A report released earlier this week outlines the importance of tourism in the global economy, and specifically in Least Developed Countries. According to the report, tourism directly or indirectly generates one in 10 jobs in the world. The report, “Tourism for Sustainable Development in Least Developed Countries,” was a joint collaboration of the United Nation's World Tourism Organization, the International Trade Centre, and the Enhanced Integrated Framework.

The report is part of a larger initiative, in which the year 2017 was designated the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the UN. The goal is to make travel more sustainable by taking into account the economic, social, and environmental impacts of tourism, while addressing the needs of visitors, the tourism industry, the environment, and host communities.

Known as the #IY2017 for short, the initiative highlights tourism’s role in promoting:

• inclusive and sustainable economic growth
• social inclusiveness, employment, and poverty reduction
• resource efficiency, environmental protection, and climate change
• cultural values, diversity, and heritage
• and mutual understanding, peace, and security.

As travel providers, we’re conscious of our role in caring for the destinations we visit. We work to partner with locally owned operators, hotels, and vendors, we offer options to offset the carbon emissions from your journey, and we take part in service projects that genuinely benefit local communities.

How can you help?

To learn more about the #IY2017, see a calendar events, and see how you can get involved, visit tourism4development2017.org.

Read our blog post, "8 Ways to Travel More Responsibly."