Related projects
Tourism
Since the latter part of the 20th century tourism has become a major sector of economic activity and all indicators show that it will continue to grow in the years to come. The number of international tourists is expected to double by 2020, reaching around 1.5 billion arrivals- nearly half of which will be visiting Europe.
Tourism has an important potential for contributing to sustainable socio-economic development and environmental conservation. It can support the protection of natural resources, as local residents realize the value of their asset and work to preserve it. Tourism can also provide an alternative form of land use that decreases the pressure for land use conversion. It can also contribute to the maintenance and revival of lifestyles and cultural practices. Opportunities arise for education and awareness-raising to understand and respect cultural diversity along with biodiversity. All of these opportunities can be targeted by responsible tourism or ecotourism.
For more information on tourism and biodiversity, read the CBD brochure: “Biological Diversity and Tourism: Development of Guidelines for Sustainable Tourism in Vulnerable Ecosystems” at http://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/ecotour-brochure-en.pdf