Destinations at Risk: The Invisible Burden of Tourism

The rapid growth of tourism in the 21st century is leading
to damage in destinations across the world that is largely
unreported and frequently not perceived by tourists, putting
destinations at risk without effective response.

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GSTC Destination Criteria

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Criteria were created to provide a common understanding of sustainable tourism. The GSTC Destinations Criteria – known informally also as “GSTC-D” — are the minimum that any tourism destination should aspire to reach. They are organized around four main themes: sustainable management; socio-economic impacts; cultural impacts; and environmental impacts. They have applicability to the entire tourism sector.

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The tourism value chain

Sustainable and responsible tourism can be used as a versatile instrument for sustainable development in international development cooperation. The approach presented in this hand book is based on the proactive design and management of tourism value chains in partner destinations.

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COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions a Global Review for Tourism

The overall purpose of this interim report is to provide information on the implementation of travel restrictions by governments as one of the means to address the global health crisis of COVID-19. It shall help to better understand the overall process, from the issuing of travel restrictions and their evolution over time to their date of lifting, including references to the different categories of applied restrictions among other details.

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Recommendations on Sustainable Development of Indigenous Tourism

Indigenous peoples are characterized by some of the richest, most unique and diverse cultural expressions of humankind which have developed over thousands of years across our planet and are spiritually linked to indigenous traditional lands. These expressions represent a clear pull factor for potential tourists who wish to experience indigenous natural and cultural heritage in physical, intellectual and emotional terms.

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Global Report on Women in Tourism

The aim of the Global Report on Women in Tourism – Second Edition, is to examine the key factors that contribute to gender equality in the tourism sector. It pinpoints challenges and identifies ways to mitigate inequality and harness tourism’s potential to advance gender equality and women’s
empowerment worldwide.

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UNWTO/GTERC Asia Tourism Trends

In the 6th year of publication the UNWTO/GTERC Asia Tourism Trends, 2019 Edition comprises four specific chapters. As in the past editions, chapter 1 is dedicated to international tourism trends in Asia and the Pacific in their global and regional dimensions, with an overview the region’s socioeconomic environment.

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Transforming tourism through sustainable procurement

Globally, the tourism industry already accounts for an average of 9 per cent of nations’ gross domestic product (GDP), and its importance is bound to increase even more. The United Nations World Tourism Organization projects international tourist arrivals to increase from 1.1 billion in 2014 to 1.8 billion in 2030. For many developing countries tourism is a key pillar of national development contributing to growth, employment, investment as well as technology dissemination. In many small island developing states (SIDS), it accounts for up to 25 to 60% of national GDP.

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Data & Digital Platforms: Driving Tourism Growth in Asia Pacific

Destinations in the Asia Pacific region can maximise tourism growth, and in turn job creation, by expanding their online presence. As travellers organise
trips online more frequently, destination management organisations and businesses should leverage available tools and digital platforms to engage with them throughout the planning process. Data generated by online interactions can be leveraged to further drive innovation and growth. There are opportunities to generate over 9 million new jobs in the region. This would stimulate GDP growth by up to an additional 1% destination-by-destination with an average 5% rise in the Travel & Tourism sector.

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