The Essential: guidelines and manuals

This section provides information of universal value on Tourism and Biodiversity Conservation published by major international organisations. These are ‘must read’ publications to accompany tourism experts and government officials and, academics in their efforts towards environmental sustainability.

CBD Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

• CBD guidelines on biodiversity & tourism development, 2004 - (515.95 kB)
• Protected areas in today's world; their values and benefits for the welfare of the planet - (1.43 MB)

• Biological diversity & tourism: development of guidelines for sustainable tourism in vulnerable ecosystems - (458.72 kB)
• Managing tourism & biodiversity: user's manual on CBD guidelines on biodiversity and tourism development - (3.83 MB)

European Union

• The European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas, 2007 - (154.55 kB)

IUCN  International Union for the Conservation of Nature

• Guidelines for Tourism in Parks and Protected Areas of East Asia, 2001 - (1.26 MB)
• Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas Guidelines for Planning and Management, 2002, WCPA - (1.46 MB)
• Indigenous and Local Communities and Protected Areas: Towards Equity and Enhanced Conservation Guidance on policy and practice for Co-managed Protected Areas and Community Conserved Areas, 2004, World - (2.24 MB)
• Building Biodiversity Business, 2008 - (4.49 MB)

Specific on the Management of PA

• Financing Protected Areas: Guidelines for Protected Area Managers, 2000 - (463.86 kB)
• Guidelines for Management Planning of Protected Areas, 2003, WCPA - (1.27 MB)
• Management Guidelines for IUCN Category V Protected Areas Protected Landscapes/Seascapes, 2002 - (896.22 kB)
• A Guide Book of Natural & Social indicators for Evaluating Marine Protected Areas Management Effectiveness, 2004 - (3.11 MB)

UNEP United Nations Environment Program

• Making Tourism more sustainable: a Guide for policy makers Part I - (1.38 MB)
• Making Tourism more sustainable: a Guide for policy makers Part II - (1.79 MB)

The Green Economy Report 2010

• UNEP Green Economy Report 2011 Press release - (98.25 kB)
• UNEP Green Economy Report extract Synthesis for Policy Makers - (3.07 MB)
• UNEP Green economy Report extract on Tourism - (974.82 kB)
• the full report on UNEP site

• Forging Links between Protected areas and tourism sector, 2005 - (837.67 kB)
• Wildlife watching & tourism: a study of the benefits & risks of a fast growing activity and its impacts on species, 2006 UNEP & Conservation of migratory Species (CMS) - (2.76 MB)
• Mapping Tourism Footprint, 2003, UNEP and Conservation International - (3.75 MB)

WWF World Wide Fund for Nature

• Pay per nature view Understanding tourism revenues for effective management plans, 2003 - (2.45 MB)
• Guidelines for community-based ecotourism development, 2001 - (524.3 kB)