BMZ has been promoting the development of sustainable tourism in developing countries and emerging economies for over 20 years. Tourism is primarily used as a lever to promote local and regional economic power in keeping with the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations.
The Tourism for SGDs platform vividly sets out the 2030 Agenda goals to which tourism contributes.
German development cooperation is aware of the industry’s enormous development potential. BMZ’s involvement focuses on using tourism as a driving force to generate decent jobs and incomes, develop infrastructure and preserve nature, biodiversity and culture. At the same time, risks associated with tourism, such as the exploitation of natural resources, land grabbing and displacement, and dependency must be reduced. In particular, gender justice, respect for human rights and child protection have a major role to play.
For decades, the tourism industry was one of the fastest growing economic sectors worldwide. Before the coronavirus pandemic, tourism volumes were increasing steadily, reaching a record high in 2019, with 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals. This year, tourism was the third strongest economic sector, providing around 330 million jobs worldwide and with a 10.3 per cent share of global economic output. One in every ten jobs was therefore linked directly or indirectly to tourism.
However, the trend to growth in tourism was abruptly interrupted by the pandemic:
Lockdowns, travel restrictions and a reduction in offers from tour operators had dramatic consequences:
‘[…] the pandemic changed the situation [...] in many places: Tourists stayed away – and their absence brought a loss of revenue. In many cases, the majority of workers in the tourism sector are women, and they were often the first to be fired from their jobs. The result was that social inequalities were further intensified. Many workers turned their backs on the tourism sector altogether. Today, it is often not easy to find qualified workers and offer them the chance of decent jobs. Another crucial aspect is that loss of income in the tourism sector can also increase the pressure on ecosystems and accelerate the loss of biodiversity. This is because people who have no regular income are often forced to fall back on alternatives in order to survive. Poaching, and illegal fishing and logging are on the increase.
However, this crisis is also a unique opportunity to address existing problems and irregularities, and a chance to make tourism fit for the future now. We can and we must learn from the COVID crisis. [...]’
Svenja Schulze, German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development
COVID-19 Response Measures for Tourism – for Crisis Response, Recovery and Resilience is a comprehensive programme that was initiated in collaboration with international partner organisations to help more than 20 developing countries and emerging economies find their way through the COVID-19 crisis. The projects contribute to the preservation of local structures for tourism and to sustainable reconstruction.
BMZ | COVID-19 Response Measures for Tourism
BMZ works closely with national and international organisations to implement the projects created by the COVID-19 Response Measures for Tourism. This approach exploits existing synergies to jointly develop sustainable solutions for current challenges in tourism and to implement appropriate measures locally.
The aim of WWF’s measures in Mexico, Kenya and Namibia is to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic for nature reserves and the people who live there. The direct financial support enables gamekeepers to continue performing their tasks even without income from tourism. For the post-pandemic period, community-based tourism concepts are being made fit for the future. The idea is to use the crisis as an opportunity to promote sustainable tourism that provides both protection for nature and economic benefits for people – without further increasing interdependence.
Project countries: Kenya, Namibia and Mexico
Target group: communities and employees in protected areas and tourism
Activities:
contributes to achievement of the following sustainable development goals:
Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. Its consequences are felt worldwide in our politically and economically closely interwoven world.
Eradicate hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. With the special initiative "ONE WORLD - NO HUNGER", the German development cooperation is contributing to achieving this goal.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This is one of the most important tasks.
Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. - Because education is a human right.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is a fundamental factor for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. - This is a fundamental requirement for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Because without energy, development is not possible.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment as well as decent work for all.
Build a resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. After all, many rural regions in developing countries do not yet have adequate transport routes and means of transport.
Reduce inequality within and among countries. Reducing these inequalities contributes to sustainable economic growth and strengthens the social cohesion of a society.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The BMZ supports a wide range of projects that sustainably improve the living conditions of the urban population.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The change to a sustainable economy and lifestyle will only succeed if we change our consumption habits and production techniques.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Germany is a pioneer in the field of energy system transformation and would like to further strengthen this role worldwide in the interests of sustainable development.
Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. - An essential factor of sustainable development.
Protect restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development. Only with such a global partnership the goals of Agenda 2030 can be achieved.
