General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

4 May 1994

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

Agenda item 9 (b) 
 
 CONSIDERATION OF PLANS AND PROGRAMMES TO SUPPORT THE SUSTAINABLE 
 DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES AND THE UTILIZATION 
 OF THEIR MARINE AND COASTAL RESOURCES, WHICH INCLUDES MEETING 
 ESSENTIAL HUMAN NEEDS, MAINTAINING BIODIVERSITY, AND IMPROVING 
 THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ISLAND PEOPLE, AS WELL AS MEASURES THAT 
 WILL ENABLE SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES TO COPE EFFECTIVELY, 
 CREATIVELY AND IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES 
 AND TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS ON AND REDUCE THE THREATS POSED TO 
 MARINE AND COASTAL RESOURCES: CONSIDERATION OF THE DRAFT 
 PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL 
ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES 
 
Report of the Main Committee 
 
Rapporteur: Mr. Takao SHIBATA (Japan) 
 
Addendum 
 
Chapter VIII 
 
Tourism resources 
 
1.The Main Committee held a number of informal meetings on chapter  
VIII of the draft programme of action (A/CONF.167/L.1) and  
considered it at its ... meeting, on ... May. 
 
2.At the same meeting, the Committee approved the following  
amendments: 
 
(a)Paragraph 36 was amended to read as follows: 
 
"Tourism has contributed much to the development of small island  
developing States and, as one of only a few development  
options for small island developing States, will continue to  
be very important for their future growth. It could also  
stimulate the development of other sectors. 
However, if not properly planned and managed, it could  
significantly degrade the environment on which it is so  
dependent. The fragility and interdependence of coastal zones  
and the unspoilt areas on which eco-tourism depends calls for  
careful management. One of the special tourist attractions of  
small island developing States is the distinctiveness of their  
cultures. The diversity and fragility of their environments  
are reflected in the diversity and fragility of their  
cultures. The protection of the former is an important  
condition for the protection of the latter"; 
 
(b)Paragraph 37 was amended to read as follows: 
 
"Capital investment and tourism, particularly for the necessary  
infrastructure, is costly. There is usually great competition  
for land resources among tourism, agriculture and other land  
uses. Large increases in tourism and the overdevelopment of  
tourism in particular areas or in whole islands could be  
environmentally and culturally disruptive and detrimental to  
other valuable sectors, such as agriculture. It is imperative,  
therefore, that the development of tourism be carefully  
planned, particularly in relation to compatible land uses,  
water management, coastal zone management and the development  
of parts and protected areas. Tourism, like all forms of  
development in the coastal zone, needs to be carefully  
integrated within the existing cultural and environmental  
constraints and opportunities present within small island  
developing States. Eco-tourism, linking areas of high  
ecological value to low-impact tourism, may present important  
and environmentally sustainable opportunities for tourism  
development in small island developing States"; 
 
(c)Section A, subparagraph (ii), was amended to read as follows: 
 
"Adopt integrated planning and policies to ensure sustainable  
tourism development, with particular attention to land-use  
planning and coastal zone management, requiring environmental  
impact assessments for all tourism projects; continuous  
monitoring of the environmental impact of all tourism  
activities; and the development of guidelines and standards  
for design and construction, taking into account energy and  
water consumption, the generation and disposal of wastes and  
land degradation, the proper management and protection of eco- 
tourism attractions, and the carrying capacity of areas for  
tourism"; 
 
(d)Section A, subparagraph (iii), was amended to read as follows: 
 
"Identify and develop facilities to meet specific niche markets,  
particularly in eco-tourism, nature and cultural tourism, and  
involve local populations in the identification and management  
of natural protected areas set aside for eco-tourism." 
 
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