RESOLUTION(1)

on tourism and development

The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,

- meeting in Nassau (Bahamas) from 11 to 14 October 1999,

- having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament (COM(1998)563) on a "European Community strategy to support the development of sustainable tourism in the developing countries",

- having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament (COM(1998)667) on a "European Community strategy for private sector development in ACP countries",

- having regard to the resolution of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on the cultural dimension in development and cooperation, including matters relating to heritage and tourism adopted in Strasbourg on 1 April 1999,

A. whereas tourism can be an effective factor in promoting economic development and creating jobs requiring all levels of skills,

B. having regard to the dangers that uncontrolled development of tourism poses to the environment and society in that it imposes an excessive burden on nature, has a serious impact on local cultures and aggravates environmental problems through exploitation of natural resources, transport and waste management,

C. whereas on the other hand tourism stimulates the economy in such sectors as transport, construction and the food industry, thereby simultaneously promoting private-sector activity, and can thus help to attain one of the most important goals of EU-ACP development cooperation,

D. whereas preserving cultural assets, which are of enormous historical, artistic, educational, social and economic value, is important to an area's reputation as a tourist destination, because a well-preserved cultural heritage of high quality is attractive to travellers and investors,

1. Is strongly convinced that in response to the growth in tourism the right conditions must be created to enable tourism in ACP countries to contribute decisively to the sustainable economic and social development of those countries, to the reduction of poverty, and to their gradual integration into the world economy;

2. Calls on the Commission and Member States to support the ACP countries in their efforts to promote environmentally and socially acceptable tourism, and to incorporate this endeavour, in an appropriate form, into the future agreement with the ACP countries,

3. Considers that it is essential to involve the local population and local-community decision-makers directly in programmes to promote sustainable tourism in order to achieve general acceptance and a willingness to identify with the measures, and observes that, in particular, equal participation by women should be facilitated and promoted;

4. Considers that cooperation between governments, the private sector and civil-society organisations in the context of the organisation of tourism is essential and that an appropriate legal framework should be created for this;

5. Calls on the Commission, the Member States and the ACP countries, in accordance with the general objectives and priorities of development, to devote an appropriate proportion of subsidy funds to promoting environmentally and socially acceptable tourism;

6. Expects EU-ACP cooperation to result in practical measures to halt undesirable developments arising from tourism, particularly measures to help victims of child pornography, sexual abuse and sex tourism, as well as appropriate measures to prevent these;

7. Believes that, in adopting such measures, particular attention should be devoted to support for small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in fields directly or indirectly linked with tourism, fostering the cultural heritage and cultural events, such as museums, memorials, hotels, restaurants, management of nature parks, travel agencies, trade or small industries;

8. Stresses, in this connection, the importance of preserving landscapes in urban and rural development planning, attaches importance to preservation of the cultural heritage and stresses the need to protect buildings and cultural sites;

9. Stresses the importance of ensuring that environment, culture and traditional ways of life are not jeopardised by tourism, and therefore calls on the EU Member States, the ACP countries, the Commission and the EIB - particularly in countries where tourism is a major activity - to seek to secure balanced policies on culture and tourism, geared to sustainable development, which should involve assessments being performed, fields of action determined and dialogues along the main participants coordinated;

10. Instructs its Co-presidents to forcard this resolution to the ACP-EU Council and the Commission.

(1) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 14 October 1999 in Nassau (Bahamas).