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Tourism Stakeholders Invited to Share Progress on Climate Action

Tourism Stakeholders Invited to Share Progress on Climate Action

UNWTO is inviting public and private stakeholders from around the world to take part in a Global Survey of Climate Action in Tourism and help identify frontrunning initiatives and opportunities to accelerate climate action in tourism.

Launched on World Environment Day, the survey aims to support the ongoing efforts of the sector to reduce its environmental impacts and carbon emissions, as well as to strengthen its capacity to adapt to a changing climate.

In May, the Tourism Ministers of the G20 nations stressed the need to rethink tourism and shape a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive sector. They also committed to take action and to promote such a green transformation.  The UNWTO  Recommendations for the Transition to a Green Travel and Tourism Economy, welcomed by the G20 Tourism Ministers, highlighted the need to transform tourism operations for climate action. Otherwise, emissions from global tourism could rise by at least 25% by 2030, as estimated in the latest research carried out by UNWTO and ITF.

The green transformation of the sector is needed, not just for the planet, but also for tourism itself, boosting competitiveness and increasing resilience

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “The pandemic and its impact on tourism, jobs and revenues, offers an unprecedented reminder of the need to rebalance our relationship with people, planet and prosperity. The green transformation of the sector is needed, not just for the planet, but also for tourism itself, boosting competitiveness and increasing resilience.”

The Global Survey is part of the preparations for the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 and the results will be presented in November 2021 in Glasgow. It has been developed within the framework of the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme.

The survey is open until 15 July 2021 and destinations, businesses and tourism associations are all invited to take part. Please find more information on the survey here

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UNWTO Opens Call for ‘Best Tourism Villages’

UNWTO Opens Call for ‘Best Tourism Villages’

Deadline for applications to the pilot initiative Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO closed. Selected villages coming soon!
  • UNWTO is recognizing villages across the world that are committed to the promotion and preservation of their cultural heritage and sustainable development through tourism
  • New initiative announced at the opening of UNWTO Middle East regional office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The search is on for the best examples of rural villages harnessing the power of tourism to provide opportunity and safeguard their communities, local traditions and heritage. The initiative of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will identify villages taking innovative and transformative approaches to tourism in rural areas in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With the vision of making tourism a positive force for transformation, rural development and community wellbeing, ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ aims to maximise the contribution of the sector to reducing regional inequalities and fighting against rural depopulation. It also seeks to advance the role of tourism in valuing and safeguarding rural villages along with their associated landscapes, knowledge systems, biological and cultural diversity, local values and activities, including gastronomy.

We want to recognize the uniqueness of each village and showcase the best initiatives to make tourism a means for a better future in rural areas

The launch of the ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ initiative takes place on the occasion of the opening of UNWTO’s Regional Office in the Middle East (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), underscoring the focus of the Office on, among other issues, the role of tourism in rural development.

Celebrating tourism as a driver of rural development and wellbeing

“Tourism can be a driver of positive change for rural communities all around the world,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. “We want to recognize the uniqueness of each village and showcase the best initiatives to make tourism a means for a better future in rural areas. As we restart tourism, we work to ensure that we leave no one - and no village- behind.”

At the opening of the UNWTO Regional office in Riyadh, His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Tourism, said: “We are proud to be a partner of UNWTO as they launch this important initiative. For our rural communities, tourism is an opportunity to share their vibrant culture, amazing food and famous Saudi hospitality, while benefitting from the socio-economic opportunities provided by the sector.”

The initiative includes three pillars: 

1. The ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ Label: The Label will recognize a village which is an outstanding example of a rural tourism destination with recognized cultural and natural assets, that preserves and promotes rural and community-based values, products and lifestyle and has a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects – economic, social and environmental.

2. The ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ Upgrade Programme: The Upgrade programme will benefit a number of villages that do not fully meet the Label criteria. These villages will receive support from UNWTO and its Partners in improving elements of the areas identified as gaps in the evaluation process.

