You can submit your municipalities’ good practices to the website which will collect projects on sustainable tourism. The web site will be led by UCLG-MEWA Committee on Culture and Tourism and opened by late 2020.
Middle East and West Asia Region hosts almost 10% of the global tourism mobilization and millions of tourists. Although this mobilization is a significant source of income for countries in the region, it also creates serious problems as it stands. Some of these problems are:
- Harming local culture and social fabric
- Overconsumption of natural resources
- Environmental degradation
- Negative impacts on other economic sectors
Promoting alternative and sustainable tourism models has been on the table since the beginning of 2000s, rather than mainstream mass tourism that causes serious cultural, economic and environmental problems, and we already have a plenty of good practices in this regard. The broadest definition of sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Sustainability can be applied to tourism sector, and it should be. Sustainability in tourism should include these principles in sum:
- Preservation of cultural heritage and local culture
- Not harming natural environment and resources
- Being in harmony with other economic sectors
We, as UCLG-MEWA Committee on Culture and Tourism, invite local governments to share with us their good practices regarding sustainable tourism. Take your place on the website that will gather good practices and serve as a database.
Do not forget to fill out the REGISTRATION FORM!
For further information, do not hesitate to contact us: Osman Çorumlu (o.corumlu@uclg-mewa.org) and Jülide Çetin Akkuş (j.cetin@uclg-mewa.org)