The aim of the joint project between UNESCO and the Expedia Group is to make tourism involving UNESCO World Heritage Sites sustainable and give local people a share of the income generated.
Enterprises such as hotel chains and smaller family-run businesses can sign up to the UNESCO Sustainable Tourism Pledge, and in so doing commit to making their products and services as sustainable as possible.
In addition, the project offers paid employment – e.g. maintenance work at World Heritage sites – to people who have lost income due to the decline in visitor numbers. Digital training courses also enable skilled workers to enhance their know-how in areas such as leading cultural guided tours, entrepreneurship or social media marketing, and to improve their tourism products and services.
Countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Georgia, Indonesia, Kenya, Namibia and Viet Nam
Target group: tourism companies, hotel chains and cultural mediators
Activities:
German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited the Borobudur temple complex in Indonesia in June 2022. There he met two participants from the UNESCO project, who presented him with a hand-painted cloth with motifs of the Borobudur temple. The fabric was made by a local community supported by UNESCO.
contributes to achievement of the following sustainable development goals:
Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. Its consequences are felt worldwide in our politically and economically closely interwoven world.
Eradicate hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. With the special initiative "ONE WORLD - NO HUNGER", the German development cooperation is contributing to achieving this goal.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This is one of the most important tasks.
Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. - Because education is a human right.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is a fundamental factor for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. - This is a fundamental requirement for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Because without energy, development is not possible.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment as well as decent work for all.
Build a resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. After all, many rural regions in developing countries do not yet have adequate transport routes and means of transport.
Reduce inequality within and among countries. Reducing these inequalities contributes to sustainable economic growth and strengthens the social cohesion of a society.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The BMZ supports a wide range of projects that sustainably improve the living conditions of the urban population.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The change to a sustainable economy and lifestyle will only succeed if we change our consumption habits and production techniques.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Germany is a pioneer in the field of energy system transformation and would like to further strengthen this role worldwide in the interests of sustainable development.
Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. - An essential factor of sustainable development.
Protect restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development. Only with such a global partnership the goals of Agenda 2030 can be achieved.
By setting up pilot projects in conservation areas in Peru and Viet Nam, IUCN is seeking to help people through the pandemic with the aid of alternative sources of income, including the maintenance of hiking trails, clearance of plastic from beaches and removal of unwanted invasive plants. At the same time, the project should revitalise tourism in surrounding areas and make it more sustainable. The aim is to generate a form of tourism in which local residents themselves design the tourism products in protected areas, generate a decent income from them and contribute to their preservation.
Countries: Peru and Viet Nam
Target group: local population, nature reserves
Activities:
“Protected areas play a crucial role in maintaining the health of the planet and our health as a species, and are critically important in conserving biodiversity, ecosystem services and mitigating impacts of natural disasters and climate change. Through this project, IUCN provides a lifeline to local communities who are unable to finance their vital nature conservation operations after decades of reliance on ecotourism ventures to supplement meagre budgets.”
James Hardcastle, Associate Director, Global Protected Areas Programme, IUCN
contributes to achievement of the following sustainable development goals:
Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. Its consequences are felt worldwide in our politically and economically closely interwoven world.
Eradicate hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. With the special initiative "ONE WORLD - NO HUNGER", the German development cooperation is contributing to achieving this goal.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This is one of the most important tasks.
Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. - Because education is a human right.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is a fundamental factor for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. - This is a fundamental requirement for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Because without energy, development is not possible.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment as well as decent work for all.
Build a resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. After all, many rural regions in developing countries do not yet have adequate transport routes and means of transport.
Reduce inequality within and among countries. Reducing these inequalities contributes to sustainable economic growth and strengthens the social cohesion of a society.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The BMZ supports a wide range of projects that sustainably improve the living conditions of the urban population.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The change to a sustainable economy and lifestyle will only succeed if we change our consumption habits and production techniques.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Germany is a pioneer in the field of energy system transformation and would like to further strengthen this role worldwide in the interests of sustainable development.
Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. - An essential factor of sustainable development.
Protect restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development. Only with such a global partnership the goals of Agenda 2030 can be achieved.
The Tourism Recovery Programme of enpact and the TUI Care Foundation aims to support young and innovative companies as they emerge from the crisis, as part of a six-month support programme. The programme should secure livelihoods and jobs, while making the respective business models more resilient and sustainable in the event of future crises.
Countries: Egypt, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa and Tunisia
Target group: young, innovative tourism enterprises
Activities:
contributes to achievement of the following sustainable development goals:
Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. Its consequences are felt worldwide in our politically and economically closely interwoven world.
Eradicate hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. With the special initiative "ONE WORLD - NO HUNGER", the German development cooperation is contributing to achieving this goal.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This is one of the most important tasks.
Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. - Because education is a human right.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is a fundamental factor for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. - This is a fundamental requirement for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Because without energy, development is not possible.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment as well as decent work for all.
Build a resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. After all, many rural regions in developing countries do not yet have adequate transport routes and means of transport.
Reduce inequality within and among countries. Reducing these inequalities contributes to sustainable economic growth and strengthens the social cohesion of a society.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The BMZ supports a wide range of projects that sustainably improve the living conditions of the urban population.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The change to a sustainable economy and lifestyle will only succeed if we change our consumption habits and production techniques.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Germany is a pioneer in the field of energy system transformation and would like to further strengthen this role worldwide in the interests of sustainable development.
Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. - An essential factor of sustainable development.
Protect restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development. Only with such a global partnership the goals of Agenda 2030 can be achieved.
In the first ten months of 2020, Asia-Pacific was the region worst affected by the global decline in tourism resulting from the pandemic. The 82 per cent drop in international tourist arrivals caused an existential threat to the entire travel and tourism sector in the region. To prevent any future recurrence, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) launched a project on tourism destination resilience. In a first step, definitions and standards for destination resilience were developed in collaboration with tourism experts. A series of online learning modules were developed for tourism professionals at the local level to make key local infrastructure both sustainable and disaster resilient. The learning modules are freely accessible on PATA’s CRC web platform (Crisis Resource Center).
Countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam
Target group: Destination management organisations and their stakeholders
Activities:
Empowerment of destinations and businesses through training and online materials to emerge stronger from the crisis and to anticipate and deal with future crises
contributes to achievement of the following sustainable development goals:
Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. Its consequences are felt worldwide in our politically and economically closely interwoven world.
Eradicate hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. With the special initiative "ONE WORLD - NO HUNGER", the German development cooperation is contributing to achieving this goal.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This is one of the most important tasks.
Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. - Because education is a human right.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is a fundamental factor for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. - This is a fundamental requirement for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Because without energy, development is not possible.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment as well as decent work for all.
Build a resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. After all, many rural regions in developing countries do not yet have adequate transport routes and means of transport.
Reduce inequality within and among countries. Reducing these inequalities contributes to sustainable economic growth and strengthens the social cohesion of a society.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The BMZ supports a wide range of projects that sustainably improve the living conditions of the urban population.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The change to a sustainable economy and lifestyle will only succeed if we change our consumption habits and production techniques.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Germany is a pioneer in the field of energy system transformation and would like to further strengthen this role worldwide in the interests of sustainable development.
Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. - An essential factor of sustainable development.
Protect restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development. Only with such a global partnership the goals of Agenda 2030 can be achieved.
ECPAT International works to ensure that children are protected and that their right to live free from violence becomes a key criterion for sustainable destinations. The focus of the project is to raise awareness of child protection among enterprises and stakeholders in the tourism sector, so that they recognise potential dangers, understand them in the context of tourism and are able to act preventively. These measures are indispensable to a sustainable reconstruction of the travel and tourism industry in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.
Countries: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Côte d’Ivoire,
Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam
Target group: Consumers, local authorities, governments and enterprises in the tourism sector
Activities:
contributes to achievement of the following sustainable development goals:
Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. Its consequences are felt worldwide in our politically and economically closely interwoven world.
Eradicate hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. With the special initiative "ONE WORLD - NO HUNGER", the German development cooperation is contributing to achieving this goal.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This is one of the most important tasks.
Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. - Because education is a human right.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is a fundamental factor for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. - This is a fundamental requirement for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Because without energy, development is not possible.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment as well as decent work for all.
Build a resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. After all, many rural regions in developing countries do not yet have adequate transport routes and means of transport.
Reduce inequality within and among countries. Reducing these inequalities contributes to sustainable economic growth and strengthens the social cohesion of a society.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The BMZ supports a wide range of projects that sustainably improve the living conditions of the urban population.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The change to a sustainable economy and lifestyle will only succeed if we change our consumption habits and production techniques.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Germany is a pioneer in the field of energy system transformation and would like to further strengthen this role worldwide in the interests of sustainable development.
Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. - An essential factor of sustainable development.
Protect restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development. Only with such a global partnership the goals of Agenda 2030 can be achieved.
UNWTO’s Centre Stage Project supports government institutions, non-governmental organisations and private enterprises in advancing gender equality. In collaboration with UN Women, measures are being implemented at policy and institutional levels to improve the legal framework for female employees and to promote opportunities for career advancement. At the business level, the aim is to raise awareness in companies about gender justice; encouraged by guidelines, companies should commit to protecting women and to work actively for fairer working conditions.
Countries: Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jordan and Mexico
Target group: national governments and local tourism sector, incl. NGOs
Activities:
contributes to achievement of the following sustainable development goals:
Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. Its consequences are felt worldwide in our politically and economically closely interwoven world.
Eradicate hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. With the special initiative "ONE WORLD - NO HUNGER", the German development cooperation is contributing to achieving this goal.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This is one of the most important tasks.
Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. - Because education is a human right.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is a fundamental factor for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. - This is a fundamental requirement for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Because without energy, development is not possible.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment as well as decent work for all.
Build a resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. After all, many rural regions in developing countries do not yet have adequate transport routes and means of transport.
Reduce inequality within and among countries. Reducing these inequalities contributes to sustainable economic growth and strengthens the social cohesion of a society.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The BMZ supports a wide range of projects that sustainably improve the living conditions of the urban population.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The change to a sustainable economy and lifestyle will only succeed if we change our consumption habits and production techniques.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Germany is a pioneer in the field of energy system transformation and would like to further strengthen this role worldwide in the interests of sustainable development.
Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. - An essential factor of sustainable development.
Protect restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development. Only with such a global partnership the goals of Agenda 2030 can be achieved.
It is not just the pandemic that threatens the future of tourism. The consequences of unregulated growth in visitor numbers also make destinations less attractive, for example because of the problems of sewage and waste. In the long run this leads to a decline in revenue streams. In many places, however, there is still a lack of knowledge and expertise for managing tourism demand in socially and environmentally sustainable ways.
To close this gap, an online course on sustainable destination management has been developed by the Travel Foundation in collaboration with Cornell University. The 40-hour programme is aimed at staff employed in tourism authorities and destination management, as well as tourism and hospitality professionals and students seeking future work in sustainable destination management.
Countries: Worldwide/online
Target group: Decision-makers in state and local tourism authorities, destination management organisations and international organisations
Activities:
contributes to achievement of the following sustainable development goals:
Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. Its consequences are felt worldwide in our politically and economically closely interwoven world.
Eradicate hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. With the special initiative "ONE WORLD - NO HUNGER", the German development cooperation is contributing to achieving this goal.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This is one of the most important tasks.
Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. - Because education is a human right.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is a fundamental factor for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. - This is a fundamental requirement for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Because without energy, development is not possible.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment as well as decent work for all.
Build a resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. After all, many rural regions in developing countries do not yet have adequate transport routes and means of transport.
Reduce inequality within and among countries. Reducing these inequalities contributes to sustainable economic growth and strengthens the social cohesion of a society.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The BMZ supports a wide range of projects that sustainably improve the living conditions of the urban population.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The change to a sustainable economy and lifestyle will only succeed if we change our consumption habits and production techniques.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Germany is a pioneer in the field of energy system transformation and would like to further strengthen this role worldwide in the interests of sustainable development.
Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. - An essential factor of sustainable development.
Protect restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development. Only with such a global partnership the goals of Agenda 2030 can be achieved.
The RESET project (Resilient and Sustainable Enterprises in Tourism), an initiative of the International Labour Organization (ILO), supports small tourism enterprises by introducing risk-informed management processes and, in so doing, also protects employees from losses of jobs or income.
To this end, RESET addresses three areas: training and mentoring businesses to strengthen their capacities in risk-informed management; certification of enterprises that have increased their resilience; and public-private dialogues between the tourism industry and policy-makers, for example to raise awareness of business resilience among tourism authorities.
Countries: Dominican Republic and South Africa
Target group: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Activities:
contributes to achievement of the following sustainable development goals:
Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. Its consequences are felt worldwide in our politically and economically closely interwoven world.
Eradicate hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. With the special initiative "ONE WORLD - NO HUNGER", the German development cooperation is contributing to achieving this goal.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This is one of the most important tasks.
Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. - Because education is a human right.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is a fundamental factor for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. - This is a fundamental requirement for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Because without energy, development is not possible.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment as well as decent work for all.
Build a resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. After all, many rural regions in developing countries do not yet have adequate transport routes and means of transport.
Reduce inequality within and among countries. Reducing these inequalities contributes to sustainable economic growth and strengthens the social cohesion of a society.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The BMZ supports a wide range of projects that sustainably improve the living conditions of the urban population.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The change to a sustainable economy and lifestyle will only succeed if we change our consumption habits and production techniques.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Germany is a pioneer in the field of energy system transformation and would like to further strengthen this role worldwide in the interests of sustainable development.
Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. - An essential factor of sustainable development.
Protect restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development. Only with such a global partnership the goals of Agenda 2030 can be achieved.
In this project, the German Committee for Disaster Reduction (DKKV) and the association Futouris are pooling their expertise in risk management, tourism and sustainability. The project will develop Resilience Guidelines to show how resilience assessments can be carried out successfully. As the challenges and risks are often similar in different tourist destinations, the project will gather approaches that work so that they can be used at other destinations. The project also involves tourism stakeholders in training measures and workshops, enabling them to implement resilience strategies successfully.
Countries: Dominican Republic, Namibia and Sri Lanka
Target group: Tourist destinations and tourism stakeholders
Activities:
‘[...] The Samaná Peninsula in the Dominican Republic was the first region we looked at in detail in our project. Loss of beaches due to erosion was a problem frequently raised in meetings and interviews with stakeholders in the tourism businesses and local government representatives. Some hoteliers therefore implemented measures themselves, such as moving their pool areas or installing breakwaters. Since tourism in Samaná is focused on sun and beach and on active tourism (e.g. diving), this issue is particularly challenging. Extensive white sandy beaches are the main attraction in the region. A workshop is now planned in which possible collaborative steps for meeting this challenge will be addressed together. One objective is to increase risk awareness and the responsibility of local stakeholders and to develop shared concrete, effective options for action.’
Inga Meese, Managing Director of Futouris
contributes to achievement of the following sustainable development goals:
Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. Its consequences are felt worldwide in our politically and economically closely interwoven world.
Eradicate hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. With the special initiative "ONE WORLD - NO HUNGER", the German development cooperation is contributing to achieving this goal.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This is one of the most important tasks.
Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. - Because education is a human right.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is a fundamental factor for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. - This is a fundamental requirement for sustainable development worldwide.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Because without energy, development is not possible.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment as well as decent work for all.
Build a resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. After all, many rural regions in developing countries do not yet have adequate transport routes and means of transport.
Reduce inequality within and among countries. Reducing these inequalities contributes to sustainable economic growth and strengthens the social cohesion of a society.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The BMZ supports a wide range of projects that sustainably improve the living conditions of the urban population.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The change to a sustainable economy and lifestyle will only succeed if we change our consumption habits and production techniques.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Germany is a pioneer in the field of energy system transformation and would like to further strengthen this role worldwide in the interests of sustainable development.
Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. - An essential factor of sustainable development.
Protect restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development. Only with such a global partnership the goals of Agenda 2030 can be achieved.
The Sector Dialogue on Tourism for Sustainable Development is a multi-stakeholder partnership. As part of the COVID-19 Response Measures for Tourism, members cooperate with tourism enterprises in Colombia, Tunisia and the Dominican Republic to support them in developing sustainable business models. This means, for example, that enterprises are encouraged to reduce resource consumption, avoid food and plastic waste and promote the conservation of biodiversity. This commitment not only helps the businesses, it also has a positive impact on development in the region as a whole.
More information on the Sector Dialogue can be found in the corresponding chapter.
The Eco Vivero La Sangria project is the initiative of a women’s collective. Their objective is to create a space in which to demonstrate sustainable management and biodiversity conservation for local and foreign tourists as well as for the community itself.
