Sustainable Tourism: A Roadmap for the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda

Abstract

Purpose: Seventeen sustainable development goals (SDGs) are included in the UN’s 2030 agenda of sustainable development that aims to provide a shared blueprint for sustainability and call for urgent action by all member countries. The study aims to study the role of tourism in delivering sustainable solutions for the planet.

Research Methodology: The present chapter compiles available studies on sustainable tourism and critically analyses sustainability principles and their relevance to SDGs.

Findings: The chapter comprehensively studies the SDGs – 8, 12, and 14 and reveals a strategic roadmap to achieve the SDGs through sustainable tourism practices. The observations may provide deep insights to the government and policymakers to prioritise actions in order to achieve the goals.

Research Limitations: Future research studies may be conducted to empirically verify the results from the perspective of different countries.

Practical Implications: According to United Nations (2023), ‘The tourism sector accounts for approximately 10% of the world’s GDP, about 30% of overall service exports across sectors, and provides for 1 out of 10 jobs globally’. Sustainable tourism has particularly been embraced as an important area under the 8th SDG of sustainable economic growth; in the 12th SDG of sustainable production and consumption and in the 14th SDG pertaining to sustainable use of oceans and marine resources, thus highlighting its importance.

Value: The chapter is a novel attempt to comprehensively analyse the role of sustainable tourism and the strategic roadmap for achieving the SDGs.

Citation

Vaid, J. (2024), "Sustainable Tourism: A Roadmap for the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda", Sharma, R., Bhardwaj, I., Grima, S., Sachdeva, T., Sood, K. and Özen, E. (Ed.) Sustainable Development Goals: The Impact of Sustainability Measures on Wellbeing (Contemporary Studies in Economic and Financial Analysis, Vol. 113B), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 21-26. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1569-37592024000113B002