9.3 Seventeen Goals of Sustainable Tourism
Alice L. McLean
A variety of organizations have coalesced to help shift tourism away from extractive practices and to support community-led initiatives. These organizations nourish collaboration among tourism stakeholders, including international organizations, individuals in the tourism industry, scholars of tourism, scientific institutes studying the impacts of travel and tourism, and the media. In the Maldives, for example, international organizations have begun working with locals to correct the ecological imbalances created by enclave tourism and climate change. Other organizations working to shift toward Earth- and community-centered systems include Responsible Travel Institute (RTI), which seeks to educate stakeholders about the 17 goals laid out in the World Charter for Sustainable Tourism [see Figure 2]. The Responsible Travel Institute is sponsored by the European Union and various organizations overseen by the United Nations. Another organization based out of the United States, the Center of Responsible Travel (CREST) works to educate and support destinations throughout the world in implementing responsible travel protocols, regulations, and infrastructure. The Center for Responsible Travel houses and supports state-of-the-art tourism research and provides support for destinations working on sustainable development plans based on environmental stewardship, conservation, and community collaboration. The Center for Responsible Travel also hosts educational forums, events, and workshops to cultivate collaboration and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders.
Key Takeaway
A network of global organizations has emerged to promote the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and to support community-led, environmentally conscious travel, aiming to counteract the severe harms caused by mass tourism and overtourism. Despite these efforts, many iconic destinations remain overwhelmed by the environmental and social impacts of poorly managed tourism growth.
Significance to Regenerative Tourism: The move to energize tourism and to focus the industry on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations has been fueled by international collaboration, knowledge sharing, and scientific research promoting environmental stewardship and the well-being of residents and local communities.
Significance to Tourism: Venice, Barcelona, Nepal, and Bali underscore how unchecked tourism can degrade natural and cultural assets to the point of crisis, undermining both local quality of life and long-term tourism appeal. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and regenerative practices offer a roadmap for rethinking tourism as a system that must balance visitor experiences with ecological health, cultural preservation, and community rights.
Attributions
- Figure 9.4: United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, by Hannah Adams for WA Open ProfTech (© SBCTC), is licensed under CC BY 4.0. The information was adapted from the UN’s SDG Briefing Book 2023.
