AdvAncing SuS tAinAble t ouriSm A Regional Sustainable Tourism Situation Analysis: AsiA P Acific AdvAncing sustAinAble tourism A regionAl sustAinAble tourism situAtion AnAlysis: AsiA PAcific AdvAncing SuS tAinAble t ouriSm A Regional Sustainable Tourism Situation Analysis: AsiA P Acific I Acknowledgements his Situation Analysis report is a joint initiative of UNEP and the Global Partnership for Sustain- able Tourism, prepared under the supervision of Helena Rey de Assis, Tourism and Environment TProgramme Officer at UNEP/DTIE and Deirdre Shurland, Coordinator of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism. It has resulted from contributions, comments and suggestions from countries and tourism experts in the region. // Main/Author This publication is part of a series on “Advancing Sustainable Tourism” promoted by the Global Steve Noakes Partnership for Sustainable Tourism. Reports in the // Contributing/Authors: series are available for download at: Helena Rey de Assis http://www.unep.org/resourceefficiency/tourism; http://www.GlobalSustainableTourism.com Stefanos Fotiou Deirdre Shurland This publication was made possible through the sup- port of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation // Editors and Development (BMZ) of the Government of Ger- Rebecca Armstrong and Dr. Xavier Font, Leeds Metro- many in cooperation with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Min- politan University istry of Environment of Korea. acknowlEdgEMEnt AdvAncing SuS tAinAble t ouriSm A Regional Sustainable Tourism Situation Analysis: AsiA P Acific II Table Acknowledgements I of List of Figures III List of Tables III Abbreviations and Acronyms IV contents Executive summary V Key Findings V Key Recommendations VI 1 Introduction 1 5 Sustainable Tourism Priorities and Needs in the Region 9 1.1 Objectives 2 6 Funding for Sustainable Tourism Initiatives in the Region 11 1.2 Methodology 2 7 Justification for a Region-wide Sustainable Tourism Network 14 1.3 Limitations of the Study 2 8 The Need for an Asia and the Pacific Network 2 Situation Analysis 3 for Sustainable Tourism (NEST) 16 2.1 The Operating Context for Tourism in Asia and the Pacific 3 9 Conclusions 19 2.2 Tourism in the Asia and the Pacific 3 10 Recommendations 20 3 Barriers to the Implementation of Sustainable Tourism Initiatives 4 11 References 22 4 Opportunities for Mainstreaming Sustainability into the Tourism Sector 7 12 Appendix 23 tAblE/of/ContEnts AdvAncing SuS tAinAble t ouriSm A Regional Sustainable Tourism Situation Analysis: AsiA P Acific III 5_ Figure 1: Barriers to sustainable tourism (n = 30) Figure 2: Opportunities for mainstreaming list 7_ sustainability in the tourism sector (n = 30) 10_ Figure 3: Priority areas for of sustainable tourism (n = 30) 12_ Figure 4: International development figures agency support (n = 30) Figure 5: Bilateral agency support 13_ for tourism related projects (n = 30) Figure 6: Mapping the geographic reach 15_ of regional and subregional organisations list with tourism engagement 17_ Figure 7: NEST functions of most value (n = 30) of 18_ Figure 8: Main challenges to establishing a NEST type network (n = 30) tAbles Table 1: Funders and examples of projects in the Asia and the Pacific region _26 list/of/figurEs///listE/of/tAblEs AdvAncing SuS tAinAble t ouriSm A Regional Sustainable Tourism Situation Analysis: AsiA P Acific IV ADB Asian Development Bank GTI Greater Tumen Initiative UNEP United Nations APEC Asia- and the Pacific IFC International Finance Corporation Environment Programme Economic Cooperation ILO International Labour Organization UNESCO United Nations Educational ASEAN Association of South Scientific and Cultural Organisation IMT-GT Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand East Asian Nations Growth Triangle UNWTO United Nations World ASEANTA ASEAN Tourism Association Tourism Organisation ITC International Trade Centre BIMP-EAGA Brunei Darussalam IUCN WCPA International Union for the Indonesia Malaysia Conservation of Nature/World Philippines - East Asia Commission on Protected Areas: Growth Area Tourism and Protected Areas BIMSTEC Multi-Sectoral Technical and Specialist Group Economic Cooperation TPO Tourism Promotion Organisation CAREC Central Asia Regional for Asia and the Pacific Cities Economic Cooperation MSG Melanesian Spearhead Group EATOF East Asia Inter-Regional PATA Pacific Asia Travel Association AbbreviAtions Tourism Forum SAARC South Asia Association for EU European Union Regional Cooperation GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für And SASEC South Asia Subregional Internationale Zusammenarbeit Economic Cooperation (GIZ) GmbH SPTO South Pacific Regional GMS Greater Mekong Sub-region Acronyms Tourism Organisation GSTC Global Sustainable Tourism TIES The International