Introduction

Most tour operators recognise that a clean and safe environment is critical to their success. Fewer have the management tools or experience to design and conduct tours that minimise their negative environmental, social and economic impacts while optimising their benefits. To develop and implement these tools in their own operations, and encourage other tour operators to do the same, a group of tour operators from different parts of the world have joined forces to create the Tour Operators' Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development.

The Initiative is as Association registered in Switzerland. It is voluntary, non-profit, and open to all tour operators, regardless of their size and geographical location.

With this Initiative, tour operators are moving towards sustainable tourism by committing themselves to the concepts of sustainable development as the core of their business activity and to work together through common activities to promote and disseminate methods and practices compatible with sustainable development.

The Initiative has been developed by tour operators for tour operators with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), who are also full members of the Initiative.

Under this international umbrella, tour operators who are members of the Initiative will be able to respond to international agendas while creating a platform to develop ideas and projects to address the environmental, social, economic and cultural aspects of sustainable development within the tourism sector.

Within socially responsible tourism development, TOI implements the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism.