Encyclopedia of Sustainable Management pp 1–8 Cite as
Sustainable Tourism (Sustainable Development of Tourism, Sustainable Tourism Management)
- Nil Sonuç 7
- Living reference work entry
- First Online: 19 February 2020
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Definitions and Conceptualizations of Sustainable Tourism
A well designed and well-managed tourism can make a significant contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable development and has close linkages to other sectors and can create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities.
UN Resolution ( 2012 , pp. 130/283)
In line with the above description of the United Nations, the “sustainable tourism” definition of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is as follows:
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.
UNEP and UNWTO ( 2005 , p. 12)
Since the first appearance of the environmental concerns by Brundtland Commission with “Our Common Future Report,” the need for the protection of the scarce resources of the world while developing the industry to meet the needs of current and future generations, conceptually the sustainability,...
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İzmir Katip Çelebi University, İzmir, Turkey
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Correspondence to Nil Sonuç .
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London Metropolitan University, Guildhall Faculty of Business and Law London Metropolitan University, London, UK
Samuel Idowu
Cologne Business School, Ingolstadt, Germany
René Schmidpeter
College of Business, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, USA
Nicholas Capaldi
International Training Centre of the IL, International Labor Organization, Turin, Italy
Liangrong Zu
Department of Economics, Society and Politics, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
Mara Del Baldo
Instituto Politécnico da Guarda, Guarda, Portugal
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Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
Arto O. Salonen
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Sonuç, N. (2020). Sustainable Tourism (Sustainable Development of Tourism, Sustainable Tourism Management). In: Idowu, S., Schmidpeter, R., Capaldi, N., Zu, L., Del Baldo, M., Abreu, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sustainable Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02006-4_454-1
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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02006-4_454-1
Received : 03 November 2019
Accepted : 04 December 2019
Published : 19 February 2020
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UN General Assembly Hosts Tourism for Sustainable Development Event
- All Regions
- 17 Apr 2024
The United Nations General Assembly has held a second thematic event focused on tourism and the sector’s critical role in critical role of tourism in advancing sustainable development and resilience.
Organized by the President of the General Assembly in collaboration with UN Tourism , the event was held at the UN Headquarters within the framework of Sustainability Week. The presence of Member States, Observers, civil society organizations, and UN agencies reflected a growing collective commitment to harnessing the transformative power of tourism for inclusive and sustainable development .
The growing significance of the tourism sector for our societies and our economies brings with it extra responsibility. We cannot allow the lifeline of tourism to be cut again. Resilience in the tourism is not just a matter of planning or reacting to crises.
Addressing the General Assembly, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The growing significance of the tourism sector for our societies and our economies brings with it extra responsibility. We cannot allow the lifeline of tourism to be cut again. Resilience in the tourism is not just a matter of planning or reacting to crises. It is also about proactively addressing the underlying factors of those crises. Unsustainable consumption is leading to biodiversity loss, climate change and the emergence of pandemics. It's vital that we adopt policies that accelerate transformative change.”
The President of the General Assembly, His Excellency Dennis Francis, said: "We need a global tourism sector that is sustainable – one with deep local value chains that expand demand for locally made products and services in ways that also directly and positively benefit local communities; a sector that serves as a positive force for biodiversity conservation, heritage protection and climate friendly livelihoods."
High-level platform for statistics-led strategy
The thematic event provided a platform for Member States to share best practices, strategies, and innovative approaches to promote sustainable and resilient tourism, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key highlights included:
- Fireside Chat: The Future of Tourism - Leaders from the tourism industry, academia, and civil society engaged in a dynamic discussion on the future of tourism and the need for innovative solutions to address emerging challenges and opportunities.
- Ministerial Roundtables : Discussions were held on the launch of the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism and strategies for fostering resilient tourism in the face of global challenges. Ministers and high-level officials shared insights and commitments to advance sustainable tourism practices and policies.
In closing, the President of the General Assembly reiterated the importance of collaboration and partnership to address the complex challenges facing the tourism sector and reaffirmed the UN's commitment to supporting sustainable tourism as a catalyst for positive change.
In February, the UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution to declare 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism . The resolution invites UN Tourism to work with Governments, UN agencies and international organizations to on the implementation of the themed year.
New York, U.S.A.
Credit un photo/loey felipe.
Related links:
- Download News Release on PDF
- Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST)
- Sustainable tourism development
- Video: High-Level Thematic Event on Tourism - General Assembly
- Tourism 4SDGs
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