Council (or Criteria) Ecotourism Society GPST Global Partnership for UNDP United Nations Sustainable Tourism Development Programme AbbrEviAtions/And acronyMs AdvAncing SuS tAinAble t ouriSm A Regional Sustainable Tourism Situation Analysis: AsiA P Acific V executive summAry // key/findings:/ tourism development before it occurs. Generally, there remains a wide range of interpretations and lack of The economic, political, geographic and cultural policy consistency in relation to ‘sustainable’ tourism diversity of the region has contributed to a lack of as well as resource and capacity limitations for effec- tive implementation across all levels of government as political and economic regional cooperation and well as industry-based organisations. development networks. This includes the tourism industry across Asia and the Pacific. Significant -re The region also lacks networks and partnerships working specifically on sustainable tourism at local, cent actual (otherwise it makes no sense) and fore- national and regional levels and embracing participa- cast high economic growth rates along with global tory planning processes, sharing and exchanging infor- shifts in ‘middle class’ populations to Asia present mation among multi-stakeholders including industry, new opportunities for tourism development. Simul- government, international donor agencies, NGOs, lo- taneously, challenges such as climate change, pres- cal authorities and others. There are weak or non-ex- gainst the background of the growing impor- istent linkages between Asia and the Pacific agencies tance of tourism to the region of Asia and the sures on natural, cultural and heritage resources as and useful global level initiatives relating to sustain- Pacific, this report describes the situation in well as economic and social inequality will impact A able tourism. the region in relation to progress of mainstreaming on tourism across the region and its ability as an in- sustainability into the regional tourism sector, barriers dustry to achieve national development objectives. Opportunities for mainstreaming sustainability into and opportunities for such an approach as well as the the tourism sector include public and private sectors Key barriers identified to enabling sustainable tourism priorities and needs of destinations across the region. effectively cooperating and working together; more development in the region include insufficient access The nature of international development funding rel- strategic and longer term plans between government to technical and financial assistance in marine, coastal evant to the tourism industry and the perceived need and industry; encouraging more sustainable consump- and other sensitive environments from international for and value of networks on sustainable tourism are tion of resources by tourists and industry operators; donors; insufficient knowledge within industry about also assessed. Strategic recommendations relate to in- and equating a quality tourism destination with im- sustainable tourism indicators, tools and mechanisms; terventions needed to mainstream sustainability into proved choices of available sustainable products and a lack of government level strategic planning and the tourism sector in the region. services. policy commitment to sustainable tourism as well as Similar exercises are being undertaken by UNEP in a insufficient attention by industry and government to number of other regions. avoid environmental, social or economic damage from ExECutivE/suMMAry AdvAncing SuS tAinAble t ouriSm A Regional Sustainable Tourism Situation Analysis: AsiA P Acific VI estinations need creative new ways to assist the private sector to adopt sustainable manage- Dment practices and to manage tourism’s use of natural resources and its impacts on environment and biodiversity. Where they are lacking across Asia and the Pacific, developing effective policy frameworks as // key/recommendations well as integrating sustainability into finance and in- vestment for sustainable tourism is a priority as well Key recommendations include developing a more as a competitive issue for destinations. While there cohesive mechanism for regional cooperation on are individual country variances in application and sustainable tourism; addressing the gaps be- measurement, sustainable tourism as a contributor to tween sustainable tourism policies and effective poverty reduction has been identified as a key policy implementation; developing more consisten- action in all of the least developed countries in Asia cy as to the practical meaning of sustainabili- and the Pacific. ty across the region; incorporating sustainable Facilitating regional and global networking to pro- tourism criteria into investment decision-making executive vide information on sustainable tourism