International projects to conserve biodiversity
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IUCN Study
The Status and Distribution of European Mammals - IUCN Regional Assessment (PDF)
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Nature is the capital of tourism. Holidaymakers' dreams are centred on the beauty and richness of natural assets. Within the scope of the "Tour Operators´ Initiative (TOI) for Sustainable Tourism Development", TUI has therefore taken on a voluntary commitment to sustainable tourism development, which expressly includes the conservation of biological diversity.
In addition, the major international conventions and treaties such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and the Flora-Fauna-Habitat directive of the EU (FFH), are given the highest priority by TUI AG Environmental Management and establish the environmental-policy framework for the activities of the whole Group. The Environmental Management department has been involved in numerous activities to transfer the details of these treaties to the particular issues involving tourism development: including the "Berlin Declaration" on sustainable tourism and biological diversity (1997), a conference organised together with the German Environment Ministry during the COP-4 summit of CBD in Bratislava 1998, and by its involvement in the keynote paper on biological diversity and tourism presented at the COP-6 summit meeting of CBD experts in the Dominican Republic 2001 [Download].
Our strategic objective is not the short-term marketing of protected areas but the long-term sustainable invalorisation of biological diversity as the natural assets of holiday regions – to conserve the natural foundations of the tourism industry. The number of protected areas per holiday destination is therefore one of TUI's most important “environmental indices” for holiday regions.
TUI, however, shifts the priority from the increasing and economically-driven requests from managers of protected areas for more tourism exploitation, to its demand for the tourism industry to considerably expand the amount of qualitative and quantitative nature protection: greater scaling back of the uncontrolled development and paving over of the countryside – the "swallowing up of the countryside" (cf. Jost Krippendorf, Die Landschaftsfresser, 1973) – more controls and monitoring of regional policy and land utilisation, and more professional management in the protected areas. In close cooperation with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), protected areas are used under “strict” conditions by the tourism industry to ensure that biological diversity is protected.
Our criteria for the sustainable tourism use of protected areas:
- Strict zoning according to IUCN utilisation categories
- Strict determination and compliance with the carrying capacity
- Strict scientific, independent “tourism impact assessment” (analogous to TA Technical Assessment)
- Strict visitor management
- Strict controls on complying with protected area standards and ensuring no violations.
TUI therefore actively supports graded environmental protection policies in its holiday regions (species protection, nature protection, landscape protection) with firmly defined and controlled regulations on protection and access. In addition, our proactive environmental policy work influences decision making in the destinations. And our model projects, cooperation activities and our own dedication and commitment demonstrate that sustainable tourism development can make a valuable contribution to the conservation of biodiversity:
Our cooperation partners and ongoing projects
UNESCO World Heritage Sites |
TUI AG accords the UNESCO World Heritage Sites a special status and supports the sites in a wide variety of ways more... |
Friends of CMS |
TUI actively supports the initiatives and work of UNEP/CMS. Together with other players from industry, politics, science and the media TUI is the co-founder of the "Friends of CMS". Under the chairmanship of Dr Klaus Töpfer, executive director UNEP, Friends of CMS represents a unique UN initiative in Germany. more... |
EUROPARC Federation |
Long-term harmonisation of the protection of European biodiversity, landscapes and ecosystems with controlled tourism access. more... |
Loro Parque Fundación |
Supporting the Loro Parque Foundation on the global protection of endangered parrot species. more... |
GOB Majorca |
Cooperation agreement for the sustainable use of the “La Trapa” nature protection area on Majorca. more... |
Forest fires in the Mediterranean |
TUI is concerned about their ecological impacts of forest fires. That's why we take our responsibility for preventing forest fires very seriously. more... |
Aldabra Marine Programme |
Cooperation agreement on biodiversity research and the impact of climate change on the Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles. more... |
National Marine Park Zakynthos |
Supporting the new national marine park to protect the breeding grounds of Caretta caretta turtles on Zakynthos. more... |
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society |
Cooperation with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) in order to preserve the population of the common dolphin in the Mediterranean. more... |
M.E.E.R. e.V. |
TUI model project on environmentally compatible whale watching on the Canary Islands of La Gomera and Tenerife. more... |
TORTUGAS |
Supporting the Swiss environmental organisation, dedicated to the protection of sea turtles. more... |