Network for Sustainability in Tourism in Asia Pacific debuts in Bangkok

Centre for Research and Sustainability Studies in Tourism (CRST) which is a non-profit organisation dedicated for providing decision making data and sustainability initiatives  has been selected to the advisory task force of the network for sustainability in tourism in Asia pacific.

Over 35 delegates from 12 Asia pacific countries came together for the inaugural meeting of NEST in Bangkok at the Swissotel Nai Lert Park

At the 2nd Annual Conference of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism held in the Republic of Korea, 12-13 March 2012, delegates advocated for building an Asia and the Pacific network for sustainable tourism to address the need for a more collective and collaborative approach in tourism development across the whole region.

To this end UNEP and the Global Partnership commissioned a ‘Situation Analysis on Sustainable Tourism in Asia and the Pacific’ (October 2012) to identify the status of related activities and the main priorities and needs for such a network in the region.

The Situation Report found that:

a) ‘Sustainable tourism’ is a commonly referenced term in a range of tourism-related documents. However, there is a wide disparity of interpretation and lack of policy consistency in the approach to ‘sustainability’.

b) The Asia and the Pacific region lacks a community of practice in sustainable tourism,

c.) to share and exchange information, promote and engage in best practices.

 (e) Asia and the Pacific would benefit from greater cohesion and cooperation on sustainable tourism between the main tourism industry actors.

Purpose of the Network for Sustainable Tourism (NEST)

NEST would be regarded as the regional network affiliate of the Global Partnership for Asia and the Pacific. Its activities would be initially supported through the UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific based in Bangkok, Thailand, and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism a programme of UNEP and other UN agencies, based in Paris, France. The purpose of NEST is to foster strategic alliances among the key regional and national tourism stakeholders in order to accomplish common goals.

The NEST value propositions are Creating Regional Synergies; Stakeholder Management: and Mainstreaming Sustainability.

Commenting on the election of CRST for the advisory task force Dileep Mudadeniya said: “Founder of CRST said The Global Partnership with NEST is indeed a privilege and a honour. Initially we are planning to make available website of NEST and facilities to help promote regional actions and success stories (i.e. communication and outreach);. Subsequently disseminate information on sustainable tourism and initiatives such as the UNEP-led 10 Year Framework of Programs (10YFP) for Sustainable Consumption and Production approved at the recent RIO+20 global conference, with tourism as one of the five priority programs.”

Visit www.crstinfo.org for more info.