosystems and biodiversity; (e) Leveraging the expertise of, inter alia, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the Global Observatories on Sustainable Tourism of the World Tourism Organization, the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism and other United Nations bodies, as well as the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production patterns, to provide platforms for the exchange of best practices and direct and focused support to their national efforts; (f) Establishing, upon request, an island, food and sustainable tourism support initiative based on community participation, which takes into consideration ethical values, livelihoods and human settlements, the landscape, the sea, local culture and local products, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, regional development banks and regional and national agricultural, cultural, environmental and tourism authorities where they exist; (g) Establishing and maintaining, where necessary, the governance and management structures for sustainable tourism and human settlements that bring together responsibilities and expertise in the areas of tourism, environment, health, disaster risk reduction, culture, land and housing, transportation, security and immigration, planning and development, and enabling a meaningful partnership approach among the public and private sectors and local communities.

130. We emphasize that well-designed and managed tourism can make a significant contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable development, has close linkages to other sectors, and can create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities. We 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. We 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. 131. We 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, we underline the importance of establishing, where necessary, appropriate guidelines and regulations in accordance with national priorities and legislation for promoting and supporting sustainable tourism.

Decision 7/3. Tourism and sustainable development 1. The Commission on Sustainable Development: (a) Recalls the outcome of the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly for the overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21,14 in particular Assembly resolution S/19-2, annex, of 28 June 1997, in paragraph 69 of which the Assembly requested the Commission on Sustainable Development to develop an action-oriented international programme of work on sustainable tourism development, to be defined in cooperation with theWorld Tourism Organization, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity15 and other relevant bodies, and stressed that policy development and implementation should take place in cooperation with all interested parties, especially the private sector and local and indigenous communities; (b) Recalls also that the General Assembly, in its resolution 53/200 of 15 December 1998, proclaimed the year 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism and in its resolution 53/24 of 10 November 1998 proclaimed 2002 also as the International Year ofMountains; (c) Notes with appreciation the outcome of the multi-stakeholder dialogue at the current session of the Commission and the progress made so far bymajor groups in promoting sustainable tourism development. E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 39 2. The Commission decides to adopt an international work programme on sustainable tourism development, containing the elements outlined below, and to begin its implementation with appropriate means and resources, especially for developing countries, which will be reviewed in 2002 when the 10-year review of progress achieved since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development will be carried out. 3. The Commission urges Governments: (a) To advance sustainable tourism development, inter alia, through the development and implementation of policies and national strategies or master plans for sustainable tourism development based on Agenda 21, which will encourage their tourism industry, assist in attracting foreign direct investment and appropriate environmentally sound technologies, and also provide focus and direction for the active participation ofmajor groups, including national tourism councils and, as appropriate, tourism agencies and organizations, and the private sector as well as indigenous and local communities; (b) To consult, as appropriate, with all major groups and local communities in the tourism development process, including policy formulation, planning, management and sharing of benefits, which could reflect the need to harmonize the relationship among the people, the community and the environment; (c) To work in partnership with major groups, especially at the local level, to ensure active participation in tourism-related planning and development; (d) To undertake capacity-building work with indigenous and local communities in order to facilitate their active participation, at all levels of the tourism development process, including transparent decision-making and sharing of benefits, and to create awareness of the social, economic and environmental costs and benefits that they are bearing; (e) To create the appropriate institutional, legal, economic, social and environmental framework by developing and applying a mix of instruments, as appropriate, such as integrated land-use planning and coastal zone management, economic instruments, social and environmental impact assessment for tourist facilities, including gender aspects, and voluntary initiatives and agreements; (f) To maximize the potential of tourism for eradicating poverty by developing appropriate strategies in cooperation with all major groups, and indigenous and local communities; (g) To welcome the major groups? agreement to promote sustainable tourism development through music, art and drama and to participate in such educational activities; (h) To facilitate destination-specific in-flight educational videos and other materials on sustainable development in relation to tourism and to encourage airline carriers to routinely screen such videos on all international and long-haul domestic routes; (i) To promote a favourable framework for small and medium-sized enterprises, the major engine for job creation in the tourism sector, by reducing administrative burdens, facilitating access to capital and providing training in management and other skills, in recognition of the employment potential