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.
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
the World Travel and Tourism Council
the Earth Council
1997
This is a scanned document. To facilitate the use of this publication we have divided it into various parts. To browse all chapters of that book, please go to the Table of Contents on the left hand navigation bar. A second printing makes this essential environment publication newly available for the entire tourism sector. Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry outlines practical steps that governments and private tourism companies can take to implement the goals of the Rio Earth Summit and make the future of the tourism sector and our entire planet more sustainable. A joint publication of WTO, the World Travel & Tourism Council, and the Earth Council, this book is packed with examples of good environmental practice and provides the guidelines needed to convert well-meaning theories about sustainability into reality.
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The following report was prepared by the World Tourism Organization in response to Economic and Social Council resolution 1998/40 and General Assembly resolution A/RES/53/200. It outlines the activities undertaken by States members and major international organizations in preparation for, and during the International Year of Ecotourism (IYE). The report presents, in its
first part, all the activities carried out by WTO, UNEP and other international organizations in preparation for and during the IYE. In a second part, this report synthesises the activities undertaken by governments in the framework of the International Year of Ecotourism. This information is structured according to six main themes: national policy, activities and
publications, stakeholders participation and support, awareness, regulation and cooperation. The last part of the report provides detailed information on follow-up activities and outlines recommendations for further action.
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World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
oundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
1997
A joint publication of the World Tourism Organization, the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE), and UNEP, this book outlines Europe’s Blue Flag campaign. It explains how Blue Flag assists the tourism sector and at the same time helps to improve the coastal environment. The book includes chapters on the history of the Blue Flag campaign, how the campaign is financed and monitored, and criteria and lessons which can be learned from the European experience. It also looks at the differences between European beaches and those in other parts of the world and explains how the Blue Flag programme can be adapted to regions outside of Europe.
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This publication was prepared as a result of the First International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism which was held on 9-11 April 2003 in Djerba, Tunisia. It includes a basic report and summaries of the discussions and sessions on the consequences, opportunities and risks that the tourism sector is facing as a result of changes in world’s climate. The publication includes the Djerba Declaration on Tourism and Climate Change and the Agenda of Action.
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World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
2008
The Report on "Climate Change and Tourism - Responding to Global Challenges" that was commissioned to an international team of experts by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), provides a synthesis of the state of knowledge about current and likely future impacts of climate change on tourism destinations around the world, possible implications for tourist demand, current levels and trends in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the tourism sector. It gives an overview of policy and management responses of adaptation to climate change and mitigation of tourism's emissions. The Report also summarizes the main results of a series of events focused on climate change and tourism, which took place in the second of half of 2007.
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This draft concept note for the development of the Sustainable Tourism Programme
of the 10YFP will be finalized through an extensive global multi-stakeholder consultation process. This document is
based on a stocktaking exercise and global survey on existing data and initiatives on sustainable tourism, engaging
nearly 400 actors, as well as relevant UN resolutions and programmes. This document provides a general definition of
sustainable tourism, presents the concept of sustainable consumption and production, and summarizes the challenges
and opportunities to achieve sustainable tourism. The concept note outlines a vision and goal for the Sustainable
Tourism Programme, as well as proposed programme areas for discussion and agreement. These documents will
provide the basis for completing the 10YFP programme template, which will be officially submitted to the 10YFP
Secretariat for a further public consultation, followed by approval by the 10YFP Board and official launch.
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This enlarged and revised edition of WTO’s most popular publication: Sustainable Tourism Development: Guide for Local Planners, presents concepts, principles and techniques for planning and developing tourism and includes sections on managing environmental and socio-economic impacts at the local level. It also contains numerous examples of sustainable tourism best practices readily adaptable to the particular conditions and level of development of each destination.
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World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
1998
Nowadays tourism involves the movement of millions of people to virtually all countries on the surface of this globe. Quite often tourism developments are located in areas exposed to, or likely to be exposed to, sudden-onset natural disasters, in particular beach and coastal areas, river valleys and mountain regions. If these developments are hit by natural disasters, the image of the tourist destination will suffer.This handbook, jointly produced by WTO and WMO experts, demonstrates how to combat natural disasters in tourist areas and mitigate their impacts. It guides the reader through disaster onset to post-disaster reconstruction and the relaunching of a tourist destination.
