What is sustainable tourism, and how can it support development?​

With more than 1.6 billion people travelling around the world each year, tourism has become a powerful and transformative force. It makes a genuine difference to the lives of millions of people, supporting one in every eleven jobs worldwide.

In this International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, Friends of Europe has created a factsheet highlighting the huge potential of tourism for driving sustainable development – as well as how badly-managed tourism can have hugely negative effects on the environment, natural resources and cultural heritage.

Find out more about sustainable tourism and its importance for global development.