Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 77th session of the General Assembly
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HPLF Side Event on Economic, Social and Environmental Sustainability in Tourism
(As delivered)
Thank you very much, indeed.
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I thank Croatia, Spain, Jamaica, India, and many other friends, and the UNWTO for inviting us to consider the links between tourism and sustainable development.
As one of the fastest-growing sectors, tourism accounts for one in every 10 jobs worldwide.
Its capacity to attract investment and rapidly increase exports has made it a vital catalyst for development.
In many small countries, small islands developing states, it represents nearly 30 per cent of GDP and a whopping 80 per cent of export revenues.
It is safe to say that for many, tourism translates to survival.
At the same time, this spectacular growth has not been without its impacts – a fact that we must not only acknowledge but urgently address.
Over the years, tourism’s consumption of energy, land, and water has only increased.
That has been followed by a significant growth of carbon emissions and waste generated by tourism.
And that, in turn, has created pressure on fragile ecosystems and led to the loss of precious biodiversity.
Worse, these dire consequences are often borne by host communities – particularly Indigenous peoples, who have preserved most of the Earth’s forests, grasslands, and other environments for centuries.
However, if managed well, tourism can be a powerful force for sustainability transformation – but how can we get there?
With the SDG Summit fast approaching, we have a massive opportunity – and a responsibility, frankly – to recognize tourism’s centrality to our success in creating a sustainable, safe, and more prosperous world.
Not only in words.
Not only in greenwashing.
Not only in marketing.
But by impacts and by real transformation.
For this, we need to make a bold shift in direction.
To foster a regenerative approach that rebalance tourism’s relationship with nature.
To ensure that tourism respects the cultural traditions of host countries, host communities.
And to guarantee that its operations provide economic benefits for all stakeholders.
A shift towards zero-waste and plastic-free initiatives, for example, can advance innovation and resource efficiency throughout the value chain.
Greater demand for sustainable products is sparking opportunities to make biodegradable packaging, refillable products, and waste management technologies.
At the UN, we are focused on a pivotal piece of the solution.
We are working to harness the potential of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index.
MVI is a powerful tool which would assess countries’ vulnerability to external shocks to help them enhance their adaptive capacity.
In turn, this initiative would contribute to Beyond GDP – a system of measurement which would capture not only the economic, but also the social and environmental aspects of national well-being.
Measuring not only flow, but also wealth.
Not only growth of income, but also distribution of income and inequalities.
In the General Assembly, we have organized briefings with eminent scientists and academics to raise awareness of the Beyond GDP metric.
And in December, Member States in the General Assembly formally recognized zero-waste as a transformative solution to achieving the SDGs.
Along with the UNWTO’s Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism, these initiatives will offer us more data on and a better insight into challenges we are trying to solve.
We are in a new chapter of history.
We face complex crises demanding that we radically transform the way we think and act: how we produce, use, and preserve.
This is as true for tourism as it is for every sector, large and small, from North to South, from East to West.
I hope this meeting will help to clarify how we can make tourism more regenerative, nature positive and beneficial for all.
So that we could all explore this wonderful planet with a clear conscience.
Thank you very much.
