A new partnership between UNESCO and the Netherlands-based TUI Care Foundation aims to promote sustainable tourism development in some of the world’s most precious cultural sites.
The partnership “combines local destination projects with a broader international component focused on coordination, knowledge-sharing and cooperation around sustainable tourism practices,” according to UNESCO. The first two projects will take place at the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Ksar Ait Ben Haddou in Morocco and the Stone Town of Zanzibar in Tanzania.
The projects seek to maintain a balance between the economic benefits that come with visitation to the sites and the need to safeguard cultural heritage by promoting inclusive and responsible tourism development.
UNESCO: Focus on Africa
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, Ksar Ait Ben Haddou is a traditional earthen clay village set along an ancient caravan route. The UNESCO/TUI Care Foundation project aims to encourage tourists to extend their stays, expand opportunities for local artisans and develop new cultural tourism experiences, including training local guides and supporting entrepreneurs.
The project “will support deeper engagement between visitors and the destination’s living heritage, with particular attention given to women and young people,” according to UNESCO.
The Stone Town is the oldest part of Zanzibar, a major Swahili coastal trading town in East Africa. UNESCO/TUI activities here will strengthen links between culture and tourism by supporting skills development, creative entrepreneurship and heritage-based tourism initiatives.
“Sustainable tourism must benefit the communities who safeguard our World Heritage and sustain its living traditions,” said Julien Pellaux, director of partnerships at UNESCO. “This partnership is about working with the private sector to shape tourism more responsibly—ensuring that economic activity supports heritage protection and translates into meaningful opportunities for local communities. Together, we are helping define a more balanced and sustainable model of tourism for present and future generations.”
The TUI Care Foundation supports projects that open up new prospects for young people around the world, protect nature and the environment, and promotes sustainable tourism development.
