The International Institute for Peace through Tourism- Indian Ocean islands Chapter, in partnership with the Social Club of Air Mauritius and the World Airline Clubs Association (WACA) under the leadership of Maga Ramasamy have launched the Sustainable and Responsible Tourism Network for Mauritius and Rodrigues.
The Network was launched to coincide with the arrival of Cassie De Pecol, IIPT Ambassador for Peace who is traveling to all 196 Sovereign Nations with the aim of setting a Guinness world record by doing so in less than two years and becoming the first woman and youngest person to do so. Cassie has now traveled to more than 150 countries.
The network is composed of various stakeholders – representatives of emerging entrepreneurs in the tourism industry, tourism professionals, Hotel groups, DMCs, Airline companies, NGOs, Academics and other tourism stakeholders.
Mindful of the debates at the United Nations for transforming our world in relation to the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, the 17 SDGs with 169 targets were announced last year to demonstrate the scale and ambition of this new universal agenda asserting the importance of the economic, social and environmental spheres.
Maga Ramasamy stated, “The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has identified 3 SDGs where the word tourism is included but if you go through the other 14 SDGS, it is clear that tourism, since it is the most dynamic sector with global reach, makes an important contribution to the achievement of the SDGs in general.”
Maga continued, “Our Sustainable and Responsible Tourism network will work in close collaboration with the local tourism authorities as well as international organizations such as the UNWTO, International Coalition Tourism Partners ICTP, and others in its dedication to promoting the SDG’s.”