ICOMOS Webinar Series | SDGWG Webinar 2: Economy & Prosperity
The ICOMOS Sustainable Development Goals Working Group (SDGWG) is pleased to announce the second webinar of the SDGWG Webinar Series which will form part of the ICOMOS Webinar Series.
We are witnessing a historic time of transition in the global community of policy-makers, governments and activists, since the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, and the associated New Urban Agenda in 2016. The 2030 Agenda is an action plan of people, planet, prosperity and partnerships, to address the most pressing problems our world is facing today.
ICOMOS has also responded to this call. As a global non-governmental organization advising UNESCO and working to promote the conservation of cultural heritage sites, ICOMOS is closely engaged with the topic of sustainable development in recent years, having held major scientific events and issued policy documents to highlight the vital role of cultural heritage within the sustainable development process.
Travel, tourism and COVID-19
Travel & Tourism is a dynamic engine of employment opportunities, where jobs in the industry particularly support women, youth and other, often marginalised groups of society. In 2019, Travel & Tourism’s direct, indirect and induced impact accounted for US$8.9 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP, or 10.3% of the global total, and 330 million jobs, representing 1 in 10 employed around the world. In January 2020, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Tourism Barometer recorded that international tourist arrivals worldwide grew 4% in 2019 to reach 1.5 billion visitors in total. Based on current trends at that time, economic prospects and the UNWTO Confidence Index, the organization forecasted a growth of 4% in international tourist arrivals worldwide in 2020.
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 knocked this upward trajectory sideways. There was a massive drop in international travel demand over January-June 2020, which translated into a loss of 440 million international arrivals and approximately US$460 billion in export revenues from international tourism. This is about five times the loss in international tourism receipts recorded in 2009 amid the global economic and financial crisis.
By focusing on a destination’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage, stakeholders including governments, destination management organizations, tour operators and associated businesses, and communities can all play key roles and benefit from tourism’s rejuvenation, resiliency and recovery from COVID-19.
Details of the Webinar
This webinar will provide an overview of the current and future view of the cultural tourism-supported visitor economy, and the design and implementation of innovative cultural tourism-related digital and funding platforms incorporating the tourism and employment SDG Targets outlined below:
SDG Target 5a: Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws.
SDG Target 8.9: By 2030 devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism which creates jobs, promotes local culture and products.
SDG Target 12b: Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism which creates jobs, promotes local culture and products.
SDG Target 14.7: By 2030 increase the economic benefits to SIDS and LDCs from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism.
SDGWG Webinar 2: Economy & Prosperity : Driving Community-Based Sustainable Development through Cultural Tourism and Employment
Date: 17 October 2020, Saturday
Time: 14:00 - 15:30 CET
To watch the webinar again, please join the ICOMOS Webinar Series playlist on our YouTube channel.
See also
Read the International Cultural Tourism Charter
Credits: Poster © ICOMOS SDGWG