Circular Economy

in Tourism, contributing
to sustainable and
resilient societies in the
2030 Agenda?

Ms. Zoritsa Urosevic

Representative to the UN at
Geneva
World Tourism Organization
zurosevic@unwto.org
World Tourism Organization, a specialized United Nations A

• 156 Member States

• 6 Territories
• 2 Permanent Observers
• +500 Affiliate Members
 UNWTO Mandate

The promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally

accessible tourism.

“The fundamental aim of the Organization shall be the promotion

and development of tourism with a view to contributing to economic
development, international understanding, peace and prosperity”
UNWTO Statutes
 Some definitions…
Sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism…
“Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social
and environmental
“Tourism impacts,
that takes full addressing
account theand
of its current needs of visitors,
future economic, thesocial
private
and
sector, the environment
environmental and host the
impacts, addressing communities ”.
needs of visitors, the private sector,
the environment and host communities”.

Tourism - as services trade - is a multi-facetted social, cultural and

Tourism is a multi-facetted social, cultural and economic phenomenon.
economic phenomenon.
Tourism deals with the movement of people to countries or places outside
Tourism
their usualdeals with the for
environment movement
personal of
or people to countries orpurposes.
business/professional places
outside their
Since 2008 it isusual environment
possible to measurefortourism
personal
in aor business/professional
standard way, since 2011
purposes.
UNWTO compiles internationally comparable data on some of its key facets
Since 2008 it is possible to measure tourism in a standard way, since
2011 UNWTO compiles internationally comparable data on some of its
key facets. (TSA)

Source: Sustainable Tourism for Development. DEVCO. (2013)

 UNWTO PROGRAMATIC PRIORITIES 2018-21

1. Make tourism smarter: innovation and the digital

transformation

2. Grow our competitive edge: investments and

entrepreneurship

PROGRAMATI 3. Create decent jobs for all: Education and

C PRIORITIES Employment

4. Build resilience and facilitate travel: safe, secure

and seamless travel

5.Protect our heritage: social, cultural and

environmental sustainability
Tourism is economic growth and development
 Tourism, third export earnings category in 2017

Two thirds of the activities of the United Nations system take place in
Geneva, making it a key centre of international co-operation and
multilateral negotiation. This is one of the reasons that the city is often
referred to as "International Geneva".

Around 9,500 staff work for the UN family in Geneva, which is the
Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 2017
largest concentration of UN personnel in the world.
 International tourist arrivals to reach
1.8 billion by 2030
International tourism, World International Tourist Arrivals, million
2,000
1.8 bn
1,750

1,500
1.4 bn
1,250 1.322 bn in 2017
1,000

750

500

250

0
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) ©

 Inbound Tourism in the World 2017
1323 million international tourist arrivals
84 million more than in 2016
1400 1323 mn
1239
1195
1200 1136
1088
1041
994
1000 952
911 928 892
855
809
800 764
674 675 696 692
(million)

625
586 602
600 559
525

393 million arrivals

400
more than in pre-crisis
year 2008
200

0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
*
 Inbound Tourism in the World in 2017

8th consecutive year of sustained growth

International Tourist Arrivals, monthly evolution
World (% change)
20

15

10

-5

-10

-15
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017*

Source: World TourismOrganization (UNWTO) ©

 Sustainable Tourism in the Global agenda
The World Summit on SDGs
Sustainable Development HLPF 2018
Brundtland Commission • 10 Year Review of UNCED (Strategies • Circular Economy
• World Commission on Environment and Implementation) solutions for SDG 12:
• Adoption of JPOI and Johannesburg tourism and
and Development
• Independent body to formulate long- Declaration on Sustainable construction
• Tourism and SDGs
term agenda for action Development
• 1987 Outcome: Common Future • Chapters on poverty eradication, SCP Platform
and SIDS

1972 1992 2012 2017 …2030

1983 2002 2015 2018

Stockholm Conference The Earth Summit (Rio) Rio + 20 UN International

• First global environmental
Meeting by UN
• The declaration included 26
basic principles and policy
goals
• Establishment of UNEP
• UN Conference on • ‘The future we want’ – Year of
Environment and emphasis on the role of
Development sustainable tourism as driver for Sustainable
• Rio Declaration included change as well as the Tourism for
27 principles importance of measuring
• Agenda 21- achieving impacts for better well-informed Development
sustainability in the 21st decision making • Tourism and the SDGs –
century • 10 Year Framework of Journey to 2030 Report
Programmes on Sustainable
Consumption and Production
 Tourism in the Global Development Agenda

(2012) “130. We emphasize that well-designed and managed tourism can make a significant
contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable development, has close linkages to other
sectors, and can create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities (…)

