The representative of the UN in the Dominican Republic, Mauricio Ramírez Villegas, advocated developing a tourism more inclusive that involves the most vulnerable communities and that allows progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With this aimand “responding to their needs and their development strategy, we have formulated a new cooperation framework for a cycle of five years that begins from this year 2023 until 2027,” said Ramírez in statements to the press in the framework of the event that the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) celebrates in Punta Cana (east).
This program constitutes a support to carry out “a much more inclusive development, resilient and sustainable in an island country, highly vulnerable to climate change and with fragilities from the environmental point of view”, he pointed out.
It is about betting on “a much more inclusive tourism model, which includes the communities“, which includes activities complementary alternatives to the traditional model of sun and sand, taking advantage of the natural, cultural and ecological wealth that the country has.
“Mountain tourism, tourism of adventure, ecotourism. There are many alternatives, but it must be much more inclusive” than in its current conception of “tourism still highly concentrated in a wealthLet’s say non-inclusive” because “there are many opportunities to include the most vulnerable people in the country,” he said.
Ramírez is one of those attending the thematic session “New Narratives in Tourism” after the celebration of its 118th meeting of the UNWTO Executive Council, which has brought together twenty ministers of the sector with a focus on sustainability and the tourism of the future