With the aim of contributing to the understanding of the relationship between tourism and biodiversity and assess the way that tourism can contribute to the protection of biodiversity and enhance its role as a main resource for tourism destinations, UNWTO has produced this publication. It illustrates the high value of biodiversity for tourism, outlines current policies, guidelines and global initiatives in which the interrelationship between tourism and biodiversity is addressed, as well as identifies risks and challenges for the tourism sector from the global loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The report concludes with ten recommendations for actions on biodiversity and tourism for governments (national and destination level), the tourism private sector, international organizations and NGOs.

Contents: Biodiversity, Living with Diversity, Saving the Planet, Population and the Environment, Ecosystems, Our Unknown Protectors, Climate Change and Human Health, Population Growth and Climate Change, Economics and Sustainable Development, Urbanization and the Environment, Sustainable Cities, Fresh Water and the Environment, Forests, Towards Healthy Cities, Global Warming, Money Alone is not Enough, Tourism and the Environment, Energy and Sustainability, Cities Residents to the Rescue, Children s Health and the Environment, Ecotourism or Ecocide? Sustainable Tourism Development, Economics and Environment, Population Growth and Energy, Population Growth and Urbanization, Population Growth and Waste, Using Economics to Advantage, Water, Solutions for a Water-Short World, Living with Leviathan, An Agenda for Change, Sustainable Tourism and the Environment, Big-Dam Construction is on the Rise, Population Growth and Fresh Water, Population Growth and Natural Recreation Areas, Development of Sericulture, The Do s and Don ts of Risk Reduction, Consuming the Future, Crisis Prevention, Crisis and New Orientation of Development Policy, Aid Effectiveness as a Multi-Level Process, The Dematerialisation of the World Economy, What s Driving Migration, Not Yet Fossil Fuel.

This book offers conceptual and practical insights into the complex interactions between ecotourism and the natural environment, with consideration given to government policy, marketing by suppliers, consumer behaviour and visitor/environmental management. Illustrated by international case studies the roles of and interplay between tour operators, their clients, resource managers and local communities are examined. This creates a comprehensive and insightful overview of the factors that work for and against the achievement of environmental sustainability in and through ecotourism. The result is a critical examination of ecotourism and environmental sustainability that highlights ideas for best practice and proposes new directions for future research

Endorsed by The International Ecotourism Society, Sustainable Tourism & The Millennium Development Goals: Effecting Positive Change demonstrates how ecotourism and sustainable tourism can assist in supporting and meeting the goals set forward by the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and how it can foster a global partnership for development. The text discusses how ecotourism and sustainable tourism can assist in supporting and meeting the MDG by drawing on case studies and examples. The final summary chapter discusses how ecotourism and sustainable tourism can assist in supporting and meeting the MDG by 2015 and identifies the challenges and goals that need to be considered in the future. In this edition you will find: - Historical perspective of the development of ecotourism and sustainable tourism - The Millennium Development Goals defined - Overview of how ecotourism and sustainable tourism can assist in meeting the goals of the MDG - Engaging case studies and examples to reinforce the concept