131. We encourage the promotion of investment in sustainable tourism….which may include

creating small and medium sized enterprises and facilitating access to finance, including
through microcredit initiatives for the poor, indigenous peoples and local communities (…)”

(2015) The UNGA approves the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and its 17 SDGs
 Tourism in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Target 8.9 – by 2030, Target 12.b – develop Target 14.7 – by 2030

devise and implement and implement tools to increase the economic
policies to promote monitor sustainable benefits to SIDS and LDCs
sustainable tourism that development impacts for from the sustainable use of
creates jobs and sustainable tourism that marine resources,
promotes local culture creates jobs, promotes including through
and products. local culture and sustainable management
products. of fisheries, aquaculture
and tourism.
Promoting sustainable tourism development
10YFP Sustainable Tourism Programme
 ONE PLANET – Travel with Care
Committed to accelerate the shift towards Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns
 DEFINITION: Sustainable Tourism

Tourism that takes full account

of current and future:
• economic, social and
environmental impacts
• addressing the needs of
visitors
• the industries
• the environment and
communities

Source: Sustainable Tourism for Development. DEVCO (2013)

 The Tourism Value Chain
Support Institutions: Ministry of Tourism, Trade, Commerce, Transport, Culture, Interior, Environment etc…
Supplies – Indirect economic impacts Trade Promotion Organization, Chamber of Commerce; Banks, Licensing, Standards, etc

Construction Public security and

Energy Water Waste Education Communications
Material health
Infrastructure Support

Infrastructure Support

Construction & Real Estate  

Customs Office Goods and services suppliers: textile, wood, food, environmental services, ICT… Trade Companies

Furniture and equipment suppliers, including environmental and res. Efficiency Wholesalers and
Port Authority Site signals
Goods and Services and ICT equipment single suppliers
related to promotion
Manufactures,
Food factories, Equipment and Technology
Ministry of Transport Consumables cottage industries Restoration
producers-rural areas services for wellness shops/imports
Promotional suppliers
activities, ICT,
banking, insurance Maintenance, Env. Goods and services
Immigration Agency Storage & Distribution Management Industrial factories
Services for guides

Communication, Handicrafts suppliers,

Cars, bikes, buses, Marketing & Sales Food and drinks
press & media Books, CD’s and Maintenance Brochures production Oil Station
boats ICT suppliers
DVD

Leisure,
Travel organisation Food & Creative Tourism assets
Transportation Accommodation excursions and Support services
and booking Beverage Industries in destination
tours
Direct economic impacts

Cultural assets:
Cars, boats, bikes Handicrafts and Arts archaeology
Hotels Bars &Restaurants Shows Information centres
In origin and in transit on rental shops communities, ethnics,
the way to and from the museums, tourism
final destination(s) Bus CO, trains, Creative industries, attractions, intangible Tourist guides Grocery shops/retail
Apartments Night clubs cultural assets
tramways music, dance organizations outlet
(music, dance,
Travel legends, etc.),
Internet Artists, performers festivals, etc Independent tourist
Agent Taxi Companies Guesthouse Fast food Laundry
guides
etc Natural assets: lakes,
rivers, reefs and
Airline Security and bank
Call Seas and River Ferry Youth hostels Itinerant food shops mountains, forests, Tourism Packages
Companie services
centres species of flora &
s
fauna, etc.
Informal Transports guides
Kiosks Internet cafes
Tour Operators & Wholesaler transportation Involves Ministries and escorts
and National
institutions for
Food souvenirs management of all Wellness and SPAS
assets 

From origin to destination In the destination

Value Chain Phases

Policies, Planning Tourism industries Goods and services Supplies, utilities Tourism industries
supplies (PPP)
Advancing Circular Economy thinking in Tourism
 Business Models Driving CE

Source: Accenture, 2014

Hotel Energy Solutions and Nearly Zero Energy Hotels

NEZEH research (2013-16)

1,8 million EUR from EU - EASME
UNWTO is a partner – 28 EU
NEZEH KEY OBJECTIVES:
 anticipate policies for tourism
related to nZEB directives
 provide TA tailored for pilot hotels to
become Nearly Zero Energy
 create a software - an online tool for
neZEH based on HES.
 Solutions from International Year 2017
Ras Al Khaimah Waste Management Agency

SUBSTITUTE IMPORTED MATERIAL BY RECYCLED

WASTE

• In partnership with RAK Tourism Development Authority

(RAK TDA) to get all hotels of the Emirate (30 hotels) to
source-separate their generated waste into 4 streams: food
waste, mixed recyclables, glass and hazardous waste.

