The Network of Cities for Sustainable Tourism was launched during the International Conference for Sustainable Tourism held in the Province of Rimini, Italy (June 2001). It was created in the framework of a LIFE environment project. Even though the LIFE project is over, the Network continues working and its partners are determined to keep on cooperating, preparing the ground for future projects and to develop new ideas and projects together that can make tourism development more sustainable. The Network is open to local governments located in the European Union or the Mediterranean, where mass tourism plays a major role in the local economy.

Tourism is one of the fastest expanding sectors of the economy all over the world. It is expanding in all geographic directions and destinations. It is involving growing numbers of customers (tourists). For its own nature, tourism has strong impacts on the environment, and the social and economic structures of the tourist destinations. Above all, mass and seasonal tourism constitute a potential for over-use of natural resources, misbalance of social development and exhausting of the local infrastructure – all of which influence the local development greatly.

It is a challenge for local and national governments to pursue sustainability in the development of tourism and to exploit its positive potential without giving way to its negative impacts. Tourism can be sustainable if the economic benefits of the sector are accompanied by responsible use of natural and social resources, environmental protection, respect for cultural heritage and enhanced local social conditions. This is only possible with a collaborative effort by all actors involved. Environmental management and long term planning need to be among the tools of local governments acting responsibly.

Activities of the Network partners are coordinated by ICLEI (the International Council for local Environment Initiatives).

The Network partners have produced a leaflet containing the “rules of the sustainable tourist”. The leaflet will be used in the Network destinations to raise awareness among incoming tourists. It will also be a tool to improve the communication between tour operators and local governments in tourist’s destinations.

The network was created in the framework of a LIFE environment project. Even though the LIFE project is over, the Network continues working.

ICLEI European Secretariat
Silvia Santamaria Lange (Conference and Project Officer), tel. +49 761/368 92 20

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