Tourism discussed as sustainable development and poverty reduction mechanism

Fourth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries to highlight sustainable tourism.

International tourism has become an big economic activity that is increasingly benefiting least developed countries (LDCs). In fact, says the UNWTO, tourism ranks among the top 3 export sectors in almost half of all LDCs.

The emergence of internationally competitive hospitality industries in several of these countries is part of a broader process of economic diversification enabling them to integrate more effectively – and more gainfully – into the global economy.

Social effects, notable through new opportunities for employment and income generation, contribute to poverty reduction in LDCs.

The UNCTAD conference  in Istanbul on 10 May will highlight key areas of international support measures for tourism development in LDCs to be implemented under a new programme of action during 2011-2010.

The event is organized by the UN Steering Committee for Tourism Development (SCTD). It is the first public appearance of this new organisational structure which was recently founded under the auspices of the UNWTO.

The primary objective of the committee is to generate synergies among its members, which include in addition to UNCTAD and UNWTO several other international organisations, agencies and programmes, such as ITC, ILO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNEP and WTO, in providing technical and other assistance for tourism development to developing countries, particularly LDCs.

This event will bring together high-level policy makers in tourism development – more than 10 tourism ministers from LDCs and other countries have so far confirmed their participation -, donor country representatives, private sector participants, academics and experts from international organizations.

It will be held as an interactive roundtable addressing the following issues:

• Building good governance and sustainability in tourism development.
• Promoting domestic and foreign investment for sustainable tourism development.
• Fostering poverty reduction through linkages between the tourism sector and local suppliers of goods and services.
• Supporting human resource development through improved education, training and decent work, including related capacity building, in the tourism sector.

It will also provide an opportunity to present the framework of a portfolio of services for tourism development that the SCTD member organizations are currently preparing as a system-wide undertaking to ensure a coherent and complementary approach towards promoting sustainable tourism development in LDCs.

Further information:     [email protected]

Valere Tjolle
Valere Tjolle is the editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite latest special offer HERE