The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16), held in Cali, Colombia, from October 21 to November 1, 2024. GSTC’s Program Director for Latin America, Jorge Moller, and Membership Coordinator, Tatiana Agudelo Monguí, collaborated with the global community to highlight sustainable tourism’s crucial role in biodiversity conservation.

On October 26, Mr. Moller and Ms. Agudelo Monguí, together with Destinos del Futuro and the Yuluca Alliance (AYLAC), introduced the initiative “Yuluca: Latin America and the Caribbean Agreement for the Conservation of Biodiversity through Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism.” Launched following the first GSTC Latin American and Caribbean Summit in Santa Marta in May 2024, this presentation reviewed AYLAC’s inaugural year of progress. It underscored the initiative’s alignment with the Kunming-Montréal framework and its ambition to engage stakeholders across Latin America and the Caribbean in promoting biodiversity-focused tourism. Viewers could watch this presentation live on GSTC’s Facebook and YouTube channels.

“AYLAC, with the support of Destinos del Futuro, has become an invaluable platform uniting tourism stakeholders across Latin America and the Caribbean and it was essential to be presented at this important COP, showing that this alliance creates a unique opportunity for the region to align on a shared vision for sustainable development, using sustainable tourism as a key driver,” said Jorge Moller.

Additionally, GSTC participated in a panel discussion on “Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism Development,” moderated by Brigitte Baptiste. During this session, Mr. Moller joined representatives from UN Tourism, the Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, the Colombian Ministry of Environment, WWF Colombia, and USAID’s Destination Nature Program, among others. The panel emphasized collaborative strategies to advance biodiversity-friendly tourism, strengthen local communities, and drive sustainable economic growth.

“As authorities, proposing mechanisms for democratic decision-making in sustainable tourism is essential,” says Mr. Moller. “This approach ensures that decisions endure over time, as communities are able to genuinely identify with these guidelines and feel empowered to carry them forward.”

GSTC’s engagement at COP16 concluded on October 30 with a comprehensive program organized by Swisscontact, focusing on National Parks across Latin America and the Caribbean. This full-day event was dedicated to promoting territorial development through sustainable tourism, aiming to support community involvement and destination competitiveness in the region’s National Parks.

“Our presence at COP16 has been incredibly valuable, with a focus on tourism-centered events that allowed us to emphasize sustainable tourism as a practical, essential tool for biodiversity conservation,” said Tatiana. “Since the GSTC, we had every reason to be actively involved in this event, which seeks decisions that reconcile biodiversity care and encourage us — across nationalities and cultures — to think collectively as a biome, rather than as individuals. We still have a choice in the kind of impact we want our actions to have on the rest of biological diversity, as we’re just a part of it.”

This workshop highlighted the synergy between conservation efforts and economic benefits, focusing on biodiversity protection in one of the world’s richest ecosystems. During the event, Jorge and Tatiana joined park rangers in discussions about the sector’s key challenges and examined how sustainable tourism can foster revitalization for both natural habitats and cultural heritage.

“Sustainable tourism, guided by the GSTC Criteria as a comprehensive management system, plays a crucial role in conservation,” said Mr. Moller. “When properly applied, it’s a sector that not only fosters social and economic development but also educates both hosts and travelers in biodiversity preservation. We can no longer afford to overlook tourism as an essential part of global biodiversity care and that’s why my colleague Tatiana and I are pleased to have actively engaged through our presence at COP16 Biodiversity.”

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