AcknowledgementsLead authors: Richard and Jackie Denman (The Tourism Company).Project management: Monica Kobayashi and Oliver Hillel (Secretariat of the Convention on BiologicalDiversity)We would like to recognize the valuable contributions and review of the following experts:Alejandro Argumedo Executive Director, Associacion ANDES, Peru; Andrea Cruz, Officer, SEMARNAT,Mexico; Anna Spenceley, Chair, IUCN Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group, South Africa; ArianeJanér, Director, Bromelia Consult, Brazil; Barbara Engels, Director, BfN, Germany; Deirdre Shurland, HelenaRey and Charles Arden-Clarke, tourism and sustainable consumption experts, UNEP DTIE, France;Dorothy Queiros, Coordinator, University of South Africa; Francis Vorhies, Executive Director, Earthmind,France; Jamie Sweeting, Vice-President for Sustainability at G Adventures and President, Planeterra Foundation,United States of America; Jane Ashton Director for Sustainable Tourism, TUI Travel, United Kingdom;Jennifer Seif, Executive Director, Fair Trade Tourism, South Africa; Jose Koechlin, Founder and President,Inkaterra Group, Peru; Giulia Carbone, Deputy Director, IUCN, Switzerland; Klaus Lengefeld and Manuel Bollmann,Tourism Experts, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Germany; MarionHammerl and Herbert Hamele, tourism experts, ECOTRANS e.V., Germany; Mark Watson, Executive Director,Tourism Concern, United Kingdom; Megan Epler Wood. CEO, EplerWood International, United States;Neill Sperath, Founder and Director of TIME Unlimited Tours, New Zealand; Netsai Sibanda, Manager, FairTrade Tourism South Africa; Olivia Ruggles-Brise, the World Travel and Tourism Council, United Kingdom;Nicola Breier, Head of Division, Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and NuclearSafety, Germany; Paul Eshoo, Advisor, tourism expert, Wildlife Conservation Society, United States; PeterDogse, Programme Officer, UNESCO, France; Randy Durband, Chief Executive Officer, the Global SustainableTourism Council (GSTC), United States; Richard Tapper, Executive Director, Environment Business and DevelopmentGroup, United Kingdom; Robyn Bushell, Associate Professor, University of Western Sydney, Australia;Ronald Sanabria, Vice-President, Rainforest Alliance, Costa Rica; Sofía Gutiérrez, Deputy Director,Sustainable Development of Tourism Programme, UNWTO, Spain; Swathi Seshadri, coordinator, Equations,India; Thomas Meller, CEO, Soluciones Sostenibles, MexicoThis publication, including related consultations and content validation at side events parallel to thetwelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 12), hasbeen made possible by support from the Federal Government of Germany.4 Tourism Supporting Biodiversity
ForewordBiodiversity and sustainable tourism are interlinked. A healthy,properly functioning natural environment is a main tourism attractionand serves to heighten awareness of the intrinsic value ofnature for us all. Many of the issues in the Convention on BiologicalDiversity tend to affect the tourism sector, and progress madein reducing the sector’s environmental and social footprint hasenhanced its overall contribution to the preservation of nature.In fact, tourism contributes to meeting at least 12 of the 20 AichiBiodiversity Targets, and builds on early efforts taken towardsmore sustainable ecosystems and economies.This was confirmed in September 2014 by the SAMOA Pathway, theoutcome document of the third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, which recognizedthat sustainable tourism represents an important driver of sustainable economic growth and jobcreation for small island developing States. It was reiterated by the United Nations General Assembly in November2014, when the Assembly recognized the importance of promoting sustainable tourism, includingeco-tourism, for poverty eradication and protection of the environment.Developing countries are the stewards of the vast majority of Earth’s biodiversity, and this provides theirtourism industry with a competitive advantage. Tourism has been identified as a priority sector for developmentof the vast majority of least developed countries and small island developing States, and has primarilybeen responsible for the development of such countries as Botswana, Cabo Verde and the Maldives.In terms of tourism volume, according to the World Tourism Organization, developing country destinationshave grown twice as fast as destinations in developed countries, a trend that is expected to continue. Travelbetween developing countries, approximately 47 per cent of the total volume in 2011, is expected to growto 60 per cent by 2030.Without a doubt, however, the greatest contribution that tourism makes is in opening minds to the wondersof nature. Every year, millions of visitors and tourists make a point of seeing and experiencing the wondersthat nature has to offer. Visitors can, among other things, marvel at the natural beauty of coral reefs andwetlands, enjoy the pleasure of birdwatching and viewing other wildlife, and experiencing first-hand theinherent beauty of rainforests. As the French philosopher Michel Serres once remarked, “There is no travelwithout learning, and no learning without travel.”Recently, several decisions emanating from the mid-term review of the implementation of the StrategicPlan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 at the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, held in the Republicof Korea, served to highlight the important role that tourism serves, and called for further application ofthe Convention’s Guidelines. I would like to thank the Government of Germany for identifying the need forthis timely publication, and I call upon all Parties, regional partners and organizations to use this and othertools to upscale the contributions of the tourism sector to the achievement of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversityand the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.Braulio DiasExecutive Secretary, Convention on Biological DiversityTourism Supporting Biodiversity 5
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