What’s next for the travel industry?
Fresh air, snow-capped mountains, secluded beaches – many tourists love the travel experience. Here’s what to look out for in the next destination.
World Tourism Day returns to focus on the future. As the sector’s recovery gets underway, we are taking advantage of this opportunity to rethink how we do tourism. This means putting people and planet first and bringing everyone together around a shared vision for a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient sector.
This year’s celebration coincides with a shift towards tourism being recognized as a crucial pillar of development and progress. Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), disclosed that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, remains the sector’s end goal. However, he said, every part of the sector must rethink how it will get there.
Speaking on this year’s edition, he commented: “The potential of tourism is enormous, and we have a shared responsibility to make sure it is fully realized. On World Tourism Day 2022, UNWTO calls on everyone, from tourism workers to tourists themselves, as well as small businesses, large corporations and governments, to reflect and rethink what we do and how we do it.”
Building on its climate and sustainability commitments, ISO is accelerating progress on its portfolio of work and has been engaging with its own stakeholders to bring a sustainability lens to the tourism industry. Since “sustainability” might mean different things to different people and organizations, common standards can help get everyone on the same page.
Check out the ISO Annual Meeting dedicated session: “Can sustainable tourism really be ‘sustainable’?”
Top highlights of our portfolio
Natural protected areas
Who it helps: Authorities overseeing natural protected areas such as national parks or conservation sites.
Outdoor adventures
Who it helps: Adventure tourism providers seeking to minimize their environmental impact.
Diving and snorkelling
Who it helps: Dive centres needing to ensure sustainable practices for underwater activities.
“Green” accommodation
Who it helps: Accommodation providers in meeting the needs of their guests while respecting the communities around them.
Sustainable tourism
Who it helps: The tourism industry – across the entire sector – to properly embed principles of sustainable tourism.