The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, from October 21st to November 1st, 2024. Jorge Moller, GSTC’s Program Director for Latin America and Tatiana Agudelo Monguí, GSTC’s Membership Coordinator, actively engaged with the international community to address the role of sustainable tourism in biodiversity conservation.
On October 26th, in collaboration with Destinos del Futuro and the Yuluca Alliance (AYLAC), Mr. Moller and Ms. Agudelo Monguí presented “Yuluca: Latin America and the Caribbean Agreement for the Conservation of Biodiversity through Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism“. The Yuluca Alliance started after the first GSTC Latin American and Caribbean Summit, held in Santa Marta in May 2024, and this presentation offered insights into AYLAC’s first year of progress, marking its alignment with the Kunming-Montréal framework, and aimed to mobilize regional stakeholders in Latin America and the Caribbean towards biodiversity-focused tourism practices. Watch the broadcasted Facebook Live and Youtube Live in our channels.
“AYLAC, with the support of Destinos del Futuro, has become an invaluable platform uniting tourism stakeholders across Latin America and the Caribbean and it was essential to be presented at this important COP, showing that this alliance creates a unique opportunity for the region to align on a shared vision for sustainable development, using sustainable tourism as a key driver,” said Jorge Moller.
GSTC was also present in a panel on “Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism Development,” moderated by Brigitte Baptiste, where Mr. Moller engaged with representatives from UN Tourism, the Colombian Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, the Colombian Ministry of Environment, WWF Colombia, USAID Destination Nature Program and others. This high-level dialogue explored strategies to promote biodiversity-friendly tourism, enrich local communities, and generate sustainable economic growth.
“As authorities, proposing mechanisms for democratic decision-making in sustainable tourism is essential,” says Mr. Moller. “This approach ensures that decisions endure over time, as communities are able to genuinely identify with these guidelines and feel empowered to carry them forward.”
GSTC’s presence at COP16 in Cali, culminated on October 30th, with a full-day program, organized by Swisscontact, dedicated to National Parks from Latin America and the Caribbean.
This event focused on supporting territorial development by reinforcing sustainable tourism in the region’s National Parks, with an emphasis on engaging local communities and enhancing destination competitiveness.
By connecting conservation efforts with economic and social benefits, this workshop aimed to protect biodiversity in one of the world’s most biodiverse areas. During the workshop, Jorge and Tatiana accompanied park rangers engaged in discussions about the sector’s pressing challenges and explored how sustainable tourism can act as a revitalizing force for both natural ecosystems and cultural heritage.
“Our presence at COP16 has been incredibly valuable, with a focus on tourism-centered events that allowed us to emphasize sustainable tourism as a practical, essential tool for biodiversity conservation,” said Tatiana. “Since the GSTC, we had every reason to be actively involved in this event, which seeks decisions that reconcile biodiversity care and encourage us — across nationalities and cultures — to think collectively as a biome, rather than as individuals. We still have a choice in the kind of impact we want our actions to have on the rest of biological diversity, as we’re just a part of it.”
“Sustainable tourism, guided by the GSTC Criteria as a comprehensive management system, plays a crucial role in conservation,” said Mr. Moller. “When properly applied, it’s a sector that not only fosters social and economic development but also educates both hosts and travelers in biodiversity preservation. We can no longer afford to overlook tourism as an essential part of global biodiversity care and that’s why my colleague Tatiana and I are pleased to have actively engaged through our presence at COP16 Biodiversity.”