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WTO has been promoting the use of sustainable tourism indicators since the early 1990s, as essential instruments for policy-making, planning and management processes at destinations. The new guidebook is the most comprehensive resource on this topic, the result of an extensive study on indicator initiatives worldwide, involving 62 experts from more than 20 countries. The new guidebook describes over 40 major sustainability issues, ranging from the management of natural resources (waste, water, energy, etc.), to development control, satisfaction of tourists and host communities, preservation of cultural heritage, seasonality, economic leakages, or climate change, to mention just a few. For each issue, indicators and measurement techniques are suggested with practical information sources and examples. The publication also contains a procedure to develop destination-specific indicators, their use in tourism policy and planning processes, as well as applications in different destination types (e.g. coastal, urban, ecotourism, small communities). Numerous examples and 25 comprehensive case studies provide a wide range of experiences at the company, destination, national and regional levels from all continents.
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At the invitation of the Government of Spain, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) organized the International Conference on Tourism, Religions and Dialogue of Cultures. This Conference was held in Cordoba, Spain, from 29 to 31 October 2007 in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce, the Junta of Andalusia and the Municipality of Cordoba. The present publication contains the speeches and presentations delivered at the Conference, as well as initiatives and case studies featured in the three panels of the event: (a) Tourism, Religions and the Dialogue of Civilizations, (b) Religious Tourism and (c) Sustainability of Religious Tourism Destinations.
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United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
2005
Massive growth is predicted for tourism in the forthcoming years, providing excellent opportunities for spreading prosperity but presenting considerable challenges and potential threats to the environment and local communities if not well managed. Jointly produced with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), this new Guide is a basic reference book and provides a blueprint for governments to formulate and implement sustainable tourism policies. It builds on previous work of WTO and UNEP on the different aspects of sustainability. The Guide defines what sustainability means in tourism, what are the effective approaches for developing strategies and policies for more sustainable tourism, the tools that would make the policies work on the ground, and it presents selected case studies. The publication is aimed primarily at governments, at national or local level, while being also relevant to international development agencies, NGOs and the private sector to the extent that they are affected by, and can affect, tourism policies and their implementation.
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For most islands, tourism is the main economic activity in terms of income generation, employment creation, and foreign exchange earnings. But due to their small size, islands are quite vulnerable to the negative environmental and social impacts that tourism can sometimes bring. That is why it is vital to plan, manage and monitor tourism development in SIDS, aiming at sustainability objectives. This WTO report presents a summary of the current status of tourism in SIDS, while providing evidence of the key importance it has for the sustainable development of many islands and for the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals. It also addresses the key issues that need to be considered by small island nations and provides policy orientations, guidelines and other tools to the National Tourism Authorities, the tourism industry and other tourism stakeholders in SIDS on how to develop and manage tourism in a sustainable manner for the benefit of their population.
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World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
Netherlands Development Organization (SNV)
2010
With the aim of contributing to the understanding of tourism as a tool for poverty alleviation and sustainable development, UNWTO jointly with SNV has produced this publication, which outlines some practical steps that can be taken in tourism destinations to shape and manage tourism in ways which deliver more benefits to disadvantaged individuals and communities. The manual looks at the process of analysing a tourism destination in terms of current contribution of tourism to the poor and planning how this could be strengthened in the future. It proposes the establishment of a tourism strategy and action plan based on this analysis which embraces pro-poor concerns and actions and provides guidance on planning monitoring and evaluation. Furthermore it contains an indicative programme of training sessions, including handouts, using the material contained in the manual.
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his publication lays the foundation for tourism development of a country and its regions. It establishes the principal guidelines for preparing tourism development plans at the national and regional levels with emphasis on the integrated approach, balancing economic, environmental, and socio-cultural factors achieving sustainable tourism. Illustrated by 25 case studies.
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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 publication is a result of the CEU-ETC Joint Seminar, held in Israel during 1996. The purpose of this seminar was to promote an exchange of experience on rural tourism between member countries, including in particular those for whom tourism presents a new challenge.The publication includes a selection of presentations submitted to the seminar, covering subjects such as rural tourism: products, market, and marketing methods; rural tourism and local development, environmental protection, and government aid; rural tourism: professions, training, qualifications, and employment creation; prospects for rural tourism in the future: cooperation to ensure that this product promotes sustainable tourism at local level
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This publication has been prepared on the occasion of the International Year of Ecotourism 2002. It is the second volume within the series of Good Practices published in the area of Sustainable Development of Tourism.The 55 case studies taken from 39 countries present a wide range of successful ecotourism initiatives. Each of them is presented in a systematic form, describing stakeholders involved, objectives and strategies, funding, sustainability and monitoring aspects, problems encountered and solutions found in each project, etc. The sustainability aspects are further detailed according to specific elements of ecotourism such as: conservation, community involvement, interpretation and education, as well as environmental management practices. This compilation is of great value for tourism professionals from both the public and private sector, who can learn from these experiences and adapt them to ecotourism activities in their own country.
