BSR Insight | Local Engagement in Travel and Tourism
About the Author(s)
Stéphanie Leblanc, Communications Manager, Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Publication Date
August 14, 2012
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Whether living in the global North or South, many people travel between May and August. The United Nations World Travel Organization estimates that there will be 450 million tourists during this period, which will contribute to the milestone of 1 billion annual international travelers in 2012. With this surge in travel, sustainability questions are critical. Although carbon emissions and environmental impacts should be a central focus, they will not be achieved without community involvement. Infrastructural development is a crucial aspect of global tourism, but without a triple-bottom-line approach, it can harm both local economic development and the ecosystems that are attracting tourists in the first place. The importance of community engagement in travel and tourism was emphasized earlier this year at a session for the Americas Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council: "The people have to be involved. If you do not involve communities in the long term, they will not have a social memory [about conservation]." --José Koechlin, Chairman and CEO, Inkaterra (May 17, 2012) Visit BSR's Travel & Tourism industry page for more information about our work with this industry.
About the Author(s)
Stéphanie Leblanc, Communications Manager, Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Passionate about business sustainability, Stéphanie manages BSR communications strategy and activities in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region... Read more →
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