of sustainable tourism development; (j) To take strong and appropriate action, through the development and enforcement of specific legislation/measures, against any kind of illegal, abusive or exploitative tourist activity, including sexual exploitation/abuse, in recognition of the fact that such activities have particularly adverse impacts and pose significant social, health and cultural threats, and that all countries have a role to play in the efforts to stamp them out; E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 Report of the Global Conference on the Sustainable 16 Development of Small Island Developing States, Bridgetown, Barbados, 25 April?6 May 1994 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.94.I.18 and corrigenda), chap I, resolution 1, annex II. 40 (k) To participate in international and regional processes that address issues relevant to sustainable tourismdevelopment; to consider the ratification or adoption, and promote the implementation and enforcement, as appropriate, of standards or guidelines relevant to the travel and tourism industry, such as in the labour and health fields; and to support initiatives, especially through organizations like the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization, that would make an early and positive contribution to sustainable tourism development; (l) To support appropriate measures to better inform tourists about cultural, ecological and other values and provide accurate information on the safety of tourist destinations, so as to enable consumers to make informed choices. 4. The Commission calls upon the tourism industry: (a) To develop environmentally, socially and culturally compatible forms of tourism and to continue the development and implementation of voluntary initiatives in support of sustainable tourismdevelopment, bearing in mind that such forms of tourism and initiatives should meet, or preferably exceed, relevant local, national, regional or international standards; (b) To further commit itself to the goal of sustainable tourism development by working towards guiding principles and objectives for sustainable tourism development and information for tourists on ecological and cultural values in destination regions; (c) To further develop voluntary eco-efficiency and appropriate management systems to save costs and to promote sustainable forms of tourism; (d) To take effective steps to reduce the volume of waste associated with travel and tourism activities; (e) To ?design with nature? in collaboration with planning authorities, by using low impact designs, materials and technologies, so as not to damage the environmental or cultural assets that tourists seek to experience and that sustain the local community, and to undertake measures to restore tourist destinations with degraded environments; (f) To distance itself publicly from illegal, abusive or exploitive forms of tourism; (g) To meet or preferably exceed relevant national or international labour standards. 5. The Commission invites, as appropriate, Governments and major groups, as well as the United Nations system, in close collaboration with the World Tourism Organization, while building on relevant work carried out by the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Development Programme and under the Convention on Biological Diversity and other relevant conventions and organizations, and taking note of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States,16 adopted at Barbados in 1994, to consider undertaking the following initiatives and to keep the Commission on Sustainable Development informed on progress achieved: (a) To promote sustainable tourism development in order to increase the benefits from the tourism resources for the population in the host communities and maintain the cultural and environmental integrity of the host community; to encourage cooperation of major groups at all levels with a view to facilitating Local Agenda 21 initiatives and promoting linkages within the local economy in order that benefits may be more widely shared; to this end, greater E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 41 efforts should be undertaken for the employment of the local workforce, and the use of local products and skills; (b) To support national efforts by countries, especially developing countries and countries with economies in transition, and major groups towards sustainable tourism development through relevant capacity-building activities and programmes as well as multilateral and bilateral financial and technical assistance, and appropriate technologies in all aspects of sustainable tourism development, including environmental impact assessment and management and education in the field of tourism; (c) To encouragemore responsible behaviour among tourists through ensuring respect for national laws, cultural values, social norms and tradition as well as by increasing public awareness, in addition to other measures; (d) To promote the application of integrated planning approaches to tourism development at the local level, including through encouraging the use of Local Agenda 21 as a process for planning, implementing and monitoring sustainable tourism development and recognizing the potential for integration of Local Agenda 21 with Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry as well as other such initiatives; (e) To provide relevant direction on research activities, and collect and disseminate information on best practices and techniques, including an appropriate mix of instruments to minimize negative and to promote positive environmental, social and cultural impacts from tourism in developed and developing countries and in countries with economies in transition; (f) To promote the exchange of information on transportation, accommodation and other services, public awareness-raising programmes and education, and various voluntary initiatives and ways to minimize the effects of natural disasters on tourism. Possible forms of this information exchange should be explored in consultation with relevant partners, utilizing, inter alia, such means as bilateral and multilateral arrangements; (g) To undertake studies on appropriate measures for promoting sustainable tourism development, such as community planning in fragile ecosystems, including in coastal areas, and to develop tools to assist local authorities in determining appropriate management regimes and their capacity for tourism development; (h) To further develop or support integrated initiatives, preferably through pilot