Tourism’s active contribution to sustainable development necessarily presupposes the participation and collaboration of all stakeholders, both public and private, involved in tourism activities. This concerted effort must be based on efficient cooperation mechanisms in all spheres, both at destination level and internationally. Sustainable destination management, beyond the competences of governments and administrations, constitutes one of today’s major challenges.

For tourism to be a sustainable activity, ethical codes and sustainability guidelines and measurable indicators for the industry, tourists, governments and local authorities must be adopted and put into practice to strengthen the commitment to sustainability. Such codes are the expression of commitment among the various stakeholders participating in tourism and an objective way to measure progress.

Collaborating to compete is the new challenge for sustainable tourism in the global society. Advances in tourism sustainability and the creation of new responsible tourism products will largely depend on the ability to replicate success stories, transfer innovation, and share experience and knowledge, enhancing local vision with the perspective of other solutions in the world. Taking sustainable tourism from theory to practice requires the assistance and the consolidation of networks that facilitate the task of common cooperation, both regionally and internationally.

New bridges must be built between science and tourism, and between academia and tourism industry. Firstly, because the heritage of scientific knowledge provides a wealth of basic resources for the creation of new smart tourism products; secondly, because research and the contribution of science make it possible to refocus the practical challenges of tourism in the framework of sustainable development.

Main Topics

CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRANSFER KNOWLEDGE

NETWORKING AND COOPERATION: LIGHTING TOURISM BY SHARING SUCCESS STORIES

IMPROVING GOVERNANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DESTINATIONS