UN GOAL: SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AS A KEY CONTRIBUTOR FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Abstract

Tourism is one of the world's fastest growing industries and an important source of foreign exchange and employment for many developing countries.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development3 commits the Member States, through Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.9 to “devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”. The importance of sustainable tourism, as a driver for jobs creation and the promotion of local culture and products, is also highlighted in Sustainable Development Goal target 12.b.
Tourism is also identified as one of the tools to “increase (by 2030) the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries”, through Sustainable Development Goals Target 14.7.
Sustainable tourism is defined by paragraph 130 of The Future We Want 4 as a significant contributor “to the three dimensions of sustainable development” thanks to its close linkages to other sectors and its ability to create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities. Therefore, the Member States recognize “the need to support sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building that promote environmental awareness, conserve and protect the environment, respect wildlife, flora, biodiversity, ecosystems and cultural diversity, and improve the welfare and livelihoods of local communities”.