An online course to foster sustainable tourism development and policy-making in small island developing states
As one of the fastest growing sectors in the world, tourism is a key economic factor for many Small Island Developing States (SIDS). However, the size and geographic location of SIDS results in many vulnerabilities that limit their competitiveness in the industry. Additionally, unplanned tourism growth can present many risks for their ecosystems and inhabitants.
Because of this, it is critical to ensure that tourism development in SIDS occurs in a sustainable manner that accounts for the needs of the local economy, environment, and host communities. Accomplishing this requires strategic planning, collaboration across stakeholder groups, and well-formulated policies and standards. Policy-makers and destination managers are some of the key groups who play a pivotal role in leading and fostering the sustainable development of the tourism in SIDS.
Our Role
To address this need and guide small island destinations towards more a sustainable future, we developed a sustainable tourism course specifically geared towards policy-makers and destination managers in SIDS. This course is being offered as an open online course in partnership with the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences and the Hamburg Open Online University (HOOU). The course is currently underway with nearly 500 students enrolled and a group of expert tutors guiding learners along the way.
The course aims to address the shared challenges and promote the sustainable development of tourism in SIDS by:
- Enhancing participant understanding of sustainable tourism development and management
- Inspiring learners to think carefully and critically about current SIDS’ tourism issues and related tourism policies
- Enabling participants to assess the opportunities that sustainable tourism strategies offer for SIDS in particular
- Increasing participant understanding of how policy-making can improve tourism in small island states
By bringing together a diverse group of learners and incorporating concrete examples from around the world, the course seeks to form a global SIDS learning community and foster cross-destination collaboration around sustainable tourism in small island states.
Make the World a Better Place
Your gift will help us continue to support small island destinations and work towards a more sustainable future for places around the globe
Related Work
Small Island Developing States
Learn more about small island developing states and how we’re guiding these destinations towards a more sustainable future.
Training & Education
Learn more about how we’re educating key stakeholders groups about sustainable tourism.