The Nature Positive Tourism Partnership (NPTP), which includes the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, will present its initiatives to global leaders at the UN Biodiversity Summit (COP16) in Cali, Colombia. This effort is part of its ongoing commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by the year 2030.
Officially inaugurated at COP15 in 2022, the NPTP unites essential stakeholders in the tourism sector, encompassing policymakers and prominent private sector representatives from travel, tourism, and hospitality. The partnership will urge governments to strategically collaborate with the global Travel & Tourism industry to meet the targets outlined in the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
During COP26, the Nature Positive Tourism Partnership (NPTP) organized a side panel, with the support of Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, on Friday, October 25, as part of this esteemed event. This session emphasized the significant contribution of Travel & Tourism to biodiversity conservation and showcased the accomplishments of the NPTP. It presented successful initiatives that illustrate how the sector aids biodiversity, examined policies that incorporate biodiversity considerations into Travel & Tourism, and endorsed the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
Additionally, the NPTP detailed its ongoing efforts and future plans, aiming to inspire commitments towards net positive outcomes and to demonstrate the potential of Travel & Tourism in actively conserving and sustainably utilizing biodiversity, thereby establishing the sector as a crucial participant in safeguarding nature for future generations.
The NPTP will participate in the concluding plenary session, advocating for greater acknowledgment of the sector’s capacity to contribute to the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Additionally, it will urge for enhanced support to foster public and private partnerships that will promote policies and initiatives aimed at creating a more environmentally sustainable industry. Gloria Fluxà , Vice Chairman and Chief Sustainability Officer at Iberostar, as well as Chair of the WTTC’s Sustainability Committee, will also address global leaders during the event.
Julia Simpson, President and CEO of WTTC, remarked that the global community is closely observing NPTP’s actions, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. She stated that there is no time to delay. Given the travel and tourism sector’s dependence on nature, along with capability to craft inspiring and unforgettable experiences, NPTP is ideally positioned to serve as protectors of the natural world.
Glenn Mandziuk, CEO of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, expressed that this initiative transcends the establishment of new standards; it aims to disseminate best practices worldwide to motivate our industry. By establishing a foundation for future training initiatives, we are equipping our sector to become genuine custodians of the Earth, ensuring the preservation of the environments in which we operate while promoting the welfare of our communities and the ecosystem for future generations.