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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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The progress towards a more sustainable tourism industry is best demonstrated through success stories. This publication contains around 50 examples of good practices in sustainable development and management of tourism, collected from 31 countries. A great variety of projects are presented, ranging from local to regional and national levels, including activities of the public, private and NGO sectors, covering aspects of eco-, rural- and cultural tourism, accommodations, tour operations, transportation, protected area management, regulatory and voluntary frameworks, among others. Each case is described in a systematic order, including detailed background information, success factors for sustainability, problems aroused and their solutions, lessons learnt, and monitoring activities. This publication will be of great value to tourism officials, managers, researchers, and anyone interested in the tourism industry.
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The UNWTO has always made it a point to study each form of tourism taking into consideration the characteristics of each type of destination--urban, cultural, rural, nature, coastal, or island destinations, among others--in order to provide international institutions, national and local tourism administrations, and the private sector with useful criteria for appropriate planning, management and follow-up action to ensure the sustainability of tourism activities in each specific socio-geographical context. On the occasion of the International Year of Deserts and Desertification, 2006, this new UNWTO handbook addresses the development of tourism in deserts and areas that are experiencing desertification. It is aimed at the international community, and in particular the governments of countries with desert areas within their territories, as well as the international, national and local private-sector actors that operate in them, with a view to helping them implement policies and actions, and to provide them with an resource they can rely upon in carrying out their initiatives. It presents a vision of sustainable tourism specific to these areas characterized by an extreme climate, taking into account both their fragility as well as their richness in natural, human and cultural assets. Last but not least, this manual can also serve as a valuable reference for local desert communities, who are the main stakeholders in this process.
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World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
2002
The link between protected areas and tourism is as old as the history of protected areas. Though the relationship is complex and sometimes adversarial, tourism is always a critical component to consider in the establishment and management of protected areas. These guidelines aim to build an understanding of protected area tourism, and its management. They provide both a theoretical structure and practical guidelines for managers. The underlying aim is to ensure that tourism contributes to the purposes of protected areas and does not undermine them.
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The year 2002 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Ecotourism. For this occasion, the WTO prepared a series of market reports with the aim to increase the knowledge of seven important countries considered “Ecotourism generating markets”. The survey: analyzes and evaluates the nature tourism and ecotourism market, its volume, characteristics, major trends and development profiles. The study also reports on consumer profiles, the role of the different marketing actors, product typologies and the main marketing tools used in the market.
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The year 2002 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Ecotourism. For this occasion, the WTO prepared a series of market reports with the aim to increase the knowledge of seven important countries considered “Ecotourism generating markets”. The survey: analyzes and evaluates the nature tourism and ecotourism market, its volume, characteristics, major trends and development profiles. The study also reports on consumer profiles, the role of the different marketing actors, product typologies and the main marketing tools used in the market.
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The year 2002 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Ecotourism. For this occasion, the WTO prepared a series of market reports with the aim to increase the knowledge of seven important countries considered “Ecotourism generating markets”. The survey: analyzes and evaluates the nature tourism and ecotourism market, its volume, characteristics, major trends and development profiles. The study also reports on consumer profiles, the role of the different marketing actors, product typologies and the main marketing tools used in the market.
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The year 2002 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Ecotourism. For this occasion, the WTO prepared a series of market reports with the aim to increase the knowledge of seven important countries considered “Ecotourism generating markets”. The survey: analyzes and evaluates the nature tourism and ecotourism market, its volume, characteristics, major trends and development profiles. The study also reports on consumer profiles, the role of the different marketing actors, product typologies and the main marketing tools used in the market.
