28 January 2002

U.N. Officials Launch International Year of Ecotourism

Ceremony coincides with start of meeting on sustainable development

U.N. officials -- speaking at a special event January 28 marking the launch of the International Year of Ecotourism -- highlighted the development potential of ecotourism as well as the disturbing environmental trends of increasing tourism.

Several government ministers, heads of intergovernmental organizations and representatives of leading industry associations participated in the event held at U.N. headquarters in New York. It coincided with the start of a two-week meeting of the second preparatory committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The summit is scheduled to be held next August in Johannesburg, South Africa.

A press release said that the International Year of Ecotourism, being coordinated by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the World Tourism Organization (WTO), will provide an opportunity to review the ecotourism industry's effect on biodiversity, its potential contribution to sustainable development, and its social, economic and environmental impacts.

"If handled properly, ecotourism can be a valuable tool for financing the protection of ecologically sensitive areas and the socio-economic development of populations living in or close to them," said UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer.

High-level delegates and experts from around the world are expected to attend the World Ecotourism Summit to be held May 19-22 in Quebec City, Canada.

Ecotourism is a form of tourism in which visitor experiences are nature-based. It is also considered a land use method that promotes sustainable development in that it seeks habitat protection rather than exploitation of natural resources.

Following is the text of the press release:

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
World Tourism Organization (WTO)

January 28, 2002

U.N. Officials Launch International Year of Ecotourism

New York, 28 January 2002 -- The global importance of ecotourism, its benefits as well as its impacts, was recognized today with the launching here of the International Year of Ecotourism by United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette.

Hosted by the Year's two international coordinators -- the World Tourism Organization (WTO/OMT) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) -- the UN Headquarters event involved the participation of several government ministers, heads of intergovernmental organizations, and representatives of leading industry associations and non-governmental groups.

In 1998, the UN General Assembly decided to observe 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism, offering an opportunity for interested local and national stakeholders to review the social and environmental benefits that the ecotourism industry can offer host countries when suitably developed. With a series of global and local events, publications and discussion platforms, beginning with today's launch, the Year will be a time to review the ecotourism industry's effect on biodiversity, its potential contribution to sustainable development, its social, economic and environmental impacts, and the degree to which regulatory mechanisms and voluntary programs are effective in monitoring and controlling those impacts.

As ecotourism involves a broad range of interest groups -- from local communities and indigenous peoples to global corporations, national Governments and development agencies -- it has received mixed reviews on the effectiveness of its ambitious goals. However, in recognition of the importance placed on the issue, some 40 national and local multi-stakeholder committees have already been set up to organize activities related to the Year.

"The tripling of flows in the space of a generation, and the growing pressure to which the environment, tourism sites and host populations will inevitably be subject as a result, should encourage us, today as in the past, and despite the current crisis of the tourism industry, to think and act with a view to the sustainable development of this activity," said WTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli.

"Ecotourism, is far from being a fringe activity. It should not be regarded as a passing fad or a gimmick, or even as a secondary market niche, but rather as one of the trump cards of this industry of the future, i.e. tourism. And for a simple reason: it is crucial to the problem of developing a balanced, sustainable and responsible tourism sector", he said.

"Ecotourism has many definitions, but as a general goal it should provide an opportunity to develop tourism in ways that minimize the industry's negative impacts and a way to actively promote the conservation of Earth's unique biodiversity", said Klaus Toepfer, UNEP Executive Director. "If handled properly, ecotourism can be a valuable tool for financing the protection of ecologically sensitive areas and the socio-economic development of populations living in or close to them."

Other goals of the International Year of Ecotourism include:

-- Generate greater awareness among public authorities, the private sector, civil society and consumers regarding ecotourism's capacity to contribute to the conservation of the natural and cultural heritage in natural and rural areas, and the improvement of standards of living in those areas;

-- Disseminate methods and techniques for the planning, management, regulation and monitoring of ecotourism to guarantee its long-term sustainability;

-- Promote exchanges of experiences and lessons learned in the field of ecotourism; and

-- Increase opportunities for the efficient marketing and promotion of ecotourism destinations and products on international markets.

The key global event for the Year will be the World Ecotourism Summit, hosted by Canada, in Quebec City, from 19 to 22 May, to which over 500 high-level delegates and experts from all regions are already pre-registered. Twenty international preparatory conferences, started last year, will feed directly into the Summit (see http://www.ecotourism2002.org).

"The World Ecotourism Summit is expected to be the largest ever gathering of the different stakeholders concerned with the issue", said Mr. Toepfer. "It will be the key global event for the International Year. To ensure that ecotourism follows a truly sustainable path will require increased cooperation -- and partnerships -- among the tourism industry, Governments, local people and the tourists themselves and the Summit offers that opportunity."

Background

Ecotourism has been defined as a form of nature-based tourism in the marketplace, but it has also been formulated and studied as a sustainable development tool by NGOs, development experts and academics since 1990. The term "ecotourism", therefore, refers, on one hand, to a concept under a set of principles, and, on the other hand, to a specific market segment.

According to a 2001 WTO/OMT study, ecotourism may represent between 2 and 4 per cent of global tourism. The global significance of ecotourism does not come from its revenue volume, but rather because it strives to:

-- Protect the rapidly disappearing ecosystems that house most of the remaining biodiversity on Earth, and it is one of the few feasible economic tools to finance conservation of sensitive ecosystems; and

-- Ensure that local communities have a voice in sustainable development, that they benefit positively from revenue flows, since ecotourism operations and infrastructure are generally small-size and are run directly by them, and that less impacting alternative livelihoods are available.

