natural tourist resources

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Sustainable development

• Biodiversity
• Climate Action
• Global Tourism Plastics Initiative
• Hotel Energy Solutions (HES)

Resource Efficiency in Tourism

• Small Islands Developing States (SIDS)
• Travel facilitation
• UNGA Sustainable Tourism Resolutions

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Baseline Report on the Integration of Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns into Tourism Policies

Advancing sustainable consumption and production (SCP) patterns is essential if the sector is to contribute effectively to sustainable development. UN Tourism expects international tourist arrivals to reach 1.8 billion by 2030, if not before. As the sector is growing faster than the world economy or international trade, the need to decouple its growth from the use of natural resources is of high importance.

The report aims to inspire stakeholders and encourage them to advance the implementation of the SDGs through sustainable tourism.

UN Tourism with support from UN Environment and the Government of France embarked on this research project with the objective to gain insights on the integration of SCP into tourism policies. Based on 101 national tourism policies from around the world, this report presents the first global assessment of SCP policy instruments in national tourism. The report also contributes to visualizing the progress achieved towards the implementation of SDG Target 12.b., which calls for “the development and implementation of tools to monitor sustainable development impacts of tourism”.

The report ultimately aims to inspire stakeholders and encourage them to advance the implementation of the SDGs through sustainable tourism by recommending five strategic approaches such as: 

• Use the SDGs as a guiding framework and prioritize SDG12 for multiplier effects; 
• Outline SCP policy instruments to pave the way towards implementation of policies;
• Support the regular and timely measurement of SCP for effective implementation;
• Incorporate geospatial data to visualize the interactions of tourism with the environment;
• Embrace other innovative approaches – circularity as an SCP enabler.

Related link

• INFOGRAPHIC
• PREVIEW OF THE REPORT
• Full Report in the UN Tourism E-library

Sustainable Tourism Policy Talks #SDGsTourismTalks

In the Sustainable Tourism Policy Talks Ministers of Tourism are invited to share their vision on the implementation of tourism policies and the contribution of the sector to the achievement of SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production and other connected SDGs.

The #SDGsTourismTalks build on the strategic recommendations of the Baseline Report on the Integration of Sustainable Consumption and Production in Tourism Policies and provide Member States with an opportunity to disseminate their efforts and commitment to develop sound tourism policies and ensure their effective implementation.

#SDGsTourismTalks – Introduction by Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UN Tourism

#SDGsTourismTalks  –  Ms. Nikolina Angelkova, Minister of Tourism of Bulgaria

#SDGsTourismTalks  –  Mr. Benjamín Liberoff, Vice Minister of Tourism of Uruguay

#SDGsTourismTalks – Ms. Ana Godinho, Secretary of State for Tourism of Portugal 

#SDGsTourismTalks – Mr. Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife of Kenya 

#SDGsTourismTalks – Mr. Jorge Mario Chajón Aguilar, Director of the Guatemalan Tourism Institute 

#SDGsTourismTalk s –  Mr. Jose da Silva Gonçalves, Minister of Tourism, Transport and Maritime Economy of Cabo Verde 

#SDGsTourismTalks - Ms. Maria Amalia Revelo, Minister of Tourism, Costa Rican Institute of Tourism