With the aim to drive responsible tourism that is accessible to all, the partnership has been announced today between the International Social Tourism Organisation (ISTO) and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (the Alliance).
This partnership underlines the importance of developing social tourism that is open to all. This also includes supporting communities and local areas, ensuring Net Positive Hospitality – where the industry gives back to the destination more than it takes.
ISTO was established in 1963 under the name of International Bureau of Social Tourism (BITS) as an international non-profit organisation and brings together stakeholders from the social, sustainable and solidarity tourism sectors from all over the world. With a mission to promote social sustainability in the tourism sector, ISTO plays a pivotal role in fostering collaboration and driving impactful initiatives worldwide.
This partnership will see the Alliance, which has a wide reach in the hospitality sector representing over 50,000 properties and 7 million rooms globally, collaborate with ISTO on the social aspect of the tourism sector – aiming to drive real, tangible impact. Both organisations will share knowledge and learnings and support relevant events and projects.
Isabel Novoa, President of ISTO says, “our collaboration with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance is an exciting opportunity to further our shared mission of promoting responsible tourism and sustainability within the hospitality industry. At ISTO, we are dedicated to fostering inclusive and equitable access to tourism for all individuals and communities. By working together, we can leverage our collective strengths to advance policies and programs that support local communities and ensure the industry remains open and accessible to everyone. I look forward to our continued partnership and the positive impact we can create together.”
Welcoming the partnership, Glenn Mandziuk says, “at the Alliance we work towards making the hospitality industry more sustainable and this includes promoting responsible tourism for all. The hospitality industry is in a unique position to support local communities in which it operates whilst ensuring the sector is truly open to all. The social impact our industry can have is significant and we look forward to working with ISTO to help promote and advance policies and programmes that promote equitable access to tourism.”