The greenhouse, which uses solar energy, is situated on a street popular with tourists, not far from the well-known Playa Rincón in Las Galeras.
Local and international visitors can buy homemade products such as juices, smoothies and hand-crafted souvenirs, and learn about communal compost production, the recycling of plastics and the cultivation of endemic plants.
Green jobs in the circular economy
Activities pursued together with local communities have included working on recycling projects and on strategies for marketing agritourism as an alternative to extensive farming.
Promotion of sustainable tourism:
‘My webinar exchanges with the German tourism industry gave me an opportunity to broaden my skills, acquire the knowledge I needed to develop in my role as a quality manager, and to make a success of our sustainability project.’
Aicha Laarif, Quality Manager at the Hôtel Sentido Bellevue Park, Sousse
The topics of resilience and risk-informed development have taken on new prominence as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. In the wake of recurring crises and disasters such as pandemics, wars and the consequences of climate change, it is vitally important that businesses and destinations are well prepared and able to adapt. For this reason, instruments from disaster risk management are constantly being developed and adapted for tourism, and thus used to strengthen tourism in countries of the Global South.
You can find more details here:
BMZ’s COVID-19 Response Package for Tourism
The Sector Dialogue on Tourism for Sustainable Development is an initiative of the German and European tourism industry.
Members of the Sector Dialogue are prominent actors from the private sector, civil society and academic community – for example, travel companies, tourism associations, foundations and universities.
The Sector Dialogue’s mission is to use the power of tourism to promote sustainable development in developing countries and emerging economies – thereby working towards the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
This partnership between development actors and the tourism industry is a cornerstone of BMZ’s strategy to harness tourism as an engine for sustainable development across the entire industry.
Further information can be found on the BMZ website as well as in the position paper and How we see our role.
As the name suggests, we like to talk a lot. Because if we want to make things happen in the world, we have to reach agreement across the whole industry about a common approach and speak with a single voice.
We’re not just a talking shop, though. Together with destination countries we devise scalable activities to promote sustainable development in selected holiday regions. We see ourselves as the voice of tourism for sustainable development, bringing the issue to the attention of policy-makers, raising public awareness and promoting discussion in Germany. We also forge alliances and links between the tourism industry, policy-makers, civil society and development cooperation. We do so to improve living conditions around the world, protect the environment and the climate, and build a strong tourism industry.
The tourism sector is shaped by informal employment relationships. This makes it difficult for specialists to find suitable further training or demonstrate their previous professional experience and knowledge. Digital training, independent of time and place, has proven to be an effective method of development cooperation, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. It has made finding a job in tourism easier, and in addition tourism companies benefit from a well-trained workforce.
The impact of the pandemic is also particularly evident in the social sphere, with different population groups being affected in very different ways. Women, whose representation in the tourism industry is disproportionately high at 54%, face a particular struggle with job losses. This is because they are more often recruited into informal employment, such as seasonal or casual work.
A largely unnoticed and very serious problem in the context of tourist activities is the sexual exploitation of children. Travel restrictions have increasingly shifted criminal activity to the virtual world of the internet, lowering entry barriers for potential criminals.
Tourism offers access to the labour market for women, even with little or no previous knowledge.
Tourism creates an effective interplay between nature conservation and development in regions that border protected areas. These areas are often a magnet for tourists, providing a secure income for the local population, which incentivises them to continue protecting the natural environment.
By seeing the unspoiled natural environment as the basis for income from tourism.
UNESCO World Heritage sites are often popular tourist destinations and a valuable source of income for people in the region.
If there are too many tourists, however, this places the sites and their surrounding area under great pressure.
The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences for tourism offer a unique opportunity to make progress towards greater sustainability and resilience in the regions around World Heritage sites.
