DIRECTION DU TOURISME ET DES CONGRES DE MONACO

In Monaco, environmental protection has been treated as an issue of central importance for many years. H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco is wedded to a strong policy aimed at promoting sustainable development on the national and international stage. At the Sovereign’s behest, the Principality has committed to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 from their 1990 levels, and achieving full carbon neutrality by 2050. An ambitious objective, and one that requires everyone to play their part. In Monaco itself, actions are focused on biodiversity, resource management, and greenhouse gas reductions.

The Monegasque tourism industry is diligently following the environmental policy led by the Prince’s Government, and all stakeholders are committed to promoting more sustainable tourism. The Destination and its partners are adopting solutions to ensure that resources are managed in the most efficient way possible. For example, the majority of hotels have opted for environmental certification, while soft mobility is being promoted through the development of a public transport network and efficient intermodal solutions. Awareness-raising initiatives are regularly organised on themes ranging from selective sorting to the fight against food waste and the importance of protecting biodiversity. As a Sustainable Tourism Destination, Monaco is keen to support Tourism for All, and considerable efforts are being made to improve accessibility and create new infrastructures.

The result of a project begun in 2020, the White Paper on Sustainable Tourism came at a time when the tourism sector, affected by the health crisis, was becoming acutely aware of its responsibilities and the need to rethink certain models. The aim of this document, based on surveys, benchmarks, and dialogue with stakeholders, was to provide a better understanding of current tourism in Monaco, to identify its strengths and weaknesses in order to lay the foundations for tourism in the future, and to make it more sustainable by drawing inspiration from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Principality’s own Energy Transition targets. The White Paper was prepared as part of a collegiate approach led by the Monaco Government Tourist and Convention Authority and the firm François Tourisme Consultants, along with all of the destination’s partners, and support from the Mission for Energy Transition and the Department of the Environment.

With forewords by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and Mr Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation, the White Paper has been the first brick laid in this process. It is a working basis that has enabled us to pinpoint areas for improvement and actions to be taken. Since then, a 3 years action plan has been launched. It is based on 5 majors axes : 

1 -  RAISING AWARENESS, TRAINING, BUILDING SKILLS 
2 - COMMUNICATE – IMPROVE VISIBILITY 
3 - CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE DESTINATION 
4 - STRENGTHENING TOURISM FOR ALL AND BY ALL 
5 – MEASURE THE ACTIONS