As we all know, global tourism careened to a stop last year, thanks to the
pandemic. Once the industry panic attacks subsided, many tourism operators used
the break to pause and reflect on what a sustainable future for
tourism
might look like — more thoughtful approaches that encourage travelers to
venture beyond the too-often-beaten
paths
to mitigate
overtourism;
taking slower, less carbon-intensive
journeys;
and immersing themselves in new cultural
experiences
that engage with and benefit the host destinations and communities as much as
the travelers.
With that in mind, Airbnb joined forces with the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)
to contribute to the reactivation of tourism in a responsible and sustainable
way in Mexico, and to expand the benefits of cultural and creative tourism
to more communities.
Through the partnership, which builds on the work of its Office of Healthy
Tourism,
Airbnb will promote destinations and experiences outside the traditional tourist
circuit — promoting the empowerment of local tourist communities, integrating
the creative and cultural sector into local tourism value chains, and
contributing to the development of responsible tourism — all in an effort to
protect Mexico’s cultural and natural assets by integrating experiences that
contribute to the appreciation and knowledge of its cultures.
According to Airbnb's Report on Travel and Living,
released in May, sustainable tourism and visits to destinations far from
traditional touristic corridors have become a top priority for travelers. In
Mexico, the percentage of nights booked for summer 2021 in small communities has
almost tripled compared to the same period in 2019, going from 10 percent to 25
percent.
Another recent survey revealed that half of Mexicans want to travel to a place
close to nature once the pandemic is over, with 29 percent confirming that they
will seek Pueblos
Magicos
(“Magical Towns”) or small cities for their next national trip. Similarly, eight
out of 10 Mexicans declared that sustainability is essential when deciding their
accommodation or travel destinations.
These opportunities to promote tourism in Mexico prompted Airbnb to partner with
UNESCO to produce complete projects that will include tourism innovation and
community inclusion in order to incorporate micro, small, and medium creative,
cultural, and tourism entrepreneurs in the tourism value chain.
“Airbnb recognizes that at this moment, tourism must be part of the economic
recovery and community inclusion in Mexico,” said Jorge Balderrama, Public
Policy Manager of Airbnb Mexico. “Consequently, this alliance seeks to set the
foundations for co-responsible and sustainable tourism that contributes to local
economic development, community inclusion, and biodiversity
protection
in destinations so that this initiative can be replicated across the country and
Latin America.”
This initiative will begin with tests in Mexico City and the Yucatan
Peninsula — seeking synergy with public, private and social actors to boost
the supply of creative, cultural and nature tourism. The partnership will also
promote the development of tourism entrepreneurs’ skills and technologies.
UNESCO Mexico representative Frédéric Vacheron says this alliance signifies
an essential step for Mexico’s Office to promote sustainable development in the
collaborative economy — which encourages the optimization of human resources and
existing materials, reducing the environmental impact of creating new materials,
and supports entrepreneurial innovation in times of crisis by offering services
through online collaboration platforms.
“The collaborative economy models provide excellent alternatives to combat
excessive consumption, waste and unemployment — which are the challenges that
the 2030 Agenda urges to
solve to achieve the sustainable development and the comprehensive
transformation required to avoid new global emergencies such as the COVID-19
pandemic,” Vacheron said.
The partnership with UNESCO follows Airbnb’s “México por
Tierra” initiative that supports responsible enjoyment and safeguarding of the
country’s cultural and natural heritage through more conscious tourism.
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Sustainable Brands Staff
Published Aug 12, 2021 8am EDT / 5am PDT / 1pm BST / 2pm CEST