Sustainable Tourism Law

400 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM LAW should observe the social and cultural traditions and practices of all peoples, including those of minorities and indigenous peoples and recognize their worth…” On 15 September 2017, the member States of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) approved an historical document – the UNWTO Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics. The Convention, approved at the 22nd UNWTO General Assembly transforms the Code of Ethics for Tourism into an international convention, the first in the life of the Organization. Firmly convinced that, provided a number of principles and a certain number of rules are observed, responsible and sustainable tourism is by no means incompatible with the growing liberalization of the conditions governing the provision of goods and services and under whose aegis the enterprises of this sector operate and how it is necessary to reconcile, in this context, the environment with economic and social development, openness to international trade while protecting social and cultural identities. The Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics has been built around the nine core principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. In order to frame these principles in the classical structure of an international treaty, several provisions have been adapted. (a) The Preamble of the text is inspired by that of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, A/22/16 rev.2, although updated to the current international context and purpose of the proposed Convention. (b) Part I of the Convention includes the General Provisions which contextualize the text by outlining the key terminology, the aim and scope of the provisions of the Convention as well as the means of implementation. (c) Part II is dedicated to the Ethical Principles in Tourism which constitute the backbone of the Convention. (d) Part III on the World Committee on Tourism Ethics refers to the mandate, composition and operation of this subsidiary organ of the UNWTO General Assembly in the context of the Convention. (e) The two final sections of the Convention contain standard provisions of international treaties, namely Part IV addresses the Conference of States Parties and Part V features the Final Provisions regulating procedures for the signature, ratification, acceptance, approval and accession. (f ) The Optional Protocol annexed to the Convention is a separate instrument that states parties to the convention can decide to ratify or not; it consists of a