3. The ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ Network: The Network will provide a space for exchanging experiences and good practices, learnings, and opportunities. It will include representatives of the villages awarded the ‘Best Tourism Village by UNWTO’ Label, the villages participating in the Upgrade Programme, as well as experts, public and private sector partners engaged in the promotion of tourism for rural development.

UNWTO Members States can present up to three villages to be assessed by the Initiative. Applications will close on 31 July 2021. The selected villages will be announced in October 2021, on the occasion of the 24 session of the UNWTO General Assembly (Marrakesh, Morocco).

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Tourism for all – UNWTO presents “Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development” - Compendium of Best Practices

Tourism for all – UNWTO presents “Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development” - Compendium of Best Practices

The UNWTO Affiliate Members Department, within the framework of the activities of the Working Group on Accessible Tourism, organized the Expert Meeting on Accessible Tourism – Good Practices on Accessible Tourism in Nature Areas at FITUR Next.

This event provided a space to recognize the importance of incorporating accessibility into the tourism practices in nature environments, share knowledge and experiences by UNWTO Affiliate Members and other tourism stakeholders, and provide recommendation on how to strengthen accessibility and create an accessible tourism for all.

At the event, the publication Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development – Compendium of Best Practices, available in the UNWTO E-Library, was launched and presented to the audience. This publication is the result of the work carried out in the last months by the Working Group on Accessible Tourism, coordinated by the Affiliate Members Department and chaired by the Spanish Network for Accessible Tourism (Red Estable).

We trust this publication will provide all relevant stakeholders with tools and resources to make their tourism destinations, facilities and services accessible for all

Its aim is to create an accessible pathway in nature, from which to descry a new approach for inclusive tourism development in natural areas, which is very much in line with the UNWTO priority to foster an Accessible Tourism for All and so contributing to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The compilation of best practices included in the publication and the final recommendations provides innovative, inclusive, and sustainable solutions that enable access to nature for all the people.

In the words of UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili: There is still a lot of work to be done, as we are still far from guaranteeing a universally accessible tourism sector. However, we trust this publication will provide all relevant stakeholders with tools and resources to make their tourism destinations, facilities and services accessible for all. We also hope it will serve as a source of inspiration for them to continue working, so that tourism becomes truly accessible.

Within the framework of the event, representatives of the entities which contributed to the publication shared with the audience their projects, all very different in terms of contents but sharing the common goal of promoting an Accessible Tourism for All and supporting the right of people with disabilities to travel. Accessible accommodations in nature, accessibility to natural parks and beaches, and the use of plastic to manufacture accessible products were only some of the topics that were presented.

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Ideas to Build Back Better: SDGs Start-up Competition Final Held in Madrid

Ideas to Build Back Better: SDGs Start-up Competition Final Held in Madrid

Innovators with ideas to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals have been celebrated in Madrid. The final of the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition saw 25 entrepreneurs and enterprises recognized for their creativity and commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 ambitious goals.

Organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), with the support of over 25 partners from across the global innovation ecosystem, this competition is the biggest innovation initiative ever launched by any part of the wider United Nations system. In all, more than 10,000 applications from 138 different countries were received, each of them promising to advance one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Today’s winners can inspire new ways to accelerate progress towards sustainability, equality and inclusivity

Winners with common goal

“Today’s winners can inspire new ways to accelerate progress towards sustainability, equality and inclusivity,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in a message congratulating the finalists. Every global region was represented among the 25 winners at the final event in Madrid, held on the eve of the FITUR International Tourism Trade Fair.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili added that “the winners of the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition can get us back on track to building a better, more sustainable future for both people and planet”.

The competition final highlighted the power of tourism to help reach the 2030 Agenda through driving progress in waste and resource management, green energy production, destination experiences and decarbonization, as well as through creating decent jobs for all, promoting inclusivity and gender equality and protecting ecosystems.

The winners of the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition can get us back on track to building a better, more sustainable future for both people and planet

Political and corporate support

The event also highlighted the strong level of political support for UNWTO’s mission to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. Joining Secretary-General Pololikashvili at Madrid’s Royal Theatre were the Ministers of Tourism of Sri Lanka and Panama, the Ambassador of Qatar to Spain, the Mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez-Almeida and Spain’s Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdés.

