Tourism 'must grow smartly'

A think-tank that met for World Tourism Day on September 27th concluded that the travel industry must grow in "a smart way".

The group met in Lima, Peru to discuss the theme of 'tourism responding to the challenge of climate change'.

They concluded that the industry must place an increasing emphasis on ethics, local community involvement and the systematic reduction of carbon emissions.

Geoffrey Limpan, assistant secretary general of the UN World Tourism Organisation, said: "Tourism must grow in a smart way.

"The commitment to credible sustainability criteria will represent big opportunities for new entrepreneurs in this smart growth economy, involving businesses, communities and innovative governments."

It was also agreed that special consideration must be given to the world's poorest countries, as while these make the lowest contribution to global warming, they will be among the worst affected by it.

A number of initiatives are set to be launched to support sustainability in the tourism industry, including a focus on the Amazon region, and countries such as Brazil, Colombia and Peru, as a preserver of biodiversity with huge potential for ecotourism.

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