projects, to enhance the diffusion of innovations and to avoid, wherever possible, duplication and waste of resources; (i) To undertake activities that would be supportive of the preparations for both the International Year of Ecotourism and the International Year of Mountains, as well as activities of the International Coral Reef Initiative; (j) To clarify further the concepts of sustainable tourism and eco-tourism; (k) To develop core indicators for sustainable tourism development, taking into account the work of the World Tourism Organization and other relevant organizations, as well as the ongoing testing phase of indicators for sustainable development; (l) To undertake a comprehensive survey and assessment of the results of implementing existing voluntary initiatives and guidelines relating to the economic, sociocultural and environmental sustainability of tourism, to be reported to the Commission on Sustainable Development in order to identify best practices with respect to raising awareness of sustainable tourism development; (m) To consider establishing a global network, taking into account the work of the World TourismOrganization, regional mechanisms and all major groups, as appropriate, to E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 42 promote an exchange of information and views on sustainable tourism development, including on ecotourism; (n) To cooperate with the United Nations Environment Programme in further developing guiding principles for sustainable tourism development; (o) To encourage business and industry to take steps to implement eco-efficiency approaches, in order to reduce environmental impacts associated with travel and tourism activities, in particular the volume of packaging waste, especially in small island developing States. 6. The Commission invites the World Tourism Organization to consider informed major groups? participation, as appropriate, in the development, implementation and monitoring of its Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, including those provisions relating to a code of conduct for tourists. 7. The Commission invites relevant agencies, particularly the International Maritime Organization, to evaluate whether existing regulations on marine pollution and compliance with them are sufficient to provide adequate protection to fragile coastal zones from adverse impacts as a result of tourist vessel activities. 8. The Commission invites the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to further consider, in the context of the process of the exchange of experiences, existing knowledge and best practice on sustainable tourism development and biological diversitywith a view to contributing to international guidelines for activities related to sustainable tourismdevelopment in vulnerable terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems and habitats ofmajor importance for biological diversity and protected areas, including fragile mountain ecosystems. 9. The Commission welcomes the work of major groups, especially the business community, trade and tourism industry associations, non-governmental organizations and other groups involved in travel and tourism, to contribute to efforts to achieve sustainable tourism development, including through educational initiatives and action plans based on Agenda 21 and other related documents, and particularlywelcomes their commitment through the continuation of their work with all major groups, to do more, and to report to the Commission on Sustainable Development on their progress. 10. The Commission invites the United Nations Secretariat and the World Tourism Organization, in consultation with major groups and other relevant international organizations, to jointly facilitate the establishment of an ad hoc informal open-ended working group on tourism to assess financial leakages and determine how to maximize benefits for indigenous and local communities; and to prepare a joint initiative to improve information availability and capacity-building for participation, and address other matters relevant to the implementation of the international work programme on sustainable tourism development. Annex Co-Chairmen?s summary of the discussions on tourism held by the Inter-Sessional Ad Hoc Working Group on Consumption and Production Patterns and on Tourism at its meeting from 22 to 26 February 1999 Introduction 1. As an outcome of the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly for the overall review and appraisal of the implementation ofAgenda 21 in 1997, the Assembly, in paragraph 69 of the annex to its resolution S/19-2 of 28 June 1997 on the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, requested the Commission on Sustainable Development to E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 17 E/CN.17/1999/5 and Add.1?3. 43 develop an action-oriented international programme of work on sustainable tourism, to be defined in cooperation with theWorld Tourism Organization, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and other relevant bodies.More recently, the Assembly, in its resolution 53/200 of 15 December 1998, declared the year 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism and, in its resolution 53/24 of 10 November 1998, declared 2002 as the International Year of Mountains. The Economic and Social Council, in its resolution 1998/40 of 30 July 1998, requested the Commission, in the framework of its discussion of tourism during its seventh session, to recommend to the Assembly, through the Council, supportive measures and activities which would contribute to a successful International Year of Ecotourism. Many delegations stressed that policy development and implementation should take place in cooperation with all interested parties, especially the private sector and local and indigenous communities, in the context of Agenda 21. 2. The discussions on tourism and sustainable development were based on the recommendations and proposals for action contained in the report of the Secretary-General on tourism and sustainable development and its three addenda.17 In addition, many delegations from developed and developing countries provided useful information on activities, policies and strategies in their countries pertaining to sustainable tourism development. General considerations 3. Many delegations noted that tourism is both currently and potentially a significant contributor to sustained economic growth and sustainable development. In a number of developing countries, tourism has emerged as a dominant economic contributor, providing infrastructure development, jobs, foreign exchange earnings, government tax revenue and other significant benefits to local communities. Developing countries experience trying times with regard to not only environmental management, but also socio-economic welfare and tourism market growth. Uplifting people is the biggest challenge facing the tourism sectors of these countries, and the creation of sustainable job opportunities and the promotion of emerging enterprises, as well as appropriate training, are of cardinal importance. 