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The year 2002 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Ecotourism. For this occasion, the WTO prepared a series of market reports with the aim to increase the knowledge of seven important countries considered “Ecotourism generating markets”. The survey: analyzes and evaluates the nature tourism and ecotourism market, its volume, characteristics, major trends and development profiles. The study also reports on consumer profiles, the role of the different marketing actors, product typologies and the main marketing tools used in the market.
more »
The year 2002 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Ecotourism. For this occasion, the UNWTO prepared a series of market reports with the aim to increase the knowledge of seven important countries considered “Ecotourism generating markets”. The survey: analyzes and evaluates the nature tourism and ecotourism market, its volume, characteristics, major trends and development profiles. The study also reports on consumer profiles, the role of the different marketing actors, product typologies and the main marketing tools used in the market.
more »
The year 2002 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Ecotourism. For this occasion, the WTO prepared a series of market reports with the aim to increase the knowledge of seven important countries considered “Ecotourism generating markets”. The survey: analyzes and evaluates the nature tourism and ecotourism market, its volume, characteristics, major trends and development profiles. The study also reports on consumer profiles, the role of the different marketing actors, product typologies and the main marketing tools used in the market.
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With the aim of contributing to the understanding of the relationship between tourism and biodiversity and assess the way that tourism can contribute to the protection of biodiversity and enhance its role as a main resource for tourism destinations, UNWTO has produced this publication. It illustrates the high value of biodiversity for tourism, outlines current policies, guidelines and global initiatives in which the interrelationship between tourism and biodiversity is addressed, as well as identifies risks and challenges for the tourism sector from the global loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The report concludes with ten recommendations for actions on biodiversity and tourism for governments (national and destination level), the tourism private sector, international organizations and NGOs.
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Poverty alleviation has become an essential condition for peace, environmental conservation and sustainable development, besides being an ethical obligation in an affluent world, where the divide between poor and rich nations seems to have increased in recent years. At the same time, while international and domestic tourist movements continue to grow, there is stronger evidence that tourism, if developed and managed in a sustainable manner, can make a significant contribution to alleviate poverty, especially in rural areas, where most of the poor live and where there are very few other development options. The World Tourism Organization (WTO) is pleased to offer to the international community, and especially to those people and institutions who take decisions in the field of tourism or that indirectly affect tourism, this second publication in a series on Tourism and Poverty Alleviation. The first one, launched on the occasion of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in August 2002, examined a number of cases where tourism has been fundamental in reducing poverty levels in various countries. The present book provides further evidence of the contribution that tourism can make to achieving one of the most pressing UN Millenium Development Goals: alleviating poverty. Based on a more extensive analysis of successful experiences, it gives clear and practical recommendations - to governments, private tourism companies, international and bilateral development agencies and other stakeholders - on the various ways and means they can utilize to use tourism as a poverty alleviation tool.
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This Handbook is aimed at a variety of professional users, both within the tourism industry and for people who welcome and manage visitors to their destination or site, including also public tourism, cultural and natural authorities. For the many different people in the tourism industry it provides recommendations for how they might positively contribute to the minimization of tourism congestion. For destination and site managers it provides a range of recommendations for managers to build a well informed understanding of their places and their visitors, and provides recommendations for upgrading the operational and physical capacities of their areas to handle high levels of tourism activity to and from sites. The Handbook has been written to provide very practical recommendations, using illustrations from the case studies. Some users will be familiar with many of the recommendations and will already have implemented some of them in their day-to-day activities. Others will find new information or suggestions that they can apply as appropriate to their circumstances.
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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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Worldwide Inventory and Comparative Analysis of 104 Eco-labels, Awards and Self-Commitments
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
2002
As systems of voluntary regulation in the tourism industry (like certification systems, eco-labels, awards and prizes, environmental management systems, codes of conduct, etc.) are gaining increasing popularity and importance, and following a recommendation of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-7), UNWTO conducted a world-wide evaluation study.
This study aims at identifying similarities and differences among voluntary initiatives, finding out the factors that make them effective and successful in terms of sustainable tourism development. The publication contains the research findings, as well as a CD ROM with the detailed description of the voluntary initiatives included in the study.
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a practical guide to the development and use of indicators of sustainable tourism
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
1997
A product of five years of ground-breaking research, What Tourism Managers Need to Know sets out a system for measuring the environmental health of destinations, so that tourism can be sustainable. Like a canary in a coal mine, environmental indicators are used as an early warning system to alert authorities of areas of concern so that action can be taken in time. This publication explains how to use 10 core environmental indicators and a series of site-specific indicators for tourism destinations in coastal zones, mountain regions, traditional communities, and small islands. It also discusses pilot testing of the indicators carried out in Canada, Mexico, Argentina, the Netherlands, and the USA.
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