The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative welcomes 32 new signatories

  • Published on July 6, 2021
On the 8th of July, the GTPI reached 93 signatories.

The GTPI is proud to announce the onboarding of 32 new signatories, bringing the total signatories up to 93 companies and organizations. These include organizations from all global regions and stages of the tourism value chain, including accommodation providers, tour operators, online platforms, suppliers, waste managers and supporting organizations. 

Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Initiative unites the tourism sector behind a common goal of addressing the root causes of plastic pollution. 

A circular approach to the management of plastic items and packaging is critical for the tourism sector to preserve and protect destinations and to recover responsibly from the Covid-19 pandemic. It can also relieve pressure on waste management infrastructures and foster a more sustainable supply chain.  

The Initiative now counts the following accommodation companies, business associations, tours operators and NGOs:    

As such, it is 14 accommodation providers, 2 business associations, 6 tour-operators and 10 NGOs, from 20 countries that are joining the initiative. This diversity highlights the sectoral need for a systemic response to plastic pollution and the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative’s potential to promote solutions that can be implemented locally and scaled up globally. 

These signatories have set concrete targets on circular economy of plastics in the tourism sector around elimination of unnecessary single-use plastics, introduction of reuse models and work on value chain level to improve recyclability of plastics and support purchasing of plastics with recycled content.  

On the occasion of the announcement, a panel reuniting Accor Group, Hong-Kong Shanghai Hotels, Palladium Hotel Group, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and Chumbe Island Coral Park took place on the 8th of July, on the topic “Eliminate. Innovate. Circulate. Strategies from the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative”.    

If you wish to watch the panel, please follow this link.  

To learn more about the initiative visit: https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/sustainable-tourism/global-tourism-plastics-initiative.  

You might also be Interested in