Tourism is certainly the largest and fastest-growing industry in the world. Today, tourism accounts for 10 per cent of the global GDP, creating 1 in every 11 jobs in the world. Every year, millions of tourists flock to various tourist attractions such as historical sites, museums and coastlines, bringing income and jobs to local economy. In fact, the international tourist arrivals grew by 4.6 per cent in 2015, recording 1,184 million. The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) forecasts that this number will reach 1.8 billion by 2030 (UNWTO).

Despite the economic and social benefits brought by tourism, however, many countries have been experiencing the consequences of the increased number of tourists and excessive development, including coastal degradation, the loss of biodiversity, higher risks of climate change, etc. In particular, the Eleventh Meeting of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics has closed with calls to make “Safe Coastal Tourism” a priority in coastal destinations worldwide. The need for well-designed plans for sustainable tourism is highlighted to ensure the long-term economic, environmental and social benefits, especially for coastal regions. These areas need to sustain its own characteristics in order to achieve balanced local development in the long term (UNWTO).

In this context, tourism has become internationally and officially recognized within the UN dialogue such as the UN Commission on sustainable Development (1999) for the question of ‘quality tourism’ rather than its ‘quantifiable volume’. The dominant agenda on tourism development has moved its focus from ‘how much developed’ to ‘how well developed’, which called for the need of sustainable tourism management.

This workshop, therefore, provides a venue for participants to understand the sustainable tourism management for coastal destinations through various lectures and group activities. Best practices on sustainable tourism will be presented, offering opportunities to explore well-designed tourism development cases around the world. There will be sessions to discuss good policies and practical sustainable tourism projects in line with the UN SDGs. Finally, the workshop will help local actors effectively develop relevant policies, promoting and enhancing their geographical advantages for the social, environmental and economic benefits in the long term.