East Africa is making strides towards sustainable tourism by implementing harmonized standards across its member states.
These standards are designed to strike a balance between reaping economic benefits from tourism while safeguarding the environment and enhancing community welfare.
According to oneplanetnetwork.org, Sustainable tourism is critical for economic, social, and environmental well-being. It requires the involvement of all stakeholders and strong leadership.
Recognizing this, the GO4SDGs Initiative and the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme are partnering with Ecotourism Kenya, Kenya Tourism Federation, and the East Africa Tourism Platform to support the development of Harmonized Sustainable Tourism Standards for East Africa. The standards aim to enhance effective sustainability planning, maximize social and economic benefits for the local community, enhance cultural heritage, and reduce negative environmental impacts.
The project recently convened 39 tourism stakeholders drawn from 7 of 8 East African member states and representing 28 private sector associations and government agencies to review the draft standards. This workshop served as part of a consultative process to gather feedback and suggestions, fostering alignment and a strengthened commitment to sustainable practices, as well as enhanced collaboration. Representatives from the East Africa Commission, the UN Environment Programme, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, One Planet Network and UN Tourism also participated in the workshop.
The draft harmonized sustainable tourism standards for the operation of Accommodation Providers and Tour Operators & Travel Agencies in East Africa were categorized into 6 themes:
Business Statutory and Legal Obligations
Business Operations and Practices
Business Relations with the Local Community
Business Impacts on the Cultural Heritage of the Host Community
Business Impacts on the Environment
Business Conservation of Nature
Once ratified by industry, the standards and indicators will be submitted to the East African Commission (EAC) to be taken through the EAC consultative process to become official EAC instruments for more government recognition and ownership. Ultimately, the standards will enhance the overall tourism experience, boost competitiveness, mitigate environmental challenges, support sustainable practices, and empower local communities.
The EAC’s commitment to sustainable tourism aligns with its Treaty Article 115 on “Cooperation in Tourism & Wildlife Management” which commits countries to develop a collective and coordinated approach to the promotion and marketing of quality tourism into and within the Community.
The standards complement the EAC Minimum Standards for Tourism providers as well as the Classification Criteria for Tourism Accommodation, Establishments, Restaurants and Convention Centres developed and adopted by EAC member states in 2023.