During 2002 the UN is observing both the International Year of Ecotourism and the International Year of Mountains. Links between these two issues will be explored, and UNEP is focusing on ecotourism alternatives in "Mountain Commons" as one of the key interfaces between economic sustainability and environmental stewardship.

For more information on UNEP's and WTO/OMT's activities devoted to the subject of ecotourism, see http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/ecotourism and http://www.world-tourism.org/frameset/frame_sustainable.html

UNEP and the International Year of Ecotourism

In July 1998 the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) proposed to members of the UN General Assembly (resolution 1998/40) to designate 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism (IYE). Recognizing the growing importance of ecotourism, the UN General Assembly in December 1998 accepted the proposal (resolution A/Res/53/200) and declared 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism. The members of ECOSOC consider the designation of the IYE as an encouragement for intensified cooperative efforts by Governments and international and regional organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations, to achieve the aims of Agenda 21 in promoting development and the protection of the environment.

The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and other venues were advised to implement the Year (decision 7/3-5i and WGP). Within the UN system, the CSD's Interagency Committee on Sustainable Development (IACSD) mandated the World Tourism Organization (WTO/OMT) and UNEP to prepare and coordinate supportive activities for and during the year.

Among the many activities to be undertaken at the global, regional, national and local level on the occasion of the International Year, the World Ecotourism Summit will be the major landmark, thanks to the kind invitation of the Canadian government, and will be held in Quebec, Canada from 19-22 May 2002. The Summit is expected to be the largest ever worldwide gathering of all types of stakeholders involved in ecotourism.

What is Ecotourism?

Ecotourism has been defined as a form of nature-based tourism in the marketplace, but it has also been formulated and studied as a sustainable development tool by NGOs, development experts and academics since 1990. The term ecotourism, therefore, refers on one hand to a concept under a set of principles, and on the other hand to a specific market segment. The two most often used definitions are: "Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well being of local people." (The International Ecotourism Society, 1991) "Ecotourism is environmentally responsible travel and visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature (and any accompanying cultural features - both past and present) that promotes conservation, has low negative visitor impact, and provides for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local populations." (IUCN, 1996)

UNEP's Interests in Ecotourism

According to a 2001 WTO study, ecotourism may represent between 2 - 4% of global tourism. The global significance of ecotourism does not come from its revenue volume, but rather because it strives to:

-- Protect the rapidly disappearing ecosystems that house most of the remaining biodiversity on Earth, and it is one of the few feasible economic tools to finance conservation of sensitive ecosystems

-- Ensure that local communities have a voice in sustainable development, that they benefit positively from revenue flow, and that less impacting alternative livelihoods are available

IYE Goals

UNEP's activities around the International Year of Ecotourism have the following goals:

-- Generate greater awareness among public authorities, the private sector, the civil society and consumers regarding ecotourism's capacity to contribute to the conservation of the natural and cultural heritage in natural and rural areas, and the improvement of standards of living in those areas;

-- Disseminate methods and techniques for the planning, management, regulation and monitoring of ecotourism to guarantee its long-term sustainability;

-- Promote exchanges of successful experiences in the field of ecotourism;

-- Increase opportunities for the efficient marketing and promotion of ecotourism destinations and products on international markets.

UNEP Activities

Activities supporting the International Year of Ecotourism and the World Ecotourism Summit are being conducted as a part of UNEP's Tourism Program mission to ensure that conservation (as in sustainable management and use) of the natural, cultural and man-made environment is an integral part of all tourism development. The 2002 events are being carried out through UNEP partnerships with the World Tourism Organization (WTO/OMT), The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), Ecological Tourism in Europe (ETE), and others. UNEP's activities include:

-- Coordination of activities for the IYE within UNEP and among other inter-governmental organizations, linking the IYE with the International Year of the Mountain, the Carpathian Ecoregion Initiative, the Sport and Environment Initiative, the Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP), coral tourism related activities (UNEP-WCMC Global Atlas of Coral Reefs) the Regional Seas Program and the Global Program of Action.

-- Organization of preparatory events to facilitate contributions to the Summit: - Europe: St. Johann, Austria 12-15 September 2001 (with WTO/OMT) - NGO and grassroots organizations: New Delhi, India, 24-26 September 2001 (with ETE) - Central America: Belize City, Belize, 26-28 November 2001 (with TIES) - Smal Island Developing States and other small islands: Mahe, Seychelles, 8-10 December 2001 (with WTO/OMT) - South Asia: Gangtok, India, 17-25 January 2002 (with TIES) - South America: Cuzco, Peru 5-7 February 2002 (with TIES) - Southeast Asia: Chiang Mai, Thailand, 10-14 March 2002 (with TIES) - East Africa: Nairobi, Kenya, 22-24 March 2002 (with TIES) - Arctic Circle: Hemavan, Sweden, 25-28 April 2002 (with TIES)

Publications:

- The UNEP Manual for the International Year of Ecotourism, containing orientation for interested parties to collaborate with the Year. The Manual has been posted on our website. Please visit: http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/ecotourism/documents.htm - A double issue of the "Industry and Environment review" on Ecotourism, including articles presenting successful ecotourism experience from all parts of the world. - A handbook: "Ecotourism: Principles, Practices and Policies for Sustainability", with basic background data and references for governments and practitioners, jointly produced with TIES.

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