Global Code of Ethics in Tourism

The World Tourism Organisation established the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (GCET) in 1999. Two years later, the United Nations acknowledged them and encouraged UNWTO to promote the effective follow-up of its provisions. Essentially, the global code of ethics are a ‘comprehensive set of ten principles whose purpose is to guide stakeholders in tourism development’. These ten principles were never meant to be legally binding, but they serve as guiding principles to governments, local communities, tourism operators and tourists, concerning preservation of the environment. The Code features a voluntary implementation mechanism through its recognition of the role of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE), to which stakeholders may refer matters concerning the application and interpretation of the document. GCET’s 10 principles amply cover the economic, social, cultural and environmental components of travel and tourism