Participants in the event parallel dedicated to tourism at the Rio+20 meeting called «Tourism for a sustainable future», They agreedc where tourism, a sector that provides employment and livelihood to millions of people, especially women and young people, is essential and can make a significant contribution to the three pillars of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental.
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| Image Credit: El Comercio newspaper. |
"Tourism is linked to the seven key themes discussed at Rio+20 – employment, energy, cities, food, water, oceans and disasters – and can be a factor of development for both developing and developed countries," said Gastão Vieira, Minister of Tourism of Brazil, at the opening of the event.
For his part, the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Taleb Rifai, stressed that "in the midst of (the) p“In the face of growing economic concerns, today more than ever, we need to call for the right policies, the right investments and the right business practices that can move us towards growth that is fairer, more people-centred and more inclusive.”
“Tourism’s ability to create jobs is central to this debate,” said Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), highlighting the multiplier effects of tourism. “We cannot forget that for every job created in tourism, many more are created in other sectors.”
The role of the United Nations system in promoting the contribution of tourism to economic growth and development was the subject of debate.
Participants stressed the role of sustainable tourism in creating decent jobs, stimulating trade and linkages with other sectors and eliminating poverty. There was a clear call for improving the link between local communities and tourist attractions in order to make tourism a more effective tool in the fight against poverty and to raise tourists' awareness of their obligation to respect and protect the environment, bearing in mind that tourism is the first interested party in protecting natural resources and that it is its responsibility to do so.
Closing the event, Maurice Strong, Secretary General of the 1992 Earth Summit, said: “Your sector has a real interest in protecting the environment and enormous potential for the green economy, since it is your assets that we need to conserve and enhance.”
The event also included the participation of the Minister of Tourism of Ecuador, Freddy Ehlers. In our country, there are cases such as that of the Kichwa people of Sarayaku who oppose entering into the extractivist logic and who propose alternatives such as tourism that help them develop without the impact that oil exploitation brings with it in areas as sensitive as the Amazon; other similar cases also exist.
PRESS RELEASE: World Tourism Organization. + Editorial Staff
PRESS RELEASE: World Tourism Organization. + Editorial Staff
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