Against the backdrop of the final, UNWTO also supported Apolitical and Mastercard during a special panel event on Digital Country Partnerships, highlighting key actors rebuilding tourism through innovation. Special thanks were also given to sponsors and collaborators of the SDGs Global Startup Competition, including the main partner, Wakalua (the innovation hub of Globalia), partner airline Qatar Airways, and collaborators such as Telefonica, Amazon Web Services, Amadeus, amongst others – see the full list here.

United Nations

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres
MESSAGE TO WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION SDG GLOBAL STARTUP COMPETITION

18 May 2021

We have less than 10 years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
And we are in the midst of a global pandemic that is setting back progress.
To get back on track, we need to unleash the power of new ideas and embrace a sustainable transformation.
Tourism has a critical role to play, and I commend the United Nations World Tourism Organization for its leadership.
Its SDGs Global Startup Competition is promoting innovation and a better recovery.
The competition attracted more than 10,000 applicants from 138 countries, and the ideas are as diverse as the innovators themselves.
All these startups have the potential to be scaled up and drive a positive transformation in our societies.
They can inspire new ways to accelerate progress towards sustainability, equality and inclusivity.
I thank everyone who has taken part in the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition, and I look forward to seeing these bright ideas being put into action.

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Startup Competition Seeks Ideas to Accelerate Rural Development Through Tourism

Startup Competition Seeks Ideas to Accelerate Rural Development Through Tourism

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has launched a new competition to identify the best ideas that will help rural communities recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Global Rural Tourism Startup Competition will also support the entrepreneurs and enterprises that can help rural communities seize the economic and social opportunities that will come as tourism restarts.

The United Nations specialized agency has recorded rising interest in unique and authentic travel experiences, including in nature-based and outdoors tourism. With this trend expected to accelerate as tourism restarts, the Startup Competition is looking for those ideas that will help ensure rural communities are best-placed to benefit. The competition will also look for ideas that will help build resilience in rural communities.

The Competition aims to support rural tourism as a key tool to fight depopulation, promote inclusion and reduce regional inequalities in income and development as part of UNWTO’s special focus on tourism for rural development.

Applications are now open for four categories:

  • People –Leaving no one behind: Projects that incentivize the creation of jobs and opportunities, promote gender and youth empowerment, and build opportunities for vulnerable groups in rural areas.
  • Planet – Building back better Projects related to the promotion and protection of natural resources, including addressing tourism’s impact on climate change, we as well as waste and resource consumption.
  • Prosperity- opportunities for growth Startups that provide innovative solutions through new business models, instruments that promote access to finance, markets and marketing for tourism in rural areas.
  • Propulsion of Rural Tech – Implementation of new technologies to advance tourism and development in rural areas.

The deadline for applications is 1 July 2021. Winners will be invited to take part in the UNWTO General Assembly, to be held in Marrakesh, Morocco, this October. 

The new competition builds on the success of UNWTO’s search for the best startups in Spain. That initiative saw more than 150 projects put forward for consideration, with the winners receiving mentorship and support from the Spanish Government and Google. For this global edition UNWTO welcomes Viajes National Geographic as its media partner. It also enjoys the support of key institutional collaborators, namely Air Europa and Wakalua as Travel Partners alongside Amazon Web Services Activate, HèPic, Impact Hub, the International Trade Centre, Fademur, The Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain, NEST Portugal, Telefonica Open Future and the TUI Care Foundation.

For more information and to apply, visit the UNWTO Startup Competitions and Challenges webpage.

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UNWTO Calls for a More Equal and Sustainable Future for Tourism at ITB Berlin Now

UNWTO Calls for a More Equal and Sustainable Future for Tourism at ITB Berlin Now

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has returned to ITB Berlin to lead the conversation on the current challenges facing the sector, and the opportunities to be seized in the future.

As the United Nations specialized agency leads the restart of global tourism following the unprecedented crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, three virtual events brought together voices from across the sector at the leading trade fair. Against a backdrop of ongoing uncertainty, UNWTO outlined a positive narrative for tourism, stressing its historic ability to lead from the front and adapt to new challenges.

