Three UN Agencies United to Advance Sustainable Urban Tourism

Green Tour: UN Agencies Join Forces 

UN Tourism, UN-Habitat, and UNESCO collaborated at the World Urban Forum to host a side event titled "Urban Tourism: Policies and Governance for More Sustainable, Inclusive, Creative, and Resilient Cities." This event marks the first time these three UN agencies have come together at the World Urban Forum to promote dialogue and encourage cooperation aimed at advancing sustainable urban tourism, highlighting the interconnectedness of their mandates.

The event builds upon the successful partnership between UN-Habitat and UN Tourism. With the support of the Basque Government, these agencies organized an Expert Group Meeting on "Advancing Sustainable Urban Tourism: Tools for Promoting Good Practices in Cities and Territories," held in Bilbao on March 21-22, 2024. During the meeting, representatives from UN agencies, national, regional, and local governments, academia, the private sector, and civil society engaged in discussions on how to develop better policies and governance for urban tourism that benefits everyone. The conclusions from this meeting were shared at the event and served as a foundation for further action.

Tourism, Culture, and Creativity: Catalysts for Urban Regeneration

Mayors from Granada (Spain), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain), Madrid (Spain), Porto (Portugal), and a Councillor Member of the Mayoral Committee for Human Settlements in Buffalo City (South Africa) shared their insights on how tourism drives economic and social development in their cities. They highlighted the important role of tourism in enhancing urban infrastructure and accessibility, preserving and promoting cultural and natural assets, stimulating creative industries, and revitalizing neglected areas, ultimately transforming their cities into better places to live and visit.

However, they also emphasized that to achieve its full potential, tourism must be developed sustainably across economic, sociocultural, and environmental dimensions. This requires a holistic and multisectoral governance approach that integrates tourism and culture into urban and territorial planning while addressing the diverse needs of all stakeholders, particularly local communities.

Culture-driven Urban Solutions

As part of a strategic partnership, a series of initiatives titled Urban Solutions: Culture-Driven Sustainable Urban Tourism will be launched in the coming weeks. Developed by UNESCO in collaboration with UN Tourism and UN-Habitat, these initiatives aim to place culture at the forefront of sustainable urban tourism policies and strategies. They will blend cultural heritage, creativity, and local traditions to promote inclusive growth. These solutions are designed to transform tourism into a powerful catalyst for positive change.

The three UN agencies will continue to explore collaborative opportunities at the intersection of tourism, territory, and culture, with the goal of creating more sustainable, resilient, creative, and inclusive cities and regions. This effort will accelerate the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.