Tourism and the environment In these first few years of the new millennium, taking the environment into account is no longer simply an option but an obligation, and even more so for tourism, which relies on the environment. “More than any other sector, tourism is dependent and influenced by the quality of the human and natural environment. It is the duty of governments to promote appropriate activities and entertainment based on The Hague declaration of Tourism (1989) and on the current programmes of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Governments should also encourage the proper use of museums, world heritage sites, zoos, gardens, national parks and protected areas”. The “Environment”, as defined by WTO and UNEP, is very vast because it includes the biosphere, ecosystems, social and economic areas characterised by their buildings, history, archaeology, ethnicities and cultures. As opposed to other phenomena, tourism is locked into a reciprocal relationship with nature, in that it needs a clean environment to prosper and, in turn, if it prospers, it can help save the environment. This is why it needs the environment. Fortunately, there has been a rise in environmentally friendly holidays and journeys such as Congress tourism, green holidays, adventure holidays, etc... This requires integration between the various sectors which will lead to a general improvement in economic conditions and lifestyle. When it doesn’t have an adverse effect on the environment or doesn’t destroy itself in the process, the tourism industry, like any other industry, must recognise its responsibility towards the environment and learn how to make itself sustainable. The basic concept of “sustainable development” is that tourism must not have any irreversible adverse effect on the environment. The WTO definition for sustainable tourism (1990, Env 3/3), which takes its inspiration from the Bruntland Report (1987) is: “tourism which meets the needs of the tourist and host regions of today while protecting and increasing the opportunities for the future” (1990). Limiting the impact consists in the sustainability and choice of solutions which form part of the official definition of the EU: “sustainable tourism development is development which takes into consideration, on the one hand, the interest of the tourist and, on the other, the interests of the guests and hosts in any given area. Every activity carried out in the host area must be compatible with the ability of the natural environment to cope and making the most economical use of natural resources” (Council 21 June 1999).