Sustainable tourism can contribute to achieve Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable tourism can contribute to achieve Sustainable Development Goals

Since Bahrain's announcement of the nomination of Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) for the position of the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNTWO) in early November, she has announced a vision and strategy of seven interrelated pillars to advance the tourism sector, and to give it its appropriate weight in the developmental process. The second pillar of the vision for the future of the World Tourism Organization focuses on the relationship between the tourism sector's development and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “Adopting the Sustainable Development Goals is the first step towards achieving them,” Shaikha Mai said. “The next stage, however, requires translating the voluntary commitments of the Member States and World Tourism Organization into national regulatory frameworks. While tourism is mentioned in only a few of the Sustainable Development Goals, the sector plays a fundamental role in realizing them.” The UNTWO can play an important role in monitoring the compliance of the tourism sector and the governmental regulatory frameworks with these goals, she added. Shaikha Mai indicated that she will focus on the more strategic issues related to the tourism sector while