• Diverted the material from the landfill and avoiding

environment contamination, but also has supplied more
material to the local industry in order to avoid usage and
import of virgin material.
 Solutions from International Year 2017

Zero Waste Hotel

The HOTEL RIFIUTI ZERO®

• Dramatically reduces the environmental impact of tourist facilities by offering

its consultancy, currently in Italy and Slovenia.
• Make the hospitality industry the emblem of sustainability, respect and
conservation.
• The initiative pursues the goal of a more sustainable and more profitable
business model, with the idea of a circular economy that:
• Excludes the existence of waste,
• Strengthens the local people skills necessary to manage infrastructure and
• Spreads awareness of good health and hygiene practices,
• Uses good practices of “4R” (reduce-recycle-redesign-reuse),
• Informs customer to correctly understand the values and the good practices
to apply.
 Tourism to realize the 2030 Agenda?
• 64 Voluntary National Reviews
(VNRs)
Public • 8 Mainstreaming, Acceleration and
policy Policy Support (MAPS) country Build
roadmaps knowledge

• Analysis of Corporate Social

Responsibility (CSR) of 60 global Empower
Private tourism companies stakeholders
sector • Accommodation, Transport, Tour
operators and intermediaries
Inspire to
act
• Development Cooperation (ODA,
Financin Aid for Trade)
g tourism • Partnerships
• Innovative Financing Mechanisms
 Public policy: Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs)
Europe
41 out of 64 21
VNRs
mention
tourism

Asia Pacific
Regions VNRs
Africa 12 17
Asia Pacific 17
Europe 21
Latin America and 12 Africa
Caribbean 14
Total 64
14
Only13 VNRs
Latin America and mention tourism
the Caribbean ministry
 VNRs Opportunities, challenges and threats
Tourism opportunities, challenges and threats in relation to the SDGs

No Poverty – SDG 1
Zero Hunger – SDG 2
Good Health and Well-being – SDG 3
Quality Education – SDG 4
Gender Equality – SDG 5
Clean Water and Sanitation – SDG 6
Affordable and Clean Energy – SDG 7
Decent Work and Economic Growth – SDG 8
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – SDG 9
Reduced Inequalities – SDG 10
Sustainable Cities and Communities – SDG 11
Responsible Consumption and Production – SDG 12
Climate Action – SDG 13
Life below Water – SDG 14
Life on Land – SDG 15
Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – SDG 16
Partnerships for the Goals – SDG 17
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Number of countries
Opportunities Challenges Threats
 Tourism and the SDGs in the VNRs
41 countries recognize the value of tourism to achieve all 17 SDGs

Decent Work and

Economic Growth

Responsible Consumption and

Production

Partnerships for the Goals

Life below Water

Sustainable Cities and

Communities

41 VNRs
Tourism companies: Global Goals – Local Focus
CSR activities per SDG, in total and by tourism industry
No Poverty - SDG 1

Zero Hunger - SDG 2

Good Health and Well-being - SDG 3

Quality Education - SDG 4

Gender Equality - SDG 5

Clean Water and Sanitation - SDG 6

Affordable and Clean Energy - SDG 7

Decent Work and Economic Growth - SDG 8

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure - SDG 9

Reduced Inequalities - SDG 10

Sustainable Cities and Communities - SDG 11

Responsible Consumption and Production - SDG 12

Climate Action - SDG 13

Life below Water - SDG 14

Life on Land - SDG 15

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions - SDG 16

Partnerships for the Goals - SDG 17

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

Number of CSR activities
Total Tour operators Transportation Accommodation
 Private sector: Corporate Social Responsibility
Competitiveness remains the main driver CSR activities are mostly related to an
of sustainability in tourism companies environmental or social impact

CSR activities by type of impact

17%
38%

29%

CSR activities by area of engagement

15%

Environmental Economic Social Multifaceted

Business operations Host community support

Stakeholder involvement Supplier relations
Customer service
 Private sector CSR in relation to the SDGs
Tourism industries play a vital role in achieving all 17 SDGs

Responsible Consumption and

Production

Climate Action

No Poverty

Quality Education

Decent Work and

Economic Growth

60 global tourism companies

 Financing sustainable tourism
SDG priorities of 19 ODA donor countries
• Development cooperation in tourism
remains low but the growing No Poverty - SDG 1

recognition of tourism’s contribution to Zero Hunger - SDG 2

the SDGs offers new opportunities for Good Health and Well-being - SDG 3

increased ODA disbursements to the Quality Education - SDG 4

sector.
Gender Equality - SDG 5

Clean Water and Sanitation - SDG 6

• 19 of 64 VNRs were from ODA donor
countries and indicated thematic Decent Work and Economic Growth - SDG 8

priorities in development cooperation: Reduced Inequalities - SDG 10

Responsible Consumption and Production - SDG 12

Tourism decision-makers should align Climate Action - SDG 13

tourism initiatives with donor countries’ Life below Water - SDG 14

priorities Life on Land - SDG 15

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions - SDG 16

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

SDGs 16, 5, 8, 13, 1 Number of countries

 Tourism and SDGs, key findings
• Become more active in national SDG processes
Public • Build more coherent dialogue among all stakeholders as
policy tourism is a cross-cutting sector
• Encourage and support the tourism private sector