This exhibition is a production of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Responsible: GIZ | Felix Ruf | Private Sector Cooperation (SV ZmW) | Sustainable development through tourism
Editorial: GIZ | Lara Kogge | SV ZmW
Editorial assistance: Jana Schwalm | Vera Ude | Jasper Silbernagel
Design and implementation: SV ZmW
Homepage
Video: Pexels / Tom Fisk
Tourism in development cooperation
Photo 1: GIZ / Joe Kageni
Photo 2: GIZ / Ilan Godfrey
Photo 3: GIZ / Ilan Godfrey
Tourism and the coronavirus pandemic
Photo 1: Unsplash / Jérémy Stenuit
Photo 2: AdobeStock / Fotokon
Photo 3: GIZ / AD MA
Photo 4: Pixabay / fernandozhiminaicela
BMZ’s COVID-19 Response Measures for Tourism
Photo 1: GIZ / Moise Niyonzima
Photo 2: BPA / Steffen Kugler
Photo 3: GIZ / Shadab Marzook
Logos: from pictured partners
Graphic: GIZ / MediaCompany
Photo 4: GIZ / Moise Niyonzima
Overcoming the pandemic, strengthening tourism and nature protection
Photo 1: Alexis Rosenfeld / Divergence
Photo 2: WWF / Siphiwe Lutibezi
Photo 3: WWF
Video: WWF
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: The Tourism Industry’s Responsibility
Photo 1: UNESCO
Photo 2: Unsplash / Norbert Braun
Photo 3: Pixabay / kupisliku
Photo 4: UNESCO
Preserving protected and conserved areas with sustainable tourism
Photo 1: IUCN
Photo 2: Pixabay / ThuyHaBich
Photo 3: IUCN
Photo 4: IUCN
Towards sustainable recovery of the tourism industry
Photo 1: enpact / Clement Waigwa
Photo 2: GIZ / Daniel Adidwa
Photo 3: enpact
Video: enpact
Improving competencies for resilience
Photo 1: GIZ / Kevin Hurley
Photo 2: GIZ / Shadab Marzook
Photo 3: GIZ / Shadab Marzook
Video: PATA
Child protection in the context of travel and tourism
Photo 1: GIZ / Ilan Godfrey
Photo 2: ECPAT
Photo 3: ECPAT
Video: ECPAT
Female employees at the centre of recovery efforts
Photo 1: UNWTO
Photo 2: UNWTO/Centre Stage
Photo 3: UNWTO/Centre Stage
Video: UNWTO
Sustainable Destination Management Online Course
Photo 1: GIZ / Ilan Godfrey
Photo 2: GIZ / Djulian
Photo 3: GIZ / Ilan Godfrey
RESET: focus on small businesses
Photo 1: Unsplash / Pedro Sanz
Photo 2: GIZ / Ilan Godfrey
Photo 3: GIZ / Elma Storm
Video: ILO
Destination Resilience – Quality Infrastructures for Resilient Tourism
Photo 1: TUI Care Foundation / Christiane Flechtner
Photo 2: DKKV
Photo 3: Unsplash / JP Desvigne
Photo 4: Futouris
COVID-19 Measures of the Sector Dialogue
Photo 1: Unsplash / Haythem Gataa
Photo 2: GIZ / Djulian
Photo 3: GIZ / BD
Video 1: GIZ
Photo 4: GIZ / BD
Photo 5: GIZ / BD
Video 2: Meta Sostenible
Photo 6: GIZ / BD
Photo 7: GIZ / BD
2. Thematic focus areas for sustainable development in tourism
Risk-informed management for resilient tourism
Graphic: GIZ / MediaCompany
Photo 1: GIZ / Shadab Marzook
Photo 2: Futouris / DKKV
Photo 3: GIZ / Malick
Sector Dialogue on Tourism for Sustainable Development
Graphic: GIZ / MediaCompany
Photo 1: GIZ / Joe Kageni
Photo 2: GIZ / Fabrice Ndori Jean Pierre
Photo 3: GIZ / Ilan Godfrey
Digital professional development
Graphic: GIZ / MediaCompany
Photo 1: GIZ / Ilan Godfrey
Graphic: GIZ / Atingi
Video 1: GIZ / Atingi
Video 2: GIZ / Atingi
With tourism towards greater social justice
Graphic: GIZ / MediaCompany
Photo 1: GIZ / Ilan Godfrey
Photo 2: GIZ / Joe Kageni
Video: ECPAT
Using nature conservation to contribute to tourism
Graphic: GIZ / MediaCompany
Photo 1: GIZ / Jean Pierre Mazimpaka
Photo 2: GIZ / Jean Pierre Mazimpaka
Sustainable tourism and cultural heritage
Graphic: GIZ / MediaCompany
Photo 1: UNESCO / Kosal Mey
Photo 2: Unsplash / Herry Sutanto
