Among the plan’s most notable aspects is the reaffirmation that sustainability and resilience are not static goals, but ongoing processes that require adaptability, innovation, and cross-cutting cooperation among multiple actors. The UN Tourism Secretary-General has emphasized that the International Year in 2027 will provide an unprecedented platform to position tourism as a truly transformative sector within the global post-2030 agenda, aligned with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Implementation of the Road Map will be structured around participatory governance mechanisms, coordinated by the Committee on Tourism and Sustainability (CTS), which acts as the guiding body for monitoring and supporting initiatives linked to the International Year. This committee has welcomed the presentation of the document, highlighting its value as an instrument for coordination to prioritize key areas such as climate action, social inclusion, and responsible management of natural resources.
The relevance of this process also lies in its holistic approach: the Road Map is not limited to promotion or marketing proposals for countries and destinations, but sets out guidance to align public policies, investment, and international cooperation programs with the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of tourism, ensuring that the transformations undertaken benefit both the sector and the local communities and natural environments that host tourism activity.
A central element of the plan is the integration of resilience as a strategic component. It recognizes that global tourism faces growing risks arising from climate change, extreme events, demographic pressures, and shifts in traveler behavior. In this context, resilience is conceived as the ability of destinations and economies to anticipate, absorb, and recover from disruptions, without losing sight of long-term sustainability.
The Road Map also emphasizes the need to generate synergies between tourism policies and other development areas, aligning with the 2030 Agenda. This entails strengthening cooperation with UN system agencies, national and local governments, as well as the private sector and civil society, to enhance tourism’s positive impact in areas such as poverty reduction, biodiversity conservation, protection of cultural heritage, and the promotion of quality jobs.
Experts and government representatives have stressed that preparation for 2027 should be understood as a process that goes beyond commemorating a single year; it is about establishing lasting structural changes in how countries manage tourism, with particular attention to innovation, digitalization, and local capacity building.
Ultimately, the presentation of this Road Map reflects a decisive moment for the global tourism community. It reinforces the idea that sustainability and resilience are not merely aspirations, but tangible commitments that can transform tourism into a true force for sustainable development, capable of generating fair benefits for people and the planet, not only during 2027 but in the years to come.
