09.03.2015
Roundtable on ‘Human Rights in Tourism’ at ITB Berlin
During the trade conference held at ITB Berlin, the world’s largest tourism trade fair, from 4 to 6 March, representatives from all sectors of the tourism industry discussed global trends and innovations, as well as the risks and challenges facing the sector.
Topics included, amongst others, travel packages to countries under repressive regimes, the over-exploitation of destinations by tourists, the aviation industry’s approach to climate change, and developments towards ‘voluntourism’ (a combination of voluntary work and holiday travel).
Another key aspect discussed on the panels at the congress was the issue of human rights in tourism. To this end, the ‘Human Rights in Tourism’ Roundtable – of which the Hamburger Stiftung für Wirtschaftsethik is a founding member – organised its first standalone event at ITB and, drawing on the findings of a recent study on Sri Lanka, opened up a discussion on the human rights situation in the country’s tourist destinations. In a small ceremony attended by the Foundation’s project manager, Miriam Schaper, the British travel trade association ABTA was also welcomed as the 20th member of the Roundtable.