Tourism Organizations
Partners for Lasting Success

Tourism is the world's largest industry. It is an important job creator, employing an estimated 100 million people around the world. Travel and tourism also stimulate investments in new infrastructure, most of which help improve living conditions for local residents as well as for visitors. Each of the following associations or organizations plays an important role in promoting travel and tourism.

The Center on Ecotourism & Sustainable Development is a joint program of Stanford University and the Institute for Policy Studies. Its policy-oriented research focuses on ecotourism as a tool for poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation, as well as socially and environmentally responsible tourism practices.

Destination Marketing Association International promotes the professionalism, effectiveness and image of destination management organizations worldwide.

The International Ecotourism Society generates and disseminates information about ecotourism. The organization provides guidelines and standards, training, technical assistance, research and publications to foster sound ecotourism development.

The mission of the International Council of Tourism Partners is to promote fair tourism trade, poverty reduction, enhanced security, tourism education, disaster relief initiatives, and sustainable tourism as an instrument for peace & reconciliation. The organization supports the UN Millennium Development Goals, the World Tourism Organization's Global Code of Ethics and a range of programs that underpin them.

Pro-Poor Tourism provides current information on ways tourism can result in increased net benefits for poor people.

The Sustainable Tourism website provides links to declarations, charters, reports, magazines and journals on the subject of sustainable tourism.

The World Travel & Tourism Council is the forum for global business leaders representing the private sector in all parts of the travel and tourism industry worldwide. Governments are encouraged to adopt the Council's policy framework for sustainable tourism development.

United Nations Environment Program on Tourism promotes sustainability through government policy, by providing assistance to the private sector and guidelines for protecting sensitive areas.

Sustainable Travel International is dedicated to promoting responsible tourism, support sustainable development and helping travelers and travel providers protect the cultures and environments they visit.

Tourism Concern is dedicated to reducing social and environmental problems connected to tourism in developing countries, including promoting the concept and practice of fair trade in tourism.

Travel & Tourism Research Association is an international association of travel research and marketing professionals, promoting education and professional development.

The US Travel Association represents the common interests of the Uunited States travel industry. The organization is the official voice for promoting travel to and within the U.S.

The Office of Travel & Tourism Industries provides basic statistics for in-bound and out-bound travel occurring in the U.S.

The World Tourism Organization is the leading international organization in the field of travel and tourism. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and practical source of tourism knowledge.