UN, WTA Call for Inclusive Policies to Drive Development

A new report by UN Tourism and the World Tourism Alliance (WTA) emphasizes that tourism can be a powerful force for inclusive development and a driver of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 10 on reducing inequalities. The organizations urge policymakers to adopt more inclusive planning, investment, and governance models to maximize tourism’s potential in promoting social equity and improving livelihoods.

The report underscores the multidimensional impact of tourism — from job creation and gender empowerment to community development, heritage conservation, and infrastructure improvement. UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili warned that global progress toward the 2030 Agenda is falling short, but said that tourism, if managed inclusively, could shift that trajectory toward positive outcomes.

To achieve this, the report recommends placing communities at the heart of tourism development, ensuring that benefits are socially, economically, and environmentally shared. “We need targeted policies that position tourism as a true catalyst for sustainable and inclusive growth,” said Pololikashvili, reaffirming UN Tourism’s commitment to leading this transformation.

WTA Chair Zhang Xu added that for countries emerging from poverty, tourism can be instrumental in securing sustainable and equitable growth. He highlighted the importance of distributing the gains from tourism more fairly, reinforcing the need for supportive national strategies that focus on long-term community benefits.

The report includes case studies from China, Albania, Indonesia, Jordan, Peru, Rwanda, and Vanuatu, showing how effective tourism policies have promoted shared prosperity. Key recommendations include integrating tourism into broader development and poverty reduction agendas, creating inclusive regulatory environments, and reinvesting tourism revenues into education, health, and sustainability efforts to enhance community well-being.