I have the honour to deliver this intervention on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States
(AOSIS) during roundtable three “For Prosperity: Re-invigorating investments in sustainable
tourism”.
We wish to begin by highlighting the interconnectedness of roundtable two, “For Planet:
Accelerating a climate-friendly transformation” and roundtable three.
Therefore, it is because we are disproportionately vulnerable to global shocks why our intervention
is being twined with roundtables two and three.
Tourism is the lifeline for many SIDS and as a result great care must be taken when investing in
tourism within SIDS and globally. Our small states We have been reliant on this booming industry
for decades, not only for economic growth, but also for climate change adaptation, disaster
recovery and sustainable development.
Excellencies,
When investing in the tourism industry, we must keep the environment and sustainability at the
forefront, if not managed effectively, tourism can have detrimental impacts on the environment.
There are a number of context specific measures that should be considered in order to make the
industry greener and bluer that will allow for improving investments in sustainable tourism.
These investments must be in line with commitments under the Paris Agreement, this includes our
shared goal of carbon neutral tourism by around midcentury.
An important player in reinvigorating investments in sustainable tourism are the transport and
other linked sectors. There is a need to enforce stricter regulations on waste management,
including on cruise ships.
There is also scope for expanding the conservation and protection of natural resources through
tourism, which is particularly important for SIDS given their important role in protection of global
biodiversity.
As we strive to improve tourism through the concept of sustainability, it is crucial to have a clear
understanding of any global transformative measures and the likely impact on SIDS.
For example, transport is a significant factor determining tourist arrivals in SIDS. Therefore, an
increase in fossil fuel taxes or levies could increase transport costs to SIDS more than other
destinations.
The group therefore proposes that due diligence is necessary regarding global measures and their
potential impact on SIDS.
The consequences of human actions and the need for the promotion of investments in sustainable
tourism as response measures to external shocks and the impact on the environment should not
negatively impact SIDS tourism industry.
Mr. President,
In order to reinvigorate investments in sustainable tourism, AOSIS proposes a comprehensive
assessment of the complex ecosystem of our tourism product. This is necessary in order to
reinvigorate investments, redesign and enhance SIDS tourism policiesin a sustainable manner.
The lack of reliable and disaggregated data regarding the tourism industry in SIDS remains an
obstacle for growth and sustainability. These data challenges are a crosscutting issue that need to
be addressed holistically, including through enhancing the monitoring framework for the SAMOA
Pathway and should be incorporated in the next international blueprint for SIDS.
I hope that during this special meeting on tourism we are able to walk away with concrete steps
and initiatives. For example, the summary document from this meeting should be used to inform
the biennial report and resolution of the GA on sustainable tourism.
AOSIS wishes to also propose that the World Tourism Organization and UNDS entities such as
UNDP and UNEP scale-up support for countries with high dependence on tourism, as a means of
getting back on track for SDGs; as well as to build resilience and prevent a collapse as a result of
future pandemics.
I thank you