About Course
General Course Description
Regulatory and Strategic Reference Frameworks and Policies for Sustainable Tourism
This course develops a structured understanding of the regulatory and strategic frameworks that shape sustainability in tourism at international and European levels. It equips learners with the ability to interpret policies, understand their intent, and recognize how global and EU strategies are translated into tourism governance, planning, and decision-making at national, regional, and local levels.
The course emphasizes strategic coherence, multi-level governance, and the role of public authorities, DMOs, tourism operators, and communities in advancing sustainable tourism through aligned policies and shared responsibilities.
Modules and Units
Unit 1 – International Framework: Agenda 2030, SDGs and UNWTO
This unit introduces the global governance context of sustainable tourism. It explains why tourism requires strategic coherence and institutional coordination, highlighting key policy functions such as vision-setting, alignment, monitoring, and transparency within a participatory governance approach.
Learners explore the UN Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals most relevant to tourism (SDG 8, 12, 13, 14, and 15), alongside key UNWTO guidelines for sustainable tourism development. Particular attention is given to how global goals are translated into national and local tourism policies and strategies.
Focus areas include:
- The role of policy and governance in steering sustainable tourism
- Responsibilities and interactions among public authorities, DMOs, operators, and communities
- Interpretation of SDGs in a tourism policy context
- Linking global sustainability goals to actionable tourism policy directions
Unit 2 – European Framework: EU Green Deal, Tourism Transition Pathway, EU Directives and ESG
This unit focuses on the European policy framework influencing tourism sustainability. It introduces the principles of the European Green Deal most relevant to tourism, including climate and energy transition, circular economy, and biodiversity protection.
Learners gain an overview of the Tourism Transition Pathway defined by the European Commission and its key priorities for the tourism ecosystem. The unit also explains how major EU directives and regulations shape sustainability requirements and how these policy instruments connect with ESG concepts, reporting, and competitiveness in the tourism sector.
Focus areas include:
- Understanding how EU strategies guide sustainability transitions in tourism
- Interpreting the Tourism Transition Pathway and its implications for destinations and businesses
- Recognising the relationship between regulation, ESG, and sustainability performance
- Framing compliance and competitiveness as complementary objectives
Course Objectives
The course aims to:
- Provide learners with a clear understanding of the multi-level policy ecosystem governing sustainable tourism
- Enable interpretation of global frameworks (Agenda 2030, SDGs, UNWTO guidance) in tourism policy terms
- Support understanding of EU sustainability strategies and their impact on tourism planning and operations
- Strengthen the ability to link policy objectives to tourism actions and strategic choices
- Promote governance awareness and strategic alignment across tourism stakeholders
Skills Developed
By completing this course, learners develop:
- Policy and framework literacy, enabling them to interpret international and EU sustainability frameworks relevant to tourism
- Strategic policy thinking, understanding the intent, scope, and limits of tourism-related policies
- Governance awareness, with clarity on roles, responsibilities, and coordination mechanisms across institutions and stakeholders
- Alignment capability, connecting SDGs, EU policy priorities, and ESG principles to tourism decision-making
- Regulatory context awareness, supporting more effective planning, compliance, and collaboration in the tourism sector