EN
HR
This week at the UN brings back the focus on tourism in order to emphasize the specific situation in which this sector finds itself and thus accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Reflecting the exceptional importance of tourism in the UN, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), together with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Croatia and with the support of the Ministry of Tourism of India, chairing the G20 Tourism Working Group, will gather leaders from the public and private sectors for a round table.
The meeting is being held on July 14 at a high level under the title 'Economic, social and environmental sustainability in tourism'.
Presentation of the new law on tourism
At the round table, the minister will present the new law, and it is expected that the president of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Korosi, and the president of the UN Economic and Social Council, Lachezara Stoeva, will address them.
"With the new law on tourism, Croatia becomes unique in the world because for the first time a country will create a legal framework for ensuring sustainability and managing tourism", point out from MINTS-a, adding that the minister will also address the audience during the general debate on the first day of the ministerial part of the HLPF.
On the last day of his stay in New York, on behalf of the Republic of Croatia, he will present the second Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Program (SDR), i.e. Croatia's progress in the implementation of all 17 sustainable development goals through 38 indicators for monitoring the achievement of goals , while identifying challenges and areas for possible improvements.
In addition to Croatia, 39 other countries will present these national DNPs at the forum in New York. Namely, the 17 goals of sustainable development represent the main backbone of the 2030 Development Agenda or Global Development Program until 2030, adopted at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2015.
The goals are detailed in 169 closely related sub-goals, whereby Agenda 2030 focuses on people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership, expecting countries to do everything in accordance with their national capacities to "leave no one behind" (leaving no-one behind).
Croatia presented its first national review of the DNP on the implementation of sustainable development goals at the high-level session of the Political Forum on Sustainable Development in 2019, and in relation to that, in a new, second report "there is visible progress in achieving all the goals of sustainable development". However, in terms of goals, progress is somewhat slower due to the impact of a series of crises in the past period, according to MINTS.
On the sidelines of the Political Forum on Sustainable Development at a high level, Minister Brnjac will also meet with many colleagues from around the world, from ministers and their deputies to representatives of travel associations and others.
Inspirational action
The high-level event will further advance UNWTO's work in making tourism a key pillar of sustainable development, primarily through improved public-private partnerships. In New York, UNWTO together with partners will:
Provide a better understanding of the goals of sustainable development from the perspective of tourism and encourage further action among stakeholders in the government and the private sector.
Present the Goa Plan for Tourism as a means to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals developed during India's G20 Presidency.
Raise awareness of a key development that mobilizes the power of data by creating a global consensus for harmonized data on the economic, social and environmental impact of tourism at the international, national and destination levels: the upcoming Statistical Framework for Measuring Tourism Sustainability (MST).
Outline the benefits that the private sector can bring and derive from the development of a harmonized environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework for tourism businesses.
Share the key points of the Sustainable Development Goals through tourism - the Indicators for Projects Toolkit (TIPS) developed in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as a comprehensive resource designed to guide users in aligning tourism development projects with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Connecting leading stakeholders
The accompanying event of the Forum aims to encourage joint action between the public, private and academic sectors to achieve real sustainability of the tourism sector by focusing on the economic, social and environmental aspects of tourism as well as governance.
Discussions will draw on insights from public, private and academic leaders from each global region, as well as key figures from the UN.
Csaba Korosi, President of the United Nations General Assembly will join Lachezara Stoeve, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in the official opening of the event.
The private sector will be represented by Matt Callaghan, director of customer and operations at easyJet holidays, while Edward Brooks, CEO and co-founder of the Oxford SDG Impact Lab, will provide an academic perspective.
Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Sports
Sources: UNWTO, Government of the Republic of Croatia
