When done well, tourism can serve as a sustainable cornerstone of a country’s economy, simultaneously supporting ecosystems and livelihoods, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Coral Reef Image Bank/Yen-Yi Lee
In Malaysia, tourism is a major economic sector and generated over $18 billion in revenue in 2019.
After revenues plummeted by 72 per cent during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Malaysian authorities, with the help of UNDP’s sustainable tourism recovery project, looked to reinvigorate the industry by putting out a greener welcome mat for global visitors.
On World Tourism Day, marked annually on 27 September, find out how they did it here.