Less Waste, More Opportunity

On the opening day of ITB Berlin Now, UNWTO ensured sustainability was high on the agenda, leading efforts to ensure the sector lives up to its responsibilities for planet as well as people. “Eliminate. Innovate. Circulate: Strategies from the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative”, hosted jointly by UNWTO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, featured key insights from both public and private sectors. The event showcased how addressing plastic waste and pollution within tourism can support the sustainable recovery of the sector in the aftermath of the pandemic, noting both the progress that has been made and the challenges still to face.

Alongside UNWTO’s commitment to greater sustainability, a commitment to gender equality is a key priority. On the second day of ITB Berlin, and against the backdrop of Women’s History Month, UNWTO hosted a special panel on “Gamechangers” and female entrepreneurs within tourism. The event featured presentations by the five female winners of the UNWTO SDGs Startup Competition, outlining how their enterprises can contribute to addressing key issues such as gender equality, poverty alleviation and providing decent work for all.  

Communications for Tourism’s Recovery

Also at ITB Berlin, UNWTO looked ahead to tourism’s restart, bringing together leading voices from across the media to explore the need for a new narrative to fit the rethink and restart of tourism with sustainability as the driving goal. The “Communications for Recovery” event featured expert participants from Google Arts & Culture, the BBC, Euronews and Voyages Afrique, alongside high-level private sector participants from Expedia and Stark Communications. The panel identified how the pandemic has changed the way the media present tourism and promote destinations, with members universally expressing their optimism in tourism not only returning to growth but also both tourists themselves as well as stakeholders across the sector taking a greater interest in the impact of tourism on communities and people and planet.

Alongside hosting events, UNWTO also contributed expert insights to a discussion on Tourism for Sustainable Development. The event was organized by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the German Corporation for International Development (GIZ).

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Global Talent on Display as SDGs Tourism Startup Competition Finalists Announced

Global Talent on Display as SDGs Tourism Startup Competition Finalists Announced

All five global regions are represented as the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition reaches its final stages. The competition was launched to identify innovators whose ideas can advance tourism’s contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and attracted more than 10,000 participants from 138 countries. Now, the jury has narrowed the field down to a shortlist of just 60 finalists.

This competition is a UNWTO initiative, in collaboration with Wakalua (powered by Globalia), created as part of the collaboration with the United Nations Innovation Network, a common action framework by UN Agencies to develop public-private partnerships to support the SDGs. The finalists were chosen by a special jury made up of experts drawn from international banks, airlines, tourism destinations and technology platforms. Reflecting the global interest in the initiative, the 60 finalists come from 28 countries, with each of UNWTO’s five global regions represented in the final stages.

Now, the jury will work on selecting just one finalist for each of the 17 SDGs. Each startup will be assessed according to fixed criteria, including their ability to contribute to a specific SDG, the ease of value capture, their potential business impact and the maturity of both their product or platform and their team.

This final group of 17 startups will be announced throughout January. Then, in the spring, they will be invited to pitch their ideas to UNWTO, its partners and investors at the flagship event of the Global Startup Competition, the UNWTO SDG Tourism Tech Adventure (TTA), due to be held in Qatar this Spring.

In addition to the chance to pitch at the TTA Innovation Forum, winning startups will gain access to leading technological support and to more than 100 venture capitalists. They will also be able to benefit from UNWTO’s network of partners, with curated mentorship programmes from, among others, Amadeus, Amazon Web Services, BBVA, ClarkeModet, FarCo, Globant, Google, the Inter-American Development Bank, IE University, Mastercard., MentorDay, Telefónica and Qatar Airways. 

