During the fifth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5), which takes place once every decade, the TUI Care Foundation and the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) announced their plan to put LDCs at the heart of sustainable tourism development. Through its new Tourism for Development Fund, supported by the UNWTO, the TUI Care Foundation will invest a minimum of €10 million by 2030 to support projects in LDCs.
According to the United Nations, sustainable tourism has the potential to be a key driver of development in many LDCs. The sector, with its extensive linkages to a wide range of stakeholders and activities, can contribute to economic growth, community development, intercultural dialogue and environmental conservation. Through its Tourism for Development Fund, the TUI Care Foundation will drive positive outcomes in education, local entrepreneurship, support for artisans and creatives, and the protection of natural habitats on land and below water.
THE FUND
Implementing the Foundation's strategic framework, projects will particularly focus on dual vocational training for disadvantaged communities, the conservation of endangered species, sustainable agriculture, protecting marine environments, empowering local entrepreneurs, creatives, and artisans, and promoting sustainable investment. Carefully assessing local needs, it will support projects designed to increase the capacity of destination communities to improve their livelihoods, conserve and regenerate nature, and create market-based solutions that benefit tourism destinations. Targeted LDCs are amongst others Senegal, The Gambia, Cambodia, Lao, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
To support the Tourism for Development Fund, the UNWTO will provide a platform to advance the initiative, invite funders to join and support calls for proposals, liaise with member states from LDCs and international organisations for further coordination, and jointly organise a series of events that promote the potential of sustainable tourism in LDCs.
APPLICATION
The TUI Care Foundation invites potential partners to engage and collaborate, driving just transition and positive impact in LDCs. Non-profit organisations and social enterprises can apply to the Tourism For Development Fund in order to leverage the power of tourism destinations in the race to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
You can apply through the Helping Hands Fund application form or the general project application forms.