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KEY MESSAGES AND CONCLUSIONSThe CBD Guidelines on Biodiversity and Tourism Development, adopted in 2004, continue toprovide a basis for area planning and assessing tourism projects in vulnerable ecosystems.This User’s manual aims to support decision makers in applying the guidelinesby mainstreaming biodiversity concerns and ecosystem services within sustainabletourism development. Its key messages and conclusions are:1A multi-stakeholder approach in planning and managing sustainable tourism is fundamental toachieve good results. This may involve an inter-ministerial/ inter-agency body for coordination, atvarious levels of government (national, subnational, local). Engaging the private sector is extremelyimportant. Local authorities have a particularly important role to play in providing leadership inconjunction with other local stakeholder interests (for instance through a destination managementorganization).2Gathering baseline information is a key element for planning, providing a basis for impact assessment,setting realistic goals, guiding implementation and determining indicators for monitoring.3Tourism planning requires coordinating strategies among local, subnational and national authorities.Objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable and time-bound. Key outcomes of theplanning process include articulating a vision and goals, determining types of tourism to be supported,ways and means to address impacts on biodiversity from planned developments, and identifyingkey constraints and opportunities.4A range of tools can be used to control and influence tourism impacts on biodiversity. Regulationsmay be adopted, such as minimum standards for construction/decommissioning, operational standards,and measures to control visitor movement and activities. Voluntary tools can be implemented,such as product and destination standards, certification systems, codes of conduct and recognitionof best practices such as through awards. Economic instruments might include penalties to discourageenvironmentally harmful investments and activities, incentives such as concessions to operatein protected areas, and indirect incentives such as larger grants, loans and micro-credit schemes forsustainable tourism through multi- and bilateral funding entities.5Project proposers should be required to provide full and timely advance notification of developmentsto all affected stakeholders.