The Global Forum website tries to keep track of the ever changing landscape of trade analysis, measurement of trade and trade statistics. The site keeps a database of links to over 150 relevant publications, reports, articles and speeches.
With a view to further support governments and other institutions in their endeavours, UNWTO has produced this publication in the series on Tourism and Poverty Alleviation, including concrete examples of private or public tourism projects and operations that have been presented by UNWTO Member States as good, sustainable practices in poverty reduction through tourism. In total, 26 cases were received from 20 countries. The seven approaches, set up in the previous publication “Tourism and Poverty Alleviation: Recommendations for Action”, have been used to facilitate a more accurate description of the mechanisms that contribute to poverty reduction:Employment of the poor in tourism enterprises, Supply of goods and services to tourism enterprises by the poor or by enterprises employing the poor, direct sales of goods and services to visitors by the poor (informal economy), Establishment and running of tourism enterprises by the poor - e.g. micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs), or community based enterprises (formal economy), tax or levy on tourism income or profits with proceeds benefiting the poor, Voluntary giving/support by tourism enterprises and tourists, Investment in infrastructure stimulated by tourism also benefiting the poor in the locality, directly or through support to other sectors.
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This compilation contains 65 case studies received from 47 countries about exemplary practices in small ecotourism businesses (SMEs). The cases provide rich details on methodologies and business approaches applied successfully by a wide range of ecotourism companies; they provide a valuable well of information that can serve for generating ideas and adapting sustainable ecotourism practices to the specific local conditions elsewhere. The experiences presented in this book come directly from the field, from the people who have developed these initiatives and who are daily in charge of these business ventures. They reflect well the complexity of small businesses, the great challenges and opportunities they face, and the endless creativity that this business allows for.
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Tourism can contribute to the fight against poverty in developing countries, and more specifically in the least developed countries. However, this potential is closely linked to the accessibility of financing sources. With the aim of finding solutions to the numerous problems involved in the financing of tourism development initiatives especially for small enterprises and microbusinesses in developing countries, the WTO in conjunction with PlaNet Finance, a leading microcredit institution, is studying the possibilities of adapting microcredit to the specific needs of the tourism sector. This report presents recommendations for small tourism enterprises and microbusinesses as well as microfinance institutions, with the objective of bringing them together and thus stimulate tourism development that benefits the poor. This report encourages governments and MFIs to adapt lending terms to the specific characteristics of tourism activity and poor populations.
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