One Planet: UNWTO announces its new vision for global tourism

One Planet: UNWTO announces its new vision for global tourism
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili

To mark World Environment Day, the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Program led by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) announces its new vision for global tourismโ€“ growing better, stronger, and balancing the needs of people, planet and prosperity.

Theย One Planet Vision for the Responsible Recovery of the Tourism Sectorย builds on the UNWTO Global Guidelines to Restart Tourism, with the aim toย emerge stronger and more sustainableย from the COVID-19 crisis.

This combined effort comes at a time when several destinations around the world begin to ease restrictions on travel and mobility and the tourism sector is getting ready to resume its activity with the lessons learned from the pandemic.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: โ€œSustainability must no longer be a niche part of tourism but must be the new norm for every part of our sector. This is one of the central elements of ourย Global Guidelines to Restart Tourism. It is in our hands to transform tourism and that emerging from COVID-19 becomes a turning point for sustainability.

Better, more sustainable, and resilient growth

The One Planet Vision calls forย responsible recovery for the tourism sector, which is founded on sustainability, to build back better. This will underpin tourismโ€™s resilience to be better prepared for future crises. The Vision will support the development and implementation of recovery plans, which contribute to theย Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)ย and to theย Paris Agreement.

At a time when governments and the private sector are embarking on the path to recovery, the time is right to keep advancing towards a more economically, social and environmentallyย sustainable tourism model.

Private sector committed to lead by example

Sabina Fluxร , Vice-Chairman and CEO Iberostar Group , a leading international Hotel and Resort company, stressed that ” it is imperative to keep focused on creating a more responsible and fair way to travelโ€, adding that โ€œIberostar has responded by integrating sustainability in elevated safety protocols and further committing to our circular economy policies to ensure any new waste is managed properly.โ€

According to Delphine King, Executive Director of The Long Run, an international community of nature-based tourism businesses, โ€œOur members collectively conserve over 20 million acres of fragile ecosystems, and none of this work has stopped despite the pandemic and tourismโ€™s pause, demonstrating where priorities lie.โ€

James Thornton, CEO, Intrepid Travel, a leading provider of adventure travel experiences, call for committed actions and underscores that, โ€œWe believe climate action is a collective commitment to the sustainability of the entire travel industry, and the world we so love to exploreโ€.

Theย One Planet Vision for the Responsible Recovery of the Tourism Sectorย is structured aroundย six lines of action to guide responsible tourismย recovery for people, planet and prosperity, namely public health, social inclusion, biodiversity conservation, climate action, circular economy and governance and finance.

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Chief Assignment editor is Oleg Siziakov

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