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San José, Costa Rica, 24 September 2024. Biodiversity loss is one of the greatest threats humanity and the planet face today. With moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services, there is an urgent need to rethink our relationship with the natural environment. This is particularly true for the travel and tourism sector, where more than 80% of the value of goods and services comes from natural resources. Nature-based tourism, which accounts for over 50% of the market, generates more than $600 billion annually, with wildlife tourism alone contributing $343 billion and supporting 21.8 million jobs globally ().

This tourism model provides essential resources for conservation efforts and protected areas, having the potential to drive sustainable development, empower local communities, and improve natural resource governance. These contributions are critical to achieving global conservation targets, particularly Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which seeks to protect 30% of Earth’s habitats by 2030.

To create a more sustainable and resilient sector, the travel industry must embrace a "Nature Positive" approach. This involves halting and reversing the damage to ecosystems, minimizing current negative impacts, and actively working to restore nature. By doing so, the tourism sector can generate a net positive impact on biodiversity.

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The 19th Meeting of the UNWTO Committee on Tourism and Sustainability (CTS) was held in Costa Rica from September 9 to 10, 2024.

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The recent 19th Meeting of the Committee on Tourism and Sustainability (CTS) of UNWTO, held in Costa Rica, gathered a total of 140 leading policymakers and global experts to discuss the future of sustainable tourism development. Dr. Thiago Beraldo, Chair of the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� World Commission of Protected Areas (WCPA) Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group (TAPAS), participated in the high-level panel “Nature Positive Tourism: What are the Key Enablers?”, highlighting the tourism sector’s opportunity to redefine global practices by adopting a path that leads to a net positive impact on both biodiversity and climate. Ministers of Tourism and representatives from Costa Rica, Croatia, Uruguay, Portugal, Honduras, Iceland, Zimbabwe, and the Canary Islands, as well as representatives from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA), the Foundation for Environmental Education, Global Ecotourism Network, Eurac Research, and other specialists also participated in the panel.

"As we strive for a Nature Positive future, it is vital to recognize the strong bond between people and the planet. The Pathway to Net Positive highlights the significance of involving local communities. This involvement not only strengthens local economies but also aids in the conservation of nature", stated Dr. Beraldo.

������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� has long been committed to Nature Positive Tourism. In 2021, at the ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� World Conservation Congress in Marseille, was adopted, calling for increased investment in sustainable tourism and greater integration of tourism into global conservation efforts. ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��’s Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM), through its Impact Mitigation and Ecological Compensation Group, has published a technical guide titled "." This document aims to help companies better understand how they can contribute to the global Nature Positive goal.

At the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15), key stakeholders from the travel and tourism sector established the Nature Positive Tourism Partnership, aiming at integrating biodiversity values more deeply into tourism, reducing environmental harm, and promoting the restoration of nature. The upcoming��COP16 represents a key opportunity to align the tourism sector's efforts with global biodiversity goals. By adopting a Nature Positive approach, the sector can contribute to a future where both nature and humanity thrive, halting biodiversity loss and empowering local communities worldwide.