International Task Force on Sustainable Tourism Development

Third International Meeting
Paris 10-12 December 2007

The objectives of the third meeting were to:

  • Review the current challenges related to the financing of sustainable tourism development and exploring opportunities and strengthening partnerships with multi-lateral and bilateral financing institutions and donors;

  • Explore the possibility of establishing a standardized set of operational criteria for financing sustainable tourism projects that would be adhered to by donors;

  • Review the National and/ or Regional Strategic Approaches on Sustainable Tourism Development;

  • Review the programme of work and the thematic areas of priority with a goal towards identifying the policy tools that are needed at a national level to maximize the coordination necessary to achieve STD;

  • Take stock of developments during the Second Task Force's meeting particularly with respect to the programme of work; and

  • Review the scope of the 10-year framework programme (10YFP) to reflect on the policy recommendations that could be submitted under the framework for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) that will be negotiated at the UN CSD in 2010/2011.

The meeting was opened by Ms. Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, French Secretary of State for Ecology who expressed her gratitude to the organizers of the event including to the Norwegian Government that provided financial support to sponsor participating delegates from developing countries. The Secretary of State congratulated the Task Force for its involvement in promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns in the tourism industry during the past two years. She stressed the importance of the third meeting to further discuss the progress of the programme of work and to reflect on the policy tools to be implemented to achieve sustainable tourism development at a national level.

A major achievement of the Task Force during this meeting included the organization of a back to back workshop which focused on sustainable investment and financing in the tourism sector and attracted the interest of financial institutes aiming at mainstreaming sustainability principles into tourism investments and projects. The workshop suggested the establishment of a network comprising financial stakeholders, private investors, international organisations and developing destinations that will focus on the mainstreaming of sustainable principles on investments and development projects in the tourism sector. The network will be called SIFT Network (Sustainable Investment and Financing in Tourism).

The meeting proved that the Task Force has started to deliver concrete outputs towards the development of sustainable consumption and production patterns in the tourism value chain. These outputs are related with the projects financed by the French Ministry (communication campaign, guidelines for tourism in coastal zones, training material for hospitality schools) but have also contributed to projects that started within the Task Force's programme of work and implemented by various partners.

Mr. Luc Chatel, French Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs and Tourism officially closed the meeting. He highlighted that the Task Force has gained strong cooperation from its country members at international and national level. They have demonstrated their willingness to participate in the pilot projects implemented by the French Government, UNEP, OECD, UNWTO, UNDP and other NGOs. He underlined the need to now engage the finance sector to support the effective coordination of efforts to promote sustainable tourism development. He stressed the importance of sharing the work of the Task Force with other countries to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns globally. He recognized the importance of the tourism sector and its global development impacts while stressing the need for tourism destinations to conserve their natural assets as a competitive advantage. In this sense, he highlighted the need to continue work on the education and capacity building of the tourism sector to increase awareness of the impacts of tourism on the environment and biodiversity. He stressed the need for all actors in the tourism industry at country level to work together towards sustainable tourism development. He also said that strong national and international public opinion will help mobilize these efforts.


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