According to the report, SIDS' natural and cultural resources give them a strong competitive advantage in the tourism marketplace.
The report calls upon the international community to continue supporting the SIDS because of their particular vulnerable situation, and highlights the need for key issues such as conservation, air connectivity and climate change to be addressed to ensure tourism can effectively contribute to the sustainable development of SIDS.
18 June 2012: The UN World Tourism Organization has released a report titled “Challenges and Opportunities for Tourism in Small Island Developing States” (SIDS), which confirms tourism as an essential source of job opportunities, livelihoods, foreign exchange and inclusive growth for SIDS. The report was released on the sidelines of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).
According to the report, SIDS’ natural and cultural resources give them a strong competitive advantage in the tourism marketplace. The report calls upon the international community to continue supporting the SIDS because of their particular vulnerable situation, and highlights the need for key issues such as conservation, air connectivity and climate change to be addressed to ensure tourism can effectively contribute to the sustainable development of SIDS. [UNWTO Press Release] [Publication: Challenges and Opportunities for Tourism in Small Island Developing States]