Tourism can sustain global development, eradicate poverty —UN General Assembly

Written by AUSTIN JACOBSON

Friday, 24 December 2010 22:30

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted by consensus at its 65th session three separate resolutions emphasizing the role of tourism in sustainable development. The three resolutions, on the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, on the promotion of ecotourism, and on the importance of sustainable tourism for Small Island Developing States, stress the significance of the sector to the development agenda in terms of sustainability, employment, and poverty elimination. The resolutions further welcomed the efforts and work of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in promoting sustainable tourism for poverty eradication. The resolution on the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism welcomed the work of UNWTO, of its World Committee on Tourism Ethics, and the increasing level of institutional and legal commitment by member states towards the implementation of the code. The resolution recognized the need to promote the development of sustainable tourism and increase the benefits from tourism for host communities, while maintaining their cultural and environmental integrity and enhancing the protection of ecologically-sensitive areas and natural heritages. Likewise, it recognized the need to promote the development of sustainable tourism and address the challenges of climate change and halt the loss of biodiversity. The resolution further reiterated the invitation to the member states and other tourism stakeholders that have not yet done so, in particular the private sector, to integrate the principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in their relevant legislation, professional practices, and codes of conduct. The resolution encouraged UNWTO, through its World Committee on Tourism Ethics and its permanent secretariat in Italy, to continue to promote and disseminate the code. It invited the UN member states and other stakeholders to support the activities undertaken by UNWTO for the promotion of responsible and sustainable tourism. The resolution on the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism encapsulated the results of the General Assembly’s consideration of a report by UNWTO and was sponsored by 32 countries, with Honduras as the lead sponsor.