• Competitiveness is the key driver of sustainability

Private • Create awareness of the economic benefits of
sector sustainability, and measure impacts
• SMEs can and should engage to realize the SDGs

• Increase aid to maximize tourism’s contribution to the

SDGs
Financing • Aid should relate to countries’ strategy and sector needs
tourism
• Financing of tourism should go beyond development
cooperation, including innovative financing
 The way forward…
• Be involved in national SDG strategies/Voluntary National Reviews
• Shape more inclusive and integrated tourism policies
Public
policy
• Assess and monitor tourism’s contribution and to the SDGs (including12)
• Build capacity and create incentives for private sector Research &
Development, including for SMEs

• Share experiences, good practices and engage in the ONE Planet

Travel with Care / STP 10YFP
Private • Increase value chains uptake through local purchasing of goods and
sector services, including circular economy
• Continue investing in people, the planet, ICT and other technologies
• Measure and monitor the impact
• Invest in tourism as a priority sector for achieving the SDGs
• Align development cooperation with the countries priorities, including
Financing tourism
tourism • Embrace innovative financing mechanisms and partnerships
• Design and implement incentives, smart subsidies for tourism
enterprises
 Preserving the Planet need to make fundamental changes

• Accelerating the shift to SCP as set in SDG 12 is everyone’s responsibility - 72% of the
Voluntary National Reviews submitted in 2016 and 2017 identify SCP as a priority - and also
an opportunity to advance other connected SDGs, given its cross-cutting nature.
• In line with SDG Target 12.1. large economic sectors such as tourism and construction are
leading implementation of the 10-Year Framework of SCP (10YFP, or One Planet network as
rebranded in February 2018).
• In view of its impact and outreach, tourism can make an essential contribution to the
decoupling challenge by avoiding compromising the environment while ensuring sustainable
growth and opportunities for societies.
• The tourism sector is expected to continue growing 3.3% annually until 2030, not without an
increase of environmental impacts related to the sector, which is currently estimated to be
responsible for 5% of CO2 emissions.
• Tourism extensive and transversal value chain has the potential to act as an agent of change
triggering positive impact in and beyond the sector, contributing to realize all 17 SDGs.
 Leading to tourism low carbon growth: CE is a solution

• The built environment, whether in the form of infrastructure, accommodation or other facilities,
constitutes a fundamental part of tourism destinations.
• The construction sector- is the number one consumer of raw materials globally- is
responsible for 40% of global energy use, 30% of energy-related GHG emissions,
approximately 12% of water use and nearly 40% of waste. The sector faces particular
challenges regarding resource efficiency considering additional urban goowth.
• For the construction sector – including tourism, material based supply chain provides
remarkable opportunities to integrate sustainable approaches.
• Circularity is key approach to address the decoupling challenge, by exploring opportunities to
move from linear to circular SCP patterns, promoting closed material loops and enhanced
resource efficiency with a system-wide approach along the entire value chain.
• Embracing circularity implies robust measurement and monitoring of impacts of economic
activities and a constant rethinking and optimizing of performance though the use of
innovation and technology.
• The transition to a circular economy presents a tremendous opportunity to transform the
economy and make it more sustainable, contributing to climate goals and the preservation of
the world’s resources as well as to creating local jobs and generating competitive advantages
for the countries in a world that is undergoing profound changes
 Tourism and SDGs Platform: engage?

LEARN SHARE ACT

The platform aims to:

• inspire public policy makers to shape better policies for tourism, and companies to engage
• strengthen the engagement of the private sector in the SDGs implementation along with the
principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and their CSR strategies,
• increase financing framework and
• enhance partnerships among different stakeholders, including travellers.
 A Journey for all, join us!

• All actors will be involved: governments,

Who & When? private sector, academia, UN system,
IOs, IFIs, …

• UNWTO coordinates, as the leading

tourism agency

• July 2018 – launch at the High-level

Political Forum (HLPF) of the UN -
ECOSOC, New York.

2018 – 2030 It’s up to us all!

Thank you!
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