The tourism sector has been, for many years, one of the main vehicles for economic growth, given that 10% of world GDP, 30% of world services exports and 1 of every 11 jobs in the world, are generated by this sector. However, despite the multiple benefits offered by tourism in economic and development terms, this sector has long relied on principles derived from a linear economy, a model based on the irrational use of resources characterized by production, consumption and discard process.
At the same time, the COVID-19, affected very hardly the Tourism sector at all levels with an international loss of 75% of lows in 2 years.
Responsible Tourism is an alternative model of great relevance, since responsibility represents a way to move towards sustainable development. It seeks to contribute to the maintenance and protection of the heritage, cultural and natural assets of the destinations, contributing to the strengthening of the local economy through the creation of employment and the consumption of local products.
CYRCLE seeks to promote responsible tourism, applying the principles of the circular economy, conceiving it as a continuous cycle of positive development that preserves and improves natural and human capital, optimizes the use of resources and promotes its circular flow of regeneration and renewal.
The project focuses specifically on the handicraft sector, through youth initiatives, as a promotion mechanism for the development of responsible tourism, considering that the handicraft sector is a differentiating element that can effectively contribute to local economy based on solid environmental and social principles, being a type of activity based on the link between culture with ecology and society with nature and can represent an example of how the promotion of the sustainability of the forms of production can be integrated.
Lessons:
Module 1: Cyrcle Project
Module 2: Circular Economy
Module 3: “Handicraft Sector”
Module 4: Responsible Tourism
Module 5: Identification and Valorization of Community Local Assets
Module 6. Cyrle Community Overview
Languages: English (EN)
