Sustainable Tourism Law

The binding force of legislative instruments for sustainable tourism law Silvia Feliu Profesora Doctora de Derecho Internacional Privado Universidad de las Islas Baleares (Spain) ABSTRACT The goals and areas linked to Sustainable Tourism have been developed since the 1980s and have been reflected in several legal instruments. The binding force and non-binding force of legislative instruments for Sustainable Tourism and its consequences are analysed in the following pages. Key words: Sustainable Tourism, Legislative instruments, binding force, non- -binding force, Soft Law, Hard Law. I. LEGISLATIVE INSTRUMENTS ON SUSTAINABLE TOURISM The development of Sustainable Tourism is currently marked by the objectives described in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations. The 2030 Agenda proposes 17 Objectives with 169 integrated and indivisible goals that cover the economic, social and environmental spheres and that should govern the global development programmes during the next 15 years. By adopting it, the States undertook to mobilize the necessary means for its implementation. Governments, businesses and civil society together with the United Nations are mobilizing efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Agenda by 2030. Universal, inclusive and indivisible, the Agenda calls for action by all countries in order to improve the lives of people everywhere. Sustainable Tourism is not described as a goal. However, since it is a cross- -cutting issue, it appears in many of the goals described in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, the United Nations 70th General Assembly designated 2017 as the