This is the crucial thrust developed in the message released by the Pontifical Council for the pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People on the occasion of World Tourism Day, which as in the past will be celebrated on 27 September.  ‘Tourism and Biodiversity” are this year’s topic.

“Biodiversity,” the statement says, “refers to the great wealth of beings that live on Earth, as well as the delicate equilibrium of interdependence and interaction that exists between them and the physical environment that hosts and conditions them. This biodiversity is translated into different ecosystems, of which examples can be found in forests, wetlands, savannah, jungles, deserts, coral reefs, mountains, seas and polar zones.”

“There are three imminent and grave dangers to them that require an urgent solution: climate change, desertification and the loss of biodiversity. The latter has been developing in recent years at an unprecedented rate. Recent studies indicate that on a worldwide level 22% of mammals, 31% of amphibians, 13.6% of bird life and 27% of reefs are threatened or in danger of extinction.”

“There are numerous areas of human activity that largely contribute to these changes, and one of them is, without a doubt, tourism, which is among those activities that have experienced great and rapid growth.”

The international community has been seriously concerned with this problem. On several occasions, governments and leaders have made statements on the matter. The Church joins theirs, in accordance with its role, starting from the conviction that is too “has a responsibility towards creation and she must assert this responsibility in the public sphere. In so doing, she must defend not only earth, water and air as gifts of creation that belong to everyone. She must above all protect mankind from self-destruction. Without entering into the question of concrete technical solutions, that would go beyond her competency, the Church concerns herself with drawing attention to the relationship between the Creator, the human being and creation. Church teaching reiterates insistently the responsibility of the human being in the preservation of an integral and healthy environment for all, from the conviction that the "care for the environment represents a challenge for all of humanity. It is a matter of a common and universal duty, that of respecting a common good.”

Tourism means, “bringing us closer to creation in its variety and wealth, [which] can be an occasion to promote and increase the religious experience”. The Catholic Church, in the year the United Nations dedicated to biodiversity, urges everyone to pay closer attention to humankind’s responsibility towards nature, even when people act for the purpose of resting and leisure.

“All of this makes looking for a balance between tourism and biological diversity, in which they mutually support each other, urgent and necessary, so that economic development and environmental protection do not appear as opposed and incompatible elements, but rather that there is a tendency to reconcile the demands of both.”

“Efforts to protect and promote biological diversity in its relation with tourism are developed, firstly, through participative and shared strategies, in which the implied diverse sectors are involved. The majority of governments, international institutions, professional associations of the tourist sector and non-governmental organizations defend, with a long-term vision, the necessity of sustainable tourism as the only possible form in order for their development to simultaneously be economically profitable, protect natural and cultural resources and serve as a real help in the fight against poverty.”

“Public authorities must offer clear legislation that protects and fortifies biodiversity, reinforcing the benefits and reducing the costs of tourism, while at the same time ensuring the fulfilment of norms.14 This must surely be accompanied by a major investment in planning and education. Governments’ efforts will need to be great in those places, which are most vulnerable and where the degradation is greater. Perhaps in some of them, tourism should be restricted or even avoided.”

Conversely, the tourist sector must “conceive, develop and conduct their businesses minimizing negative effects on, and positively contributing to, the conservation of sensitive ecosystems and the environment in general, and directly benefiting and including local and indigenous communities. For this, it would be convenient to carry out a priori studies of the sustainability of each tourism product, shedding light on the real, positive contributions as well as potential risks, from the conviction that the sector cannot seek the objective of maximum benefit at any cost.”

“Finally, tourists must be conscious that their presence in a place is not always positive. With this end, they must be informed of the real benefits that the conservation of biodiversity brings with it, and be educated in methods of sustainable tourism. Likewise, tourist should demand tourist business proposals that truly contribute to the development of the place. In no case, neither the land nor the historical-cultural heritage of the destination should be damaged in favour of the tourist, adapting itself to their tastes and desires. A major effort, in a special way the pastoral care of tourism must realize, is the education in contemplation, that helps to tourists have the ability to discover the sign of God in the great wealth of biodiversity.”