4. Many delegations also noted that the tourism industry is one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the global economy and has important economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts. Many delegations noted that the continued growth of the tourism industry has important implications for the achievement of sustainable development, particularly in small island developing States and tourist destinations with fragile ecological environments. 5. Many countries emphasized that the tourism sector can be a major engine for economic development in many developing countries because of its large potential contribution to income- and employment-generation. Moreover, in some developing countries, particularly those lacking adequate resource endowments such as the small island developing States, tourism may be the only development alternative available in the short to medium term. However, there was some concern that over-reliance on tourism, especially mass tourism, carries significant risks to tourism-dependent economies since phenomena such as economic recession and natural disasters can have devastating effects on the tourism sector. 6. Many delegations noted that international tourism can potentially introduce both positive and negative social and cultural impacts in host destinations. Although tourism can create positive impacts on social development through employment creation, income redistribution E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 44 and poverty alleviation, it also has the potential to introduce negative social and cultural change such as through drug abuse, child labour, prostitution, overcrowding, pressure on resources, and challenges to established culture. 7. Many delegations stated that an important consideration in sustainable tourism development is the tourist carrying capacity of host destinations in both environmental and social terms which should adequately reflect the ability of a local community to absorb tourists without submerging or overwhelming the local culture and its natural resources. 8. Many countries also stated that the tourism industry can present serious challenges to environmental management, particularly through its consumption of resources, the pollution and waste generated by the development of tourism infrastructures and facilities, transportation and tourist activities. In the absence of proper planning and management, tourism development can encourage the intensive or inappropriate use of land which can lead to deforestation, soil erosion and loss of biological diversity. Ironically, damage to the environment threatens the very viability of the tourism industry because tourism depends heavily on the natural environment. 9. Coastal area development for tourism was identified as an issue of particular concern bymany countries. Improperly planned development of tourism can despoil the pristine beauty of coastal areas, contribute to beach destruction and coastal degradation and negatively affect the livelihood of peoples in coastal communities. The treatment and disposal of liquid and solid wastes generated by the tourism industry were identified as a serious problem, particularly for less developed economies that lack the appropriate physical infrastructure or adequate waste treatment capacity. The disposal of untreated effluents into surrounding areas of land and sea often leads to the pollution of scarce inland freshwater resources, loss of valuable marine life, destruction of coral reefs and the silting and erosion of coastal beaches. 10. Some delegations, noting that the United Nations had declared 2002 as the International Year of Mountains, pointed out that opportunities exist for obvious linkages with the International Year of Ecotourism, also in 2002. Mountain regions represent a significant portion of the tourism industry. These remote, fragile and highly biodiverse ecosystems are homes to unique cultures and traditions which draw tourists from an increasingly urbanized world. If it is not properlymanaged, and does not take into account local communities, local control of resources, the integral role of women, equitable distribution of benefits and appropriate infrastructure needs, tourism development in mountain regions threatens to undermine ecosystems and cultures. 11. Many countries emphasized that fresh water remains a pressing concern. Since the tourism industry is an extremely intensive user of fresh water, the problem of freshwater supply could worsen as the industry expands globally unless steps are taken to minimize water use in accommodation and other tourism activities. Some other delegations noted that, although the tourism sector is only a minor contributor to global warming, air pollution could worsen at the global level, for example, from increased carbon dioxide (CO ) emissions 2 related to energy use in tourism-related transportation, and air-conditioning and heating of tourism facilities. 12. Many countries also emphasized that the tourism industry can help protect and rehabilitate natural assets, such as parks, protected areas and cultural and natural sites, by its financial contributions, provision of environmental infrastructure and improved environmental management. It can also help to raise the awareness of the local population regarding the financial and intrinsic value of natural and cultural sites, motivating communities to reclaim their natural and cultural patrimony through environmental protection and conservation. In general, the tourism industry has a vested interest in maintaining the E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 45 environmental, social and cultural resources of destination areas which represent their core business assets. 