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Tour Operators’ Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development (TOI)
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) hosts the Secretariat of the Tour Operators’ Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development (TOI), a world-wide Association of tour operators. TOI was founded in March 2000 by a group of tour operators with the backing of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which are full members of the Initiative.
Main aims of the Tour Operators’ Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development are to:
- Help destinations to benefit socially, economically and culturally from tourism development
- Ensure that the economic benefits are equitably shared by all stakeholders
- Encourage and catalyze initiatives and efforts to achieve sustainable tourism development across all sectors of the tourism industry
- Promote changes in the behaviour of consumers from tourist generating countries that are conducive to sustainability
In their designing of holiday packages, and with their direct influence on the tourism supply chain, tour operator members of the TOI proved to be able to exercise great influence on the level and type of tourism development that is carried out around the world.
A voluntary, non-profit association, open to tour operators throughout the world, regardless of their size and geographical location, TOI carries out work in five key areas:
- Research and information, to explore and share ideas and practices on environmental, socio-economic and cultural topics
- Capacity building, to assist TOI members and other tour operators in developing and implementing sustainable development and management principles through publications, workshops, conferences and training
- Technical support for members in their commitment to the sustainable development of tourism
- Communication, to increase awareness of priority issues and raise the visibility of the Initiative among key players in the tourism sector
- Outreach, to open direct dialogues with other tour operators and tourism stakeholders
