Unlocking the Future of City Travel: UN Agencies Join Forces
For cities worldwide, the return of tourism has been a double-edged sword. While visitor spending fuels economic recovery, the strain on infrastructure and resources poses challenges for sustainable growth. However, a powerful new partnership between the UN’s tourism and urban development authorities aims to reshape how we approach city travel.
At a recent expert meeting in Bilbao, Spain, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and UN-Habitat brought together global leaders to tackle “Advancing Sustainable Urban Tourism.” This collaborative effort underscores the increasing importance of aligning the tourism sector’s priorities with those of urban planning and resilient city development.
“Tourism is an undeniable economic driver for cities, but its impacts go far beyond just revenue,” stated UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. “By working alongside UN-Habitat, we can guide destinations in harnessing tourism’s potential to create inclusive, safe, and sustainable communities.”
The two-day conference welcomed representatives from iconic cities like Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Venice, alongside regional governments and international organizations. This diverse gathering facilitated a rich exchange of policies, practices, and innovative approaches to harmonizing tourism growth with urban liveability.
Key themes included mitigating overtourism, adopting circular economy principles, and ensuring tourism revenue benefits local communities equitably. Participants also delved into the role of tourism in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda.
“Cities are complex ecosystems where all activities, including tourism, need to be carefully balanced,” noted UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif. “Through this partnership, we can provide local governments with the tools to leverage tourism as a force for positive urban transformation.”
The meeting’s outcomes will shape the agencies’ work in the coming years, influencing global policies and providing guidance for regional and local governments. Notably, the findings will help frame discussions on urban tourism at the 2024 World Urban Forum in Cairo and the UNWTO’s Mayors Forum.
As cities continue rebounding from the pandemic’s impacts, the UNWTO and UN-Habitat collaboration represents a pivotal step towards harmonizing two integral facets of modern life – travel and urbanization. By uniting these efforts, they aim to pave the way for a more sustainable and inclusive future of city travel worldwide.