13. There was an attempt bymany delegations to define sustainable tourism. One delegation suggested that sustainable tourism is, inter alia, development which ?... meets the need of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future?. Other delegations suggested that ?sustainable tourism must seek a balance between (a) economic benefit and investment; (b) social participation, including local communities, with direct earnings, and seeking preservation and consolidation of its cultural values and traditions; (c) conservation and protection of environment and biological diversity, taking into account regulations that allow an appropriate management of habitats and the introduction of education and dissemination of information to promote an environmental consciousness among the local population and visitors?. One delegation noted that ecotourism is an economic activity that minimizes environmental impacts, valuing and contributing to the conservation of ecosystems, and at the same time generates incomes for local communities. 14. One delegation noted that ecotourism has potential to create new patterns of tourism but, at the same time, there are impediments to promoting ecotourism which include local communities? hesitation to replace conventional tourism, the reluctance to adopt codes of conduct to ensure the quality of ecotourism and the difficulty of promoting ecotourism in areas unlikely to attract visitors. Challenges 15. Delegations noted that there are a number of important challenges associated with sustainable tourism development. These challenges include, inter alia, the following: (a) A concentration of services and profits into very few big transnational corporations, which often leads to the development of enclaves with no linkage to other socioeconomic sectors of the local society; (b) The lack of an adequate tourism infrastructure, which was seen as a serious obstacle to tourism development in some countries, particularly developing countries; (c) The need to improve the access of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to government incentives and publicity; (d) The need to involve local communities, at all levels, in all aspects of the tourism development process, such as policy-making, planning, management, ownership and the sharing of benefits; (e) The need to ensure that tourism development planning preserves the natural and cultural legacy, heritage and integrity of tourism destinations and respects the social and cultural norms of society, particularly among the indigenous communities; (f) The need to inform people of the benefits to be gained from sustainable tourism development through community awareness campaigns; (g) The need to raise public awareness about sustainable tourism and to encourage more responsible behaviour among tourists; (h) The need to enhance the linkages of the private tourism sector with the other sectors of the economy, and to ensure that domestic entrepreneurs are not marginalized by foreign investors in the tourism industry; (i) To ensure sufficient coordination between the public and private sectors to achieve sustainable tourism; E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 46 (j) To overcome the lack of regional cooperation for promoting the development of sustainable tourism. Action by Governments 16. Many delegations stressed that Governments should give appropriate attention and priority to tourism in development planning so that it develops in harmony with overall economic, social and environmental goals, within an integrated policy framework. In this regard, Governments should develop national strategies or master plans for tourism, in the context of Agenda 21, which will provide focus and direction to all stakeholders. 17. Some delegations stated that countries should consider the various options available for financing tourism infrastructure projects, such as government outlays, financing by multilateral and regional financial institutions, involvement of the private sector through buildoperate- transfer schemes, and foreign direct investment (FDI). In addition, there are also various options for private sector financing for, inter alia, training, education, management and marketing. 18. Some countries noted that the use of economic instruments to promote sustainable tourism, in particular the full-costing and pricing of energy and water, can promote ecoefficiency in the tourism industry as well as provide additional revenue that can be used to support improved management of these resources. In this regard, the polluter-pays principle and user-pays systems are appropriate and should be more widely applied and supported. 19. Many delegations were of the view that government policies should be implemented to encourage and support small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism industry, especially in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. 20. Many delegations stressed that Governments should promote partnerships between all stakeholders and that they can play an important role by encouraging, supporting and facilitating the involvement and commitment of all stakeholders, especially indigenous and local communities, in the planning, development and management of tourism. 21. Many delegations emphasized that there needs to be an increase in the transfer of the benefits from tourism to local communities through the creation of jobs, entrepreneurial opportunities and social benefits if efforts to promote community participation are to be effective. 22. Some countries emphasized that, in some cases, there is a need to control the rate of growth of the tourism sector in order to preserve the natural and cultural legacy, heritage and integrity of tourism destinations as well as the social and cultural norms of society, particularly among the indigenous communities. 23. Many countries noted that it is necessary to promote capacity-building in sustainable tourism, particularly among local governments. In many countries, local governments have important responsibilities for tourism development and management, and capacity-building programmes will enable them to better understand these responsibilities with respect to sustainable tourism. 24. Some delegations pointed out that local and central governments should enhance their capacity to monitor the performance of the tourism industry and to develop suitable indicators of sustainable tourism that can be used in their decision-making. 