SDG 1: No poverty

  • Etnica
  • Pinvels (Hong Kong) Limited
  • Vaki
  • At Hause

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  • Ifarm Agritech
  • Eden Agritech
  • TeleSense

SDG 3: Good health and well-being

  • Sitata
  • BlueDot
  • GeoSure
  • Limbix
  • Smart Tour/ Smart Tracking

SDG 4: Quality education

  • Immersion India
  • ApplyBoard
  • Deaf Travel

SDG 5: Gender equality

  • La Voyageuse
  • Mowo Social Initiatives
  • Women in Hospitality Uganda Ltd
  • Sisterwave

SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation

  • ECOLOO Greentech Malaysia SDN BHD
  • Zero Mass Water
  • Ocean Oasis
  • Nazava Water Filters

SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy

  • Enexor BioEnergy
  • BeFC
  • SunEmison
  • Swimsol

SDG 8: Good jobs and economic growth

  • Community Homestay Network
  • Clio Muse Tours PC
  • HiJiffy

SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure:

  • Sherpa
  • Carbon Lighthouse
  • DefinedCrowd
  • FREED GROUP (aka TravelFlan)

SDG 10: Reduced inequalities

  • Travaxy - accessible travel
  • Worldpackers
  • Social Light Inc

SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

  • Metrica6
  • eccocar
  • Tunnll
  • ToBadaa
  • ViaVii
  • Green Urban Data

SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production:

  • Lumitics
  • Nilus
  • HYDRAO

SDG 13: Climate action

  • Opus 12, Inc.
  • ClimateTrade
  • Aclima
  • Safety Line

SDG 14: Life below water

  • Seven Clean Seas
  • SafetyNet Technologies
  • Recyglo

SDG 15: Life on land

  • Comon Solutions

SDG 16: Peace, justice and string institutions

  • Impulse Travel
  • Get Up And Go Colombia
  • SEMA

SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals

  • Siliconbali
  • Nibi
  • Arnie
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Global Tourism Plastics Initiative Welcomes 26 New Signatories

Global Tourism Plastics Initiative Welcomes 26 New Signatories

The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative has welcomed 26 new signatories, including businesses and organizations from every part of the global tourism value chain. Led by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Initiative unites the tourism sector behind a common goal of addressing the root causes of plastic pollution.

The new signatories include Booking.com, G Adventures, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Inkaterra, TUI Care Foundation, deSter part of gategroup, and International Aviation Waste Management Association, among others. They feature suppliers of guest amenities, on-the-go packaging and waste-management platforms, as well as accommodation providers (both large groups and SMEs), leading online tourism platforms, tour operators, and associations working at the destination level.

The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative was launched in January 2020 and now counts on 46 signatories, illustrating how reducing plastics pollution in tourism remains a priority despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The diversity of the signatories highlights the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative’s potential to promote systemic solutions that can be implemented locally and scaled up globally.

Tackling plastic pollution remains a priority for sector

The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative can lead to the reduction of pollution and waste across all parts of the tourism sector and support a responsible recovery from COVID-19 that leads to more sustainability and resilience

Within the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, a circular approach to the management of plastic items and packaging can avoid any increase in the use of single-use plastics for hygiene purposes. It can also relieve pressure on waste management infrastructures and foster a more sustainable supply chain. In this sense, a circular economy for plastics is critical for the tourism sector to preserve and protect destinations and to recover responsibly from the current crisis.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Moving towards the circular economy is a strategic approach for the tourism sector. The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative can lead to the reduction of pollution and waste across all parts of the tourism sector and support a responsible recovery from COVID-19 that leads to more sustainability and resilience.”

Elisa Tonda, Head of the consumption and production unit of UNEP, adds: “The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for urgent action on the climate, nature and pollution and waste crises which are driven by unsustainable consumption and production, but has also provided with a window of opportunity to prioritize sustainability as part of a green recovery. This new group of signatories of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative reflects the continued commitment of the tourism value chain to increase circularity in the plastic system and maintain their ambition to tackle plastic pollution, moving forward in a post-COVID world.”

Recommendations informing recovery plans

Earlier this year, a series of recommendations for the tourism sector to continue taking action on plastic pollution throughout the pandemic were released. These serve as a basis to develop COVID-19 recovery plans, revise standard operating procedures, and define plastic management strategies. The recommendations are now available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian.

Gerald Naber, Programme Manager, New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, adds: “The signatories of the Global Commitment are making encouraging initial progress on delivering their targets towards a circular economy, but a substantial acceleration of progress will be needed to achieve the 2025 targets.”

