Partnership for Nature-Beneficial Tourism Prepares for COP16 in Colombia
The Nature Positive Tourism Partnership (NPTP) is set to make a significant impact at the UN Biodiversity Summit (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, as it addresses world leaders with a vision to create a nature-friendly travel and tourism sector by 2030.
Launched at COP15 in 2022, the NPTP is a collaboration between the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (the Alliance). The partnership aims to decouple tourism growth from environmental harm, developing a regenerative model for travel that places science and ecosystem resilience at its core.
During COP26, the NPTP hosted a side panel that showcased the Travel & Tourism industry's role in biodiversity conservation and the achievements of the Nature Positive Tourism Partnership. The panel aimed to inspire net positive commitments and demonstrate how the sector can actively conserve and sustainably use biodiversity.
At COP16, the NPTP will outline its work and plans for the future, calling for increased recognition for the sector's potential in delivering Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) goals. The partnership will also call for increased support to deliver public and private partnerships that will drive policies and initiatives towards a more nature-friendly industry.
Gloria Fluxà, Vice Chairman and Chief Sustainability Officer at Iberostar, and WTTC's Sustainability Committee Chair, will address world leaders during the event. The NPTP brings together key tourism stakeholders, including policymakers and leading private sector players in travel, tourism, and hospitality.
The NPTP's strategic goal by 2030 is to transform the travel and tourism sector into one that actively restores and protects nature, supports local and Indigenous communities, reduces environmental impact through innovation and circular practices, and ensures inclusive participation for long-term biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. These efforts contribute broadly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and global biodiversity targets, helping align tourism growth with nature conservation and social equity.
The NPTP's initiatives focus on nature-positive impact, biodiversity conservation and community support, integrated sustainable development alignment, circular economy and pollution reduction, and global collaborative efforts. The partnership supports cooperation among governments, businesses, NGOs, and multilateral institutions to implement credible frameworks and investments for nature-positive coastal and terrestrial tourism.
The NPTP will participate in the final plenary at COP16, emphasising the importance of the travel and tourism sector in achieving nature-positive outcomes and contributing to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets. The partnership's work at COP16 is expected to set the stage for a more sustainable and nature-friendly travel and tourism industry in the future.
- At the UN Biodiversity Summit (COP16), the Nature Positive Tourism Partnership (NPTP) will advocate for the recognition of the travel and tourism sector's potential in achieving Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) goals, utilizing its science-based approach to create a regenerative model for travel.
- In light of its comprehensive initiatives focused on nature-positive impact, biodiversity conservation, and community support, the NPTP, led by Gloria Fluxà, will emphasize at COP16 the sector's significant role in contributing broadly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and global biodiversity targets, ultimately aligning tourism growth with nature conservation and social equity.