25. Many delegations stressed that Governments should promote the role of the local community in deciding what it is prepared to offer, how its cultural patrimony is to be presented and which, if any, aspects of the culture are off-limits to visitors. E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 47 26. Some delegations suggested that tourism, in particular mass tourism, should be regulated and, where necessary, prohibited in ecologically and culturally sensitive areas. In protected areas and where nature is particularly diverse, vulnerable and attractive, tourism should be permitted onlywhere it meets the requirements of nature protection and biological diversity conservation. In coastal areas where tourism can impose serious environmental damage, the principles of integrated coastal area management should be implemented. Environmental impact studies are an important tool for sustainable development and should be undertaken. 27. Many delegations noted that sustainability issues should be fully integrated into courses at all levels of education in order to develop environmental awareness and the skills required to promote sustainable tourism. In this regard, it is also important to raise public awareness about sustainable tourism and to encourage more responsible behaviour among tourists. 28. Many countries emphasized that there is a need for further efforts to prevent and control tourism-related abuse and exploitation of people, particularly women and children and other disadvantaged groups. Some delegations felt that both sending and receiving countries had roles to play in combating this serious negative impact of international tourism. Action by the private sector 29. Many delegations stated that the tourism industry should ensure that their investment, employment, operational and other business decisions take full account of the wider implications of such actions for the long-term development and economic sustainability of the destinations in which they operate. 30. Some countries suggested that the tourism industry, by modifying the products it develops and offers the public, can directly influence the nature of tourism itself, directing it towards sustainable forms of tourism. Marketing can be used to enhance the industry?s initiatives for promoting sustainable development by, inter alia, raising awareness among their clients of the potential environmental and social impacts of their holidays, and of responsible behaviour. In some countries, the tourism industry is also increasingly interested in eco-labels as a means of promoting those countries? facilities and destinations. Some delegations cautioned, however, that the concept of eco-labelling and related issues are still under consideration by the Committee on Trade and Environment of the World Trade Organization. 31. Many delegations urged tourism enterprises to integrate environmental management systems and procedures into all aspects of corporate activity. This would necessitate the implementation of, inter alia, environmental and social audits, and training of staff in the principles and practices of sustainable tourism management. Tourism enterprises were also urged to take all appropriate measures to minimize all forms of waste, conserve energy and freshwater resources, and control harmful emissions to all environmental media, as well as minimize the potential environmental impacts from tourism development, for example, by using local materials and technologies appropriate to local conditions. The tourism industry was encouraged to promote wider implementation of environmental management, particularly among small- and medium-sized enterprises. 32. Many delegations noted that the tourism industry had developed a number of environmental codes of conduct and other voluntary initiatives in support of sustainable tourism. It was suggested that an inventory and assessment should be made of such voluntary initiatives on the part of industry, and improvements in the monitoring and reporting of industry?s progress towards the objective of sustainable tourism. Some delegations requested the preparation of an inventory of all existing codes of conduct, guidelines and voluntary initiatives concerning sustainable tourism. E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 18 E/CN.17/1999/11. 48 Action by the international community 33. Many delegations stressed the need for the international community to promote the recognition of the value of tourism as an economic tool for development, particularly for developing countries, and the fragility of the resources on which it depends, as well as the resulting need for international support to encourage its sustainable development. 34. Many delegations were of the view that international organizations and donor countries should increase their efforts in training and capacity-building in the field of tourism in developing countries, and that studies should be carried out on specific issues of interest to developing countries. Technical and financial assistance to developing countries is critical to enable them to develop competitive and sustainable tourism sectors. 35. Some delegations stated that the international, regional and multilateral agreements and guidelines that address the issue of sustainable tourism need to be effectively translated into practical programmes for implementation by the tourism industry, Governments and civil society. There is also a need to consolidate as well as enhance the monitoring of these initiatives. 36. Many delegations stressed that the international community has an important role to assist developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, economies in transition and small island developing States, through financial and technical assistance to Governments at all levels. 37. Many delegations also stressed that the international community should strengthen development cooperation to make tourism development more environmentally sustainable, while emphasizing financial support and measures to accelerate the transfer of environmentally sound technology to developing countries. Steps should be taken to facilitate the international exchange of information, experiences and technical skills, especially between the developed and developing countries. Some delegations said that international cooperation should make tourism sustainable in respect of its economic and social aspects as well. 38. Some delegations emphasized that regional cooperation is an important policy approach for promoting the development of sustainable tourism. 39. One delegation noted that, although it is important to allow for a variety of forms of ecotourism that depend on the regional situation, there are benefits to be derived from global standards to minimize negative ramifications of ecotourism and an international network to promote an exchange of information and views.

