Tourism can be a powerful tool for reducing inequalities if it engages local populations and all key stakeholders in its development. Tourism can serve as an effective means for economic integration and diversification and poverty reduction; it can impact on earning income and people’s livelihoods, development of local and rural economies as well as on the natural and cultural environments. Tourism can contribute to urban renewal and the development of rural areas by giving people the opportunity to prosper in their place of origin.
There are five targets within SDG 10 that are deemed to have a strong link to tourism. These targets have been selected to base the potential project indicators.
TARGET 10.1
BY 2030, PROGRESSIVELY ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN INCOME GROWTH OF THE BOTTOM 40 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION AT A RATE HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
Tourism can be an effective tool for reducing inequality, by not only generating additional income for local communities, but also through rural development activities, which in turn helps to reduce inequalities between urban and rural population. The tourism sector can recruit, train and employ local community members, including those living in poverty, and integrate them in the value chain (as producers, suppliers, distributors, vendors). It can also invest in business-driven poverty eradication activities.
Potential indicators in this target are grouped by the following Theme and sub-theme:
Inclusion / Equality and inclusivity
Infrastructure / Transport
Employment / Recruitment of persons from vulnerable groups
Local economic development / Local community revenue
Local economic development / Local products
Tourism value chain / Marketing and branding
TARGET 10.2
BY 2030, EMPOWER AND PROMOTE THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INCLUSION OF ALL, IRRESPECTIVE OF AGE, SEX, DISABILITY, RACE, ETHNICITY, ORIGIN, RELIGION OR ECONOMIC OR OTHER STATUS.
Target 10.2 is on the empowerment and inclusion of everyone irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status in the social, economic and political spheres of society. To this end, commitment from government and the private sector at national and local destination level, with relevant policies and instruments, is important to determine which interventions can best take place to support all members of the community.
Particular attention should be paid to the needs of the vulnerable population – such as women, minorities, persons with disabilities and the elderly and young people – all of whom can engage effectively in the tourism sector. Furthermore, tourism plays an important role for community development when it involves local populations and all stakeholders in its development. It can also provide tools to escape poverty, directly or indirectly.
Potential indicators in this target are grouped by the following Theme and sub-theme:
Local community / Local community participation
Local economic development / Local products
Financing / Access to finance
Infrastructure / Tourism facilities- inclusivity
Inclusion / Equality and inclusivity
Educaion and training / Awareness raising
TARGET 10.4
ADOPT POLICIES, ESPECIALLY FISCAL, WAGE AND SOCIAL PROTECTION POLICIES, AND PROGRESSIVELY ACHIEVE GREATER EQUALITY.
Good fiscal, wage and social protection policies are the foundation of a more equal society for everyone and the achievement of this is the aim of Target 10.4. In this regard, tourism’s contribution to this target relies on the role it plays in ensuring the welfare of the myriad of different groups working in the tourism sector is taken cared of; this includes those belonging to vulnerable groups, immigrants, people in poverty, etc. Everyone should be able to benefit from appropriate social protection systems and decent work conditions; these conditions may exist within the country, and it should be appropriately applied in the tourism sector as well. In cases where it exists, the social protection system should be strengthened.
Potential indicators in this target are grouped by the following Theme and sub-theme:
Employment / Decent work
Inclusion / Social protection systems
Inclusion / Equality and inclusivity
Tourism value chain / Supplier code of conduct
Tourism value chain / Sustainable procurement
TARGET 10.7
FACILITATE ORDERLY, SAFE, REGULAR AND RESPONSIBLE MIGRATION AND MOBILITY OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANNED AND WELL-MANAGED MIGRATION POLICIES.
World leaders recognize the positive contribution of international migration to inclusive growth and sustainable development, while acknowledging that it demands coherent and comprehensive responses. Accordingly, they have committed to cooperate internationally to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration. Migration provides important social and economic contributions to destination countries, culturally enriching their society, enhancing the tourism product and providing labour for the travel, tourism, hospitality and catering sectors.
Potential indicators in this target are grouped by the following Theme and sub-theme:
Inclusion / Migration policies
Tourism value chain / Monitoring and reporting
TARGET 10.b
ENCOURAGE OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND FINANCIAL FLOWS, INCLUDING FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT, TO STATES WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST, IN PARTICULAR LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, AFRICAN COUNTRIES, SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES AND LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR NATIONAL PLANS AND PROGRAMMES.
The tourism sector has seen a significant increase in the number of digital platforms and online services such as online travel agents, booking engines, etc. This has not only assisted in attracting tourists but also in connecting businesses. For both visitors and the local tourism business, high-speed Internet connection has become an essential infrastructure to reap the benefits of digital transformation. The availability of affordable access enables local tourism operators to connect with global markets and facilitates the promotion and marketing of a destination to potential visitors. This issue is closely related to infrastructure development as it highlights the importance of investing in ICT infrastructure to support the growth of the tourism sector.
The international development community is a key actor to provide adequate support, technical assistance, actions and knowledge sharing initiatives, including Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows and Official Development Assistance (ODA). To this end, tourism is in a position to contribute to this target since, for many of the countries explicitly mentioned in it, tourism is one, if not the main economic sector for the country. The cross-cutting nature of tourism also makes it a viable sector for development assistance, as it has the potential to have a wider impact to various other related industries and sectors. Tourism’s contribution to this target can be seen through its role of facilitating resources including through ODA for the implementation of programmes and policies to end poverty, as the sector generates foreign exchange earnings and stimulates employment and income.
Potential indicators in this target are grouped by the following Theme and sub-theme:
Investment / Foreign direct investment
Investment / Investment promotion
Business development / MSMEs
