Kenya is among ten countries that have been invited in the formation of the Sustainable Tourism Global Centre (STGC) that will accelerate the industry’s transition to net zero.
Tourism ministers from various countries and leaders from international organizations have backed the formation of the centre which will seek greater collaboration between public and private tourism sectors to help reach net-zero – act of balancing greenhouses emission and elimination from the atmosphere, advance nature protection and support communities who depend on tourism.
Speakers at the COP26 Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland noted that tourism industry is highly fragmented, with developing countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) being most reliant on tourism for their economies.
“As one of Africa’s most popular destinations for international visitors, Kenya has felt the full impact of the global tourism downturn as a result of the pandemic. We therefore agree that there is an urgent need for a new sustainable approach to global tourism. Along with our recently launched Wildlife Strategy 2030 which will ensure a thriving natural ecosystem under pressure from climate change, we are strong supporters of the Sustainable Tourism Global Center,” said Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary of Tourism and Wildlife.
Statistics indicate that at least 40 million tourism businesses or 80% of the whole industry are small or medium sized.
The STGC which will be headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with plans to open regional offices in other countries, aims to support people and the planet by reforming tourism’s contribution to climate change, in a bid to protect the environment and support those who need it most.
“At a time where leadership is most needed to address the climate emergency, we commend Saudi Arabia’s initiative that will support the sector to achieve the global goals and ensure a sustainable future. WTTC is delighted to contribute to the Center through its unique data, research and expertise from businesses across the globe,” said Julia Simpson, World Travel & Tourism Council President and CEO.
The Centre’s strategy will be shaped by a coalition of governments, international organizations, academia, multilateral and financing institutions and industry associations.
STGC is also expected to deliver services and products across three core pillars, including knowledge creation and sharing, measurement and monitoring, and industry enablement.
Under the pillars, STGC will focus on at least in nine areas of industry support, including developing standards and resource provision for the tourism sector, capability building, and project funding and investment.
Other countries who have been invited in phase one include the UK, USA, France, Japan, Germany, Jamaica, Morocco, Spain, and Saudi Arabia who have prioritized climate, tourism and SMEs which will allow for synergies for initiative.
Other organizations which join the centre include World Resource Institute (WRI), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Internalization Chamber of Commerce (ICC), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), World Bank, and SYSTEMIQ.
Harvard University will provide support to the STGC through research and capacity-building, while the UNFCCC will guide the Center to accelerate industry action on climate neutrality.
Source: KBC
