News

August, 27 2024

Final Review befroe the 6th Urban Economy Forum, 

“Financing Sustainable Tourism, Advancing Quality of Life” : Insights from the third UEF6 Steering Committee Meeting

Summary of 3rd SC meeting on Aug 26th, 2024 

Introduction from UEF Team  

The UEF discussed final details of the 6th Urban Economy Forum, which will bring together global leaders and experts to discuss sustainable urban development and tourism. The forum aims to generate actionable ideas for enhancing the quality of life in cities through sustainable tourism initiatives. Urban Economy Forum (UEF) announced a forthcoming publication and a gala event on November 26th, aimed at networking and capacity building, with participants from various sectors including business owners, interpreters, mayors, and government officials. Anantha led a discussion on sustainable tourism and its importance in urban economy, highlighting the need for continued efforts in this area and the potential gains of urban tourism. 

Secretariat Role, Resolution Drafting, and Communication Strategy 

Anantha Krishnan outlined the role of the Secretariat in providing guidelines for the steering committee to input into the resolution drafting process, emphasizing the importance of sustainability in tourism. The steering committee then discussed the structure for the resolution and the plan to negotiate it through a shared platform. Anantha also brought up the importance of a message from the new head of executive director of UN habitat, given the close link between urbanization and tourism. 

The communication strategy for the conference, including promoting speaker sessions, sharing videos, and using specific hashtags,  have been announced. 

Sustainable Tourism and Blue Economy Discussion 

Dyfed expressed appreciation for the focus on sustainable tourism and the use of data and technology in the tourism industry, citing a recent mission to Medina, Saudi Arabia as an example. Dyfed also suggested the inclusion of the blue economy in future discussions, highlighting its importance in balancing biodiversity, tourism, and local economic interests. Anantha and UEF agreed to consider this suggestion and invited Dyfed to recommend potential speakers for their sessions. Dyfed agreed to provide suggestions, particularly from Mombasa and coastal cities in Kenya. 

Virtual Conference and Tourism Discussion 

The team discussed the upcoming conference, with UEF confirming the ability of a virtual participation for those speakers unable to attend in person. Anantha suggested that a message from Amelia, the Secretary General of UCLG, would be a valuable addition to their website. Mayor Berry Vbranovic agreed to this idea and also highlighted the timeliness of the conference's topic, given the current pushback against tourism in some European countries. Fabio proposed suggesting speakers who could discuss the positive and negative aspects of tourism, and Margareta agreed to contribute her perspective on the matter. 

Balancing Tourism, Gender, and Sustainability 

Margareta emphasized the importance of considering both positive and negative aspects of tourism, including its impact on the local economy, infrastructure, and gender dynamics. She also suggested the inclusion of a gender perspective in discussions about sustainable tourism. Anantha highlighted the need to address economic issues, such as the leakage of profits from tourist accommodations, and the importance of educating tourists to prevent negative impacts. Giuseppe proposed the need for guidelines for moderators to effectively capture discussion points and draft resolutions, and offered to connect with African Union representatives for their input on urbanization and tourism in Africa. 

Global Reports and Sustainable Tourism Focus 

Eduardo encouraged the team to focus on global reports and sustainable tourism, asking for any relevant documents or information to be shared for the upcoming conference. He expressed confidence in the success of their online participation strategy and highlighted the importance of their intersections with key areas such as cities and organizations, sustainable tourism, quality of life, and urban finance. Eduardo also discussed the expansion of the Urban Economy Forum to new locations and appreciated Krishna's suggestions on rethinking tourism development. He emphasized the need for a strong communication plan, the connection between tourism and smart cities, and the strengthening of the blue economy concept. 

Urban Economy 6" Conference Discussion 

Dyfed from UN Habitat and Urban discussed the upcoming "Urban Economy 6" conference, focusing on sustainable tourism and technology in city management. Dyfed emphasized the importance of respecting biodiversity, climate, and indigenous cultures in tourism, and highlighted the potential for tourists to interact with other economic developments. He also expressed interest in exploring how tourism can benefit indigenous communities and enhance their cultural celebration, as well as the potential of a people-centered smart cities approach to manage the flow of tourists sustainably. 

Next steps 

• Steering committee members to provide speaker suggestions for blue economy and sustainable tourism topics. 
• Dyfed to connect organizers with African Union representatives for potential input. 
• Fazileh  to reach out to steering committee members for additional speaker recommendations. 
• Alyssa Martschenko to continue promoting the conference through social media and collect video introductions from speakers. 
• Organizers to prepare guidelines for session moderators on capturing key discussion points for the resolution. 
• Krishna to draft initial points for the conference resolution. 
• Organizers to extend invitation to World Tourism Organization representatives.