


Managing cultural tourism impacts in Europe – Learning from Florence
Contributed by Fergus T. Maclaren: Canadian National Expert Representative, International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) International Cultural Tourism Committee / Principal, MAC-DUFF Tourism ● Heritage ● Planning
Increased visitation to Europe's cultural capitals, such as Florence, hasn't come without challenges. Here's how you can help.

Sustainable Destinations Alliance for the Americas
In the Caribbean, where tourism drives the economy and the tension between the desire for development and the need to protect resources is ongoing, we led a consortium of businesses, destinations, donors, regional organizations and nonprofits — all with a vested interested in maintaining and restoring the region’s natural, cultural and economic integrity.
The destinations that belonged to the Sustainable Destinations Alliance of the Americas (SDAA) included:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Aruba
- The Bahamas
- Barbados
- Dominica
- Honduras
- Jamaica
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Riviera Maya
- St. Kitts & Nevis
Our Role
In each of these destinations, we provided a host of regionalized approaches to their unique set of challenges and opportunities, ultimately allowing them to determine their own paths toward ongoing sustainable development.
As a result of the SDAA’s efforts, each destination was equipped with a list of action projects as a way to develop best practices and work towards becoming a sustainable destination. The projects address top priority environmental, socio-cultural, and economic issues to help preserve the destination, improve the visitor experience, and increase benefits for local residents.
Projects & Updates
“Environmental protection and development can go hand-in-hand. But it takes communication to create sustainability solutions.” – Ruleta Camacho, Senior Environment Officer, Antigua
Protect the Places You Love
Give back to conserve our planet’s most vulnerable destinations and empower the people who live there. Join the movement today.
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