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MEP Josianne Cutajar, member of the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee, and of its Tourism Task Force, has become a signatory of the Future of Tourism Coalition. The Coalition establishes a vision for the tourism sector, setting thirteen Guiding Principles to ensure that the industry develops sustainably.
Drawing attention to the challenges the tourism sector faces today, Dr Cutajar observed that the tourism sector is at a crossroads. ‘We can re-establish the old system, which brings with it a heavy burden for communities and ecosystems, or choose a different model that restores the balance between visitor, community and nature,’ she noted.
The Gozitan MEP insisted that when properly managed, tourism creates opportunities where there are none, protects natural resources and enhances quality of life.
‘By putting community needs at the very centre, we can reset and rebuild tourism as a force for good. The Future of Tourism Coalition is a good opportunity for us to come together to build back better, united by a shared vision, with strength in numbers, diversity of representation, and with a spirit of innovative collaboration’, Cutajar added.
Set up in June 2020, the Future of Tourism Coalition is a collaborative effort to chart an innovative and more sustainable direction for tourism. The Coalition is comprised of six non-governmental organisations, namely the Centre for Responsible Travel (CREST), Destination Stewardship Centre, Green Destinations, Sustainable Travel International, Tourism Cares, and the Travel Foundation.
MEP Cutajar is campaigning for the tourism industry to transform its business models, putting local communities and their ecosystems at the centre of tourism management and development, and is pressing on the urgency to move from words to action when it comes to sustainable tourism.
The Chairperson of the Future of Tourism Coalition, Jeremy Sampson, welcomed the addition of an important partner in the fight for sustainable tourism.
‘We need passionate leaders and advocates like Josianne Cutajar MEP to place this high on the agenda so that policies, politics and business models can be reset in favour of tourism based on quality not just quantity. We are delighted to welcome Dr Cutajar to the Future of Tourism community which already includes almost 500 businesses, destinations, governments, NGOs and others who are ready to tread a new path’, Sampson said.
MEP Cutajar firmly supports the idea of taking a holistic view to the sector’s growth, hence redefining the way in which we measure its success. In her view, SME development, the fair distribution of income, and the enhancement of sustainable local supply chains need to become the new norms in assessing the success of tourism. MEP Cutajar is urging all tourism businesses, destinations and other stakeholders to uphold the principles espoused by this effort towards a more sustainable, fair and inclusive tourism sector.
