Sustainable Tourism: Key to Poverty Reduction and Environmental Protection

Essentially, sustainable tourism has over the years proved to be a major driver of most developed and emerging economies. Countries like the Republic of Kenya and Seychelles in Africa like their counterparts in the developed countries rely on tourism as their major source of revenue. This among other accruing benefits such as poverty reduction and environmental protection has necessitated the clamor to create the necessary atmosphere that can support sustainable tourism worldwide.  At the United Nations General Assembly recently, a consensus milestone resolution was adopted emphasizing the need to optimize the economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits stemming from sustainable tourism, particularly in developing countries. The resolution was entitled“Promotion of sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, for poverty eradication and environment protection”.
It is significantly broader in scope than the previous ones on the subject, builds on a 2012 UN resolution on ecotourism and draws on a report prepared by United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). In line with its recommendations, it underlines the importance of appropriate national policies, guidelines and regulations for promoting sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, and encourages United Nations member States, regional and international financial institutions to support sustainable tourism projects. They should also enable the creation of small and medium-sized enterprises, promoting cooperatives and facilitating access to inclusive financial services, including micro-credit initiatives for the poor, local and indigenous communities.
The resolution was adopted by consensus and sponsored by an impressive total number of 107 Member States, including Morocco, which, as on previous occasions, was the lead sponsor and in that capacity had steered the whole negotiating process to a successful conclusion. The Secretary-General of UNWTO, Taleb Rifai said that UNWTO welcomed the remarkable acknowledgement of tourism’s ability to advance sustainable development across the world. He also noted that the wide-ranging support to the resolution mirrors the increasing awareness of the vital role that tourism plays in a sustainable future for all and opens the doors for its supportive national policies and international financing.
The resolution places sustainable tourism firmly on the UN post-2015 agenda as it requests UNWTO and other United Nations agencies to develop recommendations on ways and means to promote sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, as a tool for fighting poverty and promoting sustainable development to be submitted to the seventy-first session of the UN General Assembly in 2016.

 By chika nwakwo