SHERIDAN, WYOMING – November 15, 2024 – In a landmark collaboration, three United Nations agencies – UN Tourism, UN-Habitat, and UNESCO – joined forces at the World Urban Forum in Cairo, Egypt, to champion sustainable urban tourism practices. This initiative marks the first time these agencies have collaborated at the World Urban Forum, underscoring their shared commitment to promoting tourism that benefits both cities and their residents.
Building on Successful Partnerships
This collaboration builds upon the fruitful partnership between UN-Habitat and UN Tourism, which, with support from the Basque Government, organized an Expert Group Meeting on "Advancing Sustainable Urban Tourism: Tools for promoting good practices in cities and territories" in Bilbao, Spain, earlier this year. The meeting brought together UN agencies, government representatives, academics, and private sector and civil society leaders to discuss policy and governance frameworks for sustainable urban tourism. The conclusions from this meeting laid the groundwork for further action and were presented at the World Urban Forum event.
Tourism, Culture, and Creativity as Catalysts for Urban Transformation
Mayors and city representatives from various cities worldwide, including Granada, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Madrid, Porto, and Buffalo City, shared their perspectives on how tourism can drive positive change in urban environments. They highlighted tourism's potential to:
- Boost economic and social development.
- Improve urban infrastructure and accessibility.
- Preserve and promote cultural and natural heritage.
- Stimulate creative industries.
- Regenerate neglected urban areas.
The mayors emphasized the importance of sustainable tourism development across economic, sociocultural, and environmental dimensions. They stressed the need for a holistic, multi-sectoral approach that integrates tourism and culture into urban planning, ensuring that the needs of all stakeholders, particularly local communities, are considered.
Culture-Driven Urban Solutions
As part of this strategic partnership, a series of "Urban Solutions: Culture-Driven Sustainable Urban Tourism" will be launched in the coming weeks. Developed by UNESCO in collaboration with UN Tourism and UN-Habitat, these solutions aim to position culture at the heart of sustainable urban tourism policies and strategies. By integrating cultural heritage, creativity, and local traditions, these solutions will help transform tourism into a catalyst for positive change, fostering inclusive growth and benefiting local communities.
A Continued Commitment to Collaboration
The three UN agencies plan to continue exploring collaborative opportunities at the intersection of tourism, territory, and culture. Their shared goal is to create more sustainable, resilient, creative, and inclusive cities and territories, accelerating the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
This collaboration between UN Tourism, UN-Habitat, and UNESCO represents a significant step towards ensuring that tourism contributes positively to urban environments, fostering sustainable development, and benefiting local communities worldwide.