Sustainability is a concept that has been gaining social and political recognition, not least due to the coordinated launch of the Millennium Development Goals in 2000, and now with the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Established in 2015 and promoted by the United Nations, the SDGs are key to ensuring an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable world.
The 2030 Agenda is the reference framework for all UN agencies, programs and funds, and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is responsible for ensuring international tourism plays its part in its achievement.
The following guidelines have been established:
- The principle of sustainability refers not just to the environmental impact of tourism but also to its social and economic impacts.
- To protect and preserve the natural spaces and biological ecosystems of destinations.
- To respect the traditions and cultures of host countries and develop intercultural tolerance.
- To ensure economic activities that reduce poverty in the host country.
These guidelines are only the first link in a whole chain that is concerned with and advocates sustainable tourism.
These guidelines mean that as tourism restarts, the sector is ready to grow back stronger and better for people, planet and prosperity.
