Introduction

“The declaration by the UN of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development is a unique opportunity to advance the contribution of the tourism sector to the three pillars of sustainability – economic, social and environmental, while raising awareness of the true dimensions of a sector which is often undervalued”
— UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, December, 2015

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is an ambitious inter-governmental set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals, with 169 associated targets and 231 indicators which are “people-centred, transformative, universal and integrated”, building on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The purpose of SDGs is to end poverty and hunger, improve health and education, make cities more sustainable, combat climate change, protect the world and oceans from environmental degradation and foster prosperous, peaceful, just and inclusive societies.

Tourism, specifically mentioned in three SDGs (#8, #12, #14), has a huge, impacting potential to contribute, directly or indirectly, to all of the goals, in more ways than all other businesses. It’s one of the top GDP earners for countries, especially the Least Developed Countries of the world, it can reach into all corners of a country (not just in focused areas like extractive industries) and can offer great benefits to a country’s people at many levels.

However, over the past years, tourism industry has seen an increase in the consumption of natural resources and energy as well as significant increases in carbon emissions and the disposal of other types of waste.

Hence, assessing tourism sustainability is essential to provide a clear path for the reduction of carbon emissions against the backdrop of global climate change.