Tourism and mountains: A practical guide to managing the environmental and social impacts of mountain tours

Mountains have been a source of wonder and inspiration for human societies and cultures since time immemorial. Our fascination for these unique wilderness areas has been partly based on their remoteness and inaccessibility. Yet, today, the elements that attract people to mountains ? clean air, diverse landscapes, rich biodiversity, and unique cultures ? are under threat, partly because of poorly managed and non-sustainable tourism. Travel to mountain areas, which already attracts up to 0 percent of global tourism, is increasing rapidly. The investment, operational and managerial decisions of tour operators, other tourism professionals and the wider industry are helping to determine the level of both negative and positive impacts of tourism in mountain environments. It is therefore vital to work with this sector to develop and promote sustainable tourism practices. This Guide to Good Practice, the latest in a series to help the tourism sector integrate sustainability into its business, was developed through a collaborative process by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Tour Operators? Initiative for Sustainable Development, Conservation International and their partners. It offers a key resource for operators and purchasers of mountain recreational tours. We invite you to read the guide, and to work with us in promoting sustainable tourism development that benefits the mountain environment, its people and your business.