The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative forms part of the larger framework of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. Specifically, the Initiative acts as sectoral interface to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, which recently released its Progress Report for 2020.

About the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative

The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative unites the tourism sector behind a common vision to address the root causes of plastic pollution. Developed within the framework of the Sustainable Tourism Programme of the One Planet network, the Initiative is led by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

About the One Planet network Sustainable Tourism Programme

The One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme enhances the sustainable development impacts of the tourism sector by 2030, with a special focus on sustainable consumption and production practices. The Sustainable Tourism Programme is part of the One Planet network, a multi-stakeholder partnership to implement SDG 12 on Sustainable Consumption and Production.

About the UN Environment Programme

The UN Environment Programme is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

About the World Tourism Organization

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation was launched in 2010 with the aim of accelerating the transition to the circular economy. Since its creation, the charity has emerged as a global thought leader, putting the circular economy on the agenda of decision-makers around the world. The charity’s work focuses on seven key areas: insight and analysis; business; institutions, governments, and cities; systemic initiatives; circular design; learning; and communications.

About the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment

The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment unites businesses, governments, and other organizations behind a common vision and targets to address plastic waste and pollution at its source. Signatories include companies representing 20% of all plastic packaging produced globally, as well as governments, NGOs, universities, industry associations, investors, and other organisations. The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment is led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme.

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UNWTO and FAO to Work Together on Developing Tourism for Rural Development

UNWTO and FAO to Work Together on Developing Tourism for Rural Development

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see the two agencies work together to advance shared goals relating to the sustainable and responsible growth of rural tourism.

In leading the sector’s response to COVID-19 and now guiding the global restart of tourism, UNWTO has been working closely with fellow UN agencies from the start of the current crisis. This new MoU comes on the back of World Tourism Day 2020, which was celebrated worldwide around the special theme of Tourism and Rural Development. Under the agreement, UNWTO and FAO will build a framework for enhanced collaboration, including through the sharing of knowledge and resources.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “This Memorandum of Understanding between UNWTO and the FAO emphasises the cross-cutting nature of tourism and the importance of cooperation at every level to ensure the sector works for everyone. Both tourism and agriculture are lifelines for communities around the world. The agreement is particularly timely as it comes as we recognize 2020 as the year of Tourism for Rural Development. This was also the theme of World Tourism Day, which we celebrated this week, highlighting the role tourism must play in providing opportunities for rural communities and driving social and economic recovery.”

Resilience, innovation and opportunity

This Memorandum of Understanding between UNWTO and the FAO emphasises the cross-cutting nature of tourism and the importance of cooperation at every level to ensure the sector works for everyone.

A central aim of the collaboration will be to increase the resilience of rural communities against social and economic shocks through growing tourism and making it both more sustainable and inclusive. Across the FAO’s GIAHS (Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems) network of communities, tourism is a leading driver of equality, with the sector employing women and youth and giving them a stake in economic growth. Tourism is also a protector of the rich cultural heritage that characterizes many of the communities within the GIAHS network, for instance through keeping folklore and other traditions alive for future generations.

Moving forward, the new MoU states that UNWTO and FAO will work together to establish a plan for more specific areas of collaboration. Key priorities, as outlined in the agreement, include encouraging entrepreneurship within rural communities, particularly among youth and women, with the aim of providing them with access to both local and global markets for their products. Other priorities include fostering education and skills so as to provide communities with opportunities within the tourism sector.

UNWTO and FAO

UNWTO and FAO

Work Together on Developing Tourism for Rural Development
UNWTO and FAO

UNWTO and FAO

Work Together on Developing Tourism for Rural Development
UNWTO and FAO

UNWTO and FAO

Work Together on Developing Tourism for Rural Development
UNWTO and FAO

UNWTO and FAO

Work Together on Developing Tourism for Rural Development
UNWTO and FAO

UNWTO and FAO

Work Together on Developing Tourism for Rural Development
UNWTO and FAO

UNWTO and FAO

Work Together on Developing Tourism for Rural Development
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