TEN - Tourism European/Ecumenical Network
DECLARATION
TEN stands for Third World Tourism Ecumenical European Net. It is a network of development agencies, aid agencies, church groups, solidarity groups and individuals who are active in the field of tourism and the effects it has on the people of the Third World. This working group understands Third World tourism within the context of the North-South-conflict and denounces and fights unjust practices in tourism.
TEN acts as a partner to the Ecumenical Coalition on Third World Tourism (ECTWT) as well as to other issue-oriented nets.
Members of TEN try to
- raise consciousness and awareness on the effects of tourism to the people in the receiving countries of the Third World. Those effects should be researched and discussed from a development point of view. Similar problems within European tourism may also be considered in the endeavour towards more just societies.
- to support all attitudes which avoid the "touristic consumption" of other peoples, countries and cultures or which help to create equal relations among peoples of different countries.
- to encourage all means which increase the positive aspects within tourism and to fight all its negative aspects: That means tourism has to be measured by the criteria of contributing to building just, participatory and sustainable societies. TEN should look for cooperation with the tourism industry and with partners at all levels within the receiving countries.
Wijgmaal-Louvain, 20. Oktober 1984
Press Release
20th Anniversary of the "Wijgmaal-Declaration",
the Constitutional Declaration of TEN22nd Annual meeting of the TEN Network in Italy,
18th - 20th June 2004At the occasion of their annual meeting in Tavarnuzze, Florence, the members of the Tourism European Ecumenical Network - TEN reinforced the principles laid down in the 1984 Wijgmaal Declaration to work towards building just, participatory and sustainable societies. The TEN members expressed their concern that there is a growth of undemocratic and unfair practises in tourism developments, especially in destinations of Asia, Africa and Latin-America.
This was highlighted at the World Social Forum (WSF) held in Mumbai in January 2004 in a programme of seminars and panel debates which for the first time brought tourism issues to the forefront of the WSF agenda. Many global experiences, illustrating exploitation within the tourism industry which are severely detrimental to human rights, were presented.
In particular, the TEN Network expresses solidarity with the people of Burma currently living under an anti-democratic and military dictatorship, whilst members of the elected government continue to remain under house arrest. The TEN Network supports the Burmese Democracy Movement who continues to struggle both inside and outside of Burma for a just and democratic society. Therefore, TEN supports the ongoing requests from the Democracy Movement of Burma asking tourists not to travel to Burma and businesses not to operate in Burma as long as the military junta remains in power.
Associazione RAM, Centro di Attenzione al Turismo
Organizer of the annual TEN Meeting 2004TEN has twelve members in eight European countries. Participants in Florence were
- Arbeitskreis Tourismus & Entwicklung, Basle
- EED-Tourism Watch, Bonn
- Karavaan, Brussels
- Associazione RAM, Genoa
- Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung, Ammerland
- Tourism Concern, London
- Tourès-Tourisme responsable ASBL, Brussels
- Transverses, Paris
For further information:
Renzo Garrone, Marta di Cesare, RAM, Italy. Tel +39 0185 776028, email: orzonero@hotmail.com
Climate Negotiations: Campaigning groups demand climate justice in international tourism
Tourism: on the one hand, it is a victim of global warming; on the Other hand, it contributes to the problem by generating vast levels of carbon emissions. This has prompted the Tourism European Network (TEN) to demand climate justice in international tourism on the occasion of the climate negotiations in June 2010 in Bonn. Although tourism is not directly negotiated at the UN climate talks, it is mentioned. Bunker emissions (emissions from aviation, including holiday flights, and shipping) have been under negotiation at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for years. However, they have so far not been subject to any binding regulations.
In fact, international tourism is used as an argument against binding regulations to limit aviation and shipping emissions. There are concerns that such climate protection measures may harm tourism’s growth potential, particularly with respect to its role as a foreign-exchange earner and driver of development for poor countries.
TEN and its partner organisations are instead demanding a critical debate about tourism and the impacts of its continued, unfettered growth. "Tourism is promoted in an uncritical and unethical way. It may bring economic benefits to a few but is often outshined by its adverse impacts on the local communities and environment", claims Sumesh Mangalassery of Kabani, India, an organisation working on tourism, human rights and development. "Climate change and its so called solutions are aggravating these impacts and violating the basic human rights of the communities. Therefore a complete paradigm shift in current tourism development and climate change negotiations are essential".
Rachel Noble from UK organisation Tourism Concern underlines that tourism is already responsible for a range of negative impacts on poor countries. "Global warming could seriously exacerbate existing problems caused by tourism, particularly in relation to water scarcity". "Emissions from aviation and shipping must be placed under binding regulations, as should all emissions from tourism", says Heinz Fuchs of Tourism Watch, part of the German Church Development Service (EED). But the debate around climate justice and tourism goes beyond reduction measures. "There needs to be a shift in thinking on the part of tourism decision makers and the international tourism industry, which sees them take social responsibility for the impacts of tourism beyond the existing legal requirements. Climate protection measures must become an integral part of voluntary corporate social responsibility initiatives and sustainability strategies", says Fuchs.
These and other issues around tourism and climate justice will be discussed at a special side event on 4th of June 2010, starting at 6pm, at the University Club Bonn. This will be followed by an open wine reception with the TEN members in the foyer.
Bonn, 31st of May 2010
For any queries, please contact:
Heinz Fuchs, EED-Tourism Watch, Phone: +49 228-8101-2302, email: tourism-watch@eed.de