Sustainable Tourism

Sustainable tourism is the form of tourism that meets the needs of tourists, the tourism industry, and host communities today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

According to The World Tourism Organization (WTO), sustainable tourism should:

1) Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.

2) Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance.

3) Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.

Definition of Sustainable Tourism

The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism in the following manner:

“Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems.”

While tourism is welcomed almost universally for the benefits and opportunities it creates, there is a growing recognition of the need to see tourism in its environmental context, to acknowledge that tourism and the environment are interdependent, and to work to reinforce the positive relationship between tourism , the environment and poverty reduction.

Sustainable tourism means tourism which is economically viable but does not destroy the resources on which the future of tourism will depend, notably the physical environment and the social fabric of the host community.

According to Richards , “Sustainable tourism is tourism which develops as quickly as possible, taking account of current accommodation capacity, the local population, and the environment. The development of tourism and new investment in the tourism sector should not detract from tourism itself. New tourism facilities should be integrated with the environment.”

Butler defines environmentally sustainable tourism as , “tourism which is developed and maintained in an area (community, environment) in such a manner and at such a scale that it remains viable over an infinite period and does not degrade or alter the environment (human and physical) in which it exists to such a degree that it prohibits the successful development and well being of other activities and processes.”

Sustainable Tourism Development

The World Commission on Environment and Development (The Brundtland Commission) brought the term ‘sustainable tourism development’ into common use in its seminal report (1987) called ‘Our Common Future.’

“Sustainable Development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

The definition has within it two concepts:

• The concept of ‘needs’, especially the needs of the poor.
• Ability to meet the present and future needs.

Basically, when we talk about sustainable development, the easiest definition is what we, the present generation, have inherited a certain amount of ecology and environment surrounding in terms of land, water, and air; when we leave it to the next generation, we should leave it at least in the same condition, of not in a better condition than what we inherited. This is the sum and substance if sustainable development, putting it in elementary terms.”

Need for Sustainable Tourism Development

Until the beginning of last decade tourism was seen as a profitable sector of business with no obvious constraints to growth, few barriers to entry to the market, an almost, universal welcome from governments and, for the most part, entailing few effective regulatory requirements to take the environment into account.

Commercial organizations, large and small, act on the Dawkin’s principle of self-interest. They do not make significant changes to the way they do business, which could be because of exhortations or out of good intentions, except in response to the pressure of external factors that cannot be avoided or to seize a competitive advantage.

International tourism has brought in a phase in which the opportunities of making quick profits from exploiting what was regarded as freely available natural resources dazzled the eyes of government and businessmen, as well as many local residents.

As there are many economic, social, ecological and political limits to tourism development, sustainable strategies are necessary to eradicate these problems.

Principles of Sustainable Tourism

Tourism Concern, 1991 in association with the Worldwide Fund for Nature(WWF) gives 1 0 principles for sustainable tourism . These are following as:

1)  Using resources sustainably. The conservation and sustainable use of resources- natural, social and cultural – is crucial and makes long-term business sense.

2) Reducing over-consumption and waste. Reduction of over-consumption and waste avoids the costs of restoring long-term environmental damage and contributes to the quality of tourism.

3) Maintaining biodiversity. Maintaining and promoting natural, social and cultural diversity is essential for long-term sustainable tourism and creates a resilient base for the industry.

