Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria with regard to property ownership and community legal rights

        The Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria are meant to promote social and economic sustainability of tourism, reducing impacts on communities and enhancing community welfare, as well as improving community support, including preventing exploitation and discrimination. Another critical issue for development is property ownership and legal rights, which are codified in regulations and laws to prevent tourism or development from infringing on individuals’ or communities’ property ownership and legal rights. The following are the criteria for property ownership and legal rights in global sustainable tourism:

1. Property ownership and possessory rights laws and regulations must be documented and enforced;
2. These laws and regulations must be based on public opinion and must respect the rights of communities and indigenous peoples;
3. It is prohibited to relocate without prior notice, and fair compensation will be required;
4. These laws and regulations must safeguard legal rights as well as critical resource access.

The following indicators can be used to meet the criteria for property ownership and legal rights in tourism:

1. There must be specific laws governing property ownership, acquisition, and possession rights, as well as access to resources, in tourist attractions (legal title, section, and date of promulgation);
2. Community and indigenous rights, public consultation, displacement, and resettlement are all addressed in the preceding legislation;
3. There is evidence of the above laws being enforced in the context of tourism development and tourism activities;
4. There is also evidence of community consultations, consent, and payment of compensation

Source : Global Sustainable Tourism Council

Information as of 28 February 2023