International Tourism Policy

This essay explores the influence of UNESCO and UNWTO on tourism development and sustainable tourism planning. It discusses the initiatives established by the two organizations and their involvement in the world heritage and sustainable tourism program.

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International Tourism Policy
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In the world today, tourism is regarded as one of the most essential economic sectors
(Bianchi, 2018). According to UNWTO, in 2017, a total of 1.3 billion tourists traveled around
the world hence portraying a growing trend of international tourism. Over the years, UNWTO
and UNESCO have developed programs to promote both tourism and culture. Tourism can’t
work by itself since culture is an essential aspect of the motivation for travel. Besides, if tourism
does not incorporate culture, sustainability cannot be achieved (Blancas, Lozano-Oyola,
González & Caballero, 2018). The nexus between culture and tourism has been an aspect of
great importance for both of the UN organizations.
The aim of this essay will be to establish how international organizations such as
UNESCO and UNWTO influence tourism development as well as promote sustainable tourism
planning. UNESCO is an UN agency whose main purpose is to encourage international
collaboration through culture, science and education (Mingst, 2018). However, its world heritage
tourism program has assisted preserve heritage sites for future generations. On the other hand,
UNWTO is an UN agency whose main purpose is foster sustainable and responsible tourism
across the world.
In 2014, UNWTO and UNESCO signed a memorandum of understanding with the vision
of promoting tourism and culture. In the memorandum, two major initiatives were established in
order to achieve the vision. One of the initiatives was to promote the world heritage sustainable
tourism program, and the other was to promote a global code of ethics for tourism. The code of
ethics was approved by the UNWTO assembly in the year 1999, and the United Nations
endorsed it in the year 2001. Since then, the global code of ethics has been essential for the
promotion of responsible and sustainable tourism. Besides, the initiative emphasizes the
importance of tourism as a contributor to cultural heritage.
On the other hand, the two organizations are highly involved in the world heritage and
sustainable tourism program. This program is directed towards the development of a framework
that ensures a coordinated achievement of a sustainable result in relation to tourism at world
heritage sites (Ruoss & Alfarè, 2013). In support of the heritage sites, both organizations are on
the forefront of integrating tourism and culture nexus through site-to-site partnerships at local,
national, regional, and global levels. In an action plan designed by both organizations on the
period between 2013 and 2015, the plan included five objectives, and the two organization have

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pushed them consecutively in order to achieve them. The objectives included; promotion of
quality tourism services and products, promotion of broad stakeholder engagement, integration
of sustainable tourism principles, provision of capacity and tools to stakeholders and lastly
strengthening of the environment through advocacy.
UNESCO and UNWTO have also promoted the Iranian tourism and cultural heritage
through various programs (UNESCO, 2018). In a conference on tourism branding in Iran,
UNESCO representatives suggested that there were four types of tourism that were to be further
developed in the country. They include; eco-tourism, cultural tourism, religious tourism, and
health tourism. The representatives promised to continue supporting the ICHHTO which is an
Iranian organization in efforts to promote sustainable tourism in Iran (UNESCO, 2018). This
shows that the UN organizations are on the fore front of encouraging tourism and culture in
different countries for the purpose of ensuring sustainability.
Protection of World Heritage Sites has also been a concern for UNWTO and UNESCO.
This is because such sites are exposed to mass tourism and people who do not understand the
universal value of the sites may endanger the sites (Ruoss & Alfarè, 2013). Since the
identification of threats that jeopardize world heritage sites falls under the hands of national
authorities, UNESCO has assisted the authorities in developing and implementing approaches to
ensure conservation and economic impact.
UNESCO has also made some negative decisions that have caused some implications on
the protection of world heritage sites. For example, in 1983, the Bamiyan Valley was denied the
opportunity to be part of the world’s heritage sites by the UNESCO’s world heritage committee.
Therefore, in 2001, the giant Buddhas of Bamiyan carved on the rock cliffs of the Bamiyan
valley were destroyed by the Taliban since they were considered as non-Muslim influences
(Keough, 2011). Many critics say that if UNESCO had accepted the cultural landmarks, the
destruction could not have happened. Besides, many archaeological sites in many nations are still
unprotected and unpreserved. Markets are also filled with looted artifacts that have no
documentation (Pan et al., 2018). The artifacts end up being obtained by Museums. With all this,
UNESCO has not been able to resolve some issues deemed crucial.
In conclusion, I believe these international organizations are trying as much as they can
to promote tourism and sustainability. These can be seen by the significant achievements that the

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organizations have made. For example, sustainable tourism has promoted social development,
economic growth, environmental protection, cultural heritage preservation and entrepreneurship.
More countries are learning on the importance of preserving heritage sites hence the rate of
tourism is growing and by 2020 its projected that the number of tourists travelling around the
world will be about 1.6 billion.

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References
Bianchi, R. (2018). The Political Economy of tourism development: A critical review. Annals of
Tourism Research, 70, 88-102.
Blancas, F. J., Lozano-Oyola, M., González, M., & Caballero, R. (2018). A dynamic sustainable
tourism evaluation using multiple benchmarks. Journal of Cleaner Production, 174,
1190-1203.
Keough, E. B. (2011). Heritage in peril: A critique of UNESCO's world heritage program. Wash.
U. Global Stud. L. Rev., 10, 593.
Mingst, K. (2018). UNESCO | Definition, History, Members, & Facts. Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/UNESCO
Pan, S. Y., Gao, M., Kim, H., Shah, K. J., Pei, S. L., & Chiang, P. C. (2018). Advances and
challenges in sustainable tourism toward a green economy. Science of the Total
Environment, 635, 452-469.
Ruoss, E., & Alfarè, L. (2013). Sustainable Tourism as Driving Force for Cultural Heritage Sites
Development. Planning, Managing and Monitoring Cultural Heritage Sites in South East
Europe. CHERPLAN project report.
UNESCO (2018). UNESCO and UNWTO support development of tourism branding for Iran |
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved from
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/tehran/about-this-office/single-view/news/
unesco_and_unwto_support_development_of_tourism_branding_for/