4) Integrating tourism into planning. Tourism development which is integrated into a national and local strategic planning framework and which undertake environmental impact assessments increases the long-term viability of tourism.

5) Supporting local economies. Tourism that supports a wide range of local economic activities and which takes environmental costs and values into account, both protects these economies and avoids environmental damage.

6) Involving local communities. The full involvement of local communities in the tourism sector not only benefits them and the environment in general but also improves the quality of the tourism experience.

7) Consulting stakeholders and the public. Consulting between the tourism industry and local communities, organizations and institutions are essential if they are to work alongside each other and resolve potential conflicts of interest.

8) Training staff. Staff training which integrates sustainable tourism into work practices, along with recruitment of personnel at all levels, improves the quality of the tourism product.

9) Marketing tourism responsibly. Marketing that provides tourists with the full and responsible information increases respect for the natural, social and cultural environments of destination areas and enhances customer satisfaction.

10) Undertaking research. Ongoing research and monitoring by the industry using effective data collection and analysis are essential to help solve problems and to bring benefits to destinations, the industry, and consumers.

Three Dimensions of Sustainable Tourism

Tourism has environmental, economic and social impacts. Sustainable tourism is about maximizing the impacts which are positive and minimizing the negative ones.

• Environmental

Environmental Dimension

To many people, sustainability is about the environment, primarily the natural, physical environment, and its protection. However, there is far more to the environment than just the natural landscape.

Let us now move on to look at the five aspects of the environment:

The Natural Resources

Tourism makes use of a range of natural resources, and in many cases, the core attraction of a destination’s product may be natural resources such as clean air, land, mineral waters, and the water in lakes and seas.

The Natural Environment

There are few natural landscape or wilderness areas left in the world. Almost all natural landscapes have been affected to some extent by the actions of man through the centuries. Tourism is only one industry or activity which changes landscapes.

The natural landscape represents the core of the tourism product in many areas including natural forests, mountains, and regions which attract tourists because of their rivers and lakes.

The Farmed Environment

The farmed environment can cover a diverse range of agricultural systems including agriculture landscapes, man-made forests, and fish farms.

Wildlife has a number of dimensions such as land-based mammals and reptiles, flora, birds, insects, fish, and marine mammals. Tourism can clearly be very harmful to wildlife through the destruction of habitats, affecting feeding habits, disrupting breeding patterns, fires in woodlands and people picking rare plants.

The Build Environment

We also need to recognize that, in term of tourism, there are several dimensions to the built environment such as individual buildings and structures, villages and townscapes, transport infrastructure, dams, and reservoirs.

Economic Dimension

In the debate over sustainable tourism, the economic dimension is often given relatively scant attention compared to the environmental issues. Tourism is an economic phenomenon because:

• It is a major industry and foreign currency earner.
• It is the basis of the growth of many transnational corporations.
• It accounts for a significant proportion of the annual disposable income.

Economic Benefits of Tourism

Tourism contributes to the economy of a country in various ways. Economic benefits of tourism are following as:

• Job creation
• Injection of income into the local economy through the multiplier effect.
• Helping keep the local business viable.
• Infrastructure development.
• Attracts the foreign direct investments.

Economic Costs of Tourism

There are many economic benefits of tourism as well as costs. Economic costs of the tourism are following as:

• Many jobs are low paid and seasonal.
• Opportunity costs.
• Congestion.
• The need to invest in expensive infrastructure which may only be required for part of the year.
• Over-dependence on tourism makes the host economy vulnerable.

Social Dimension

The social dimension of tourism has been given less attention in the sustainable tourism debates, than the environmental impacts of tourism. This is because the socio-cultural impacts of tourism usually occur slowly over time in an unspectacular fashion. They are also largely invisible and intangible.

The social impact of tourism is usually permanent with little or no opportunity to reverse the changes once it has taken place. When the social impact of sustainable tourism has been considered the focus has normally been upon the host community .

There are a number of factors that determine whether or not the balance of socio-cultural impacts will be positive or negative in a particular location including:

• The strength and coherence of the local society and culture.
• The nature of tourism in the resort.
• The level of economic and social development of the host population in relation to the tourists.
• The measures were taken by the public sector in the destination to manage tourism in ways which minimize the socio-cultural costs of tourism.

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