Niels Olsen, Ecuador’s Minister of Tourism, and Nilsa Mármol, vice-president and co-founder of CMI Business School, met at IFEMA during Fitur 2024 with the aim of moving the tourism industry towards more ethical practice, more respectful of the environment.
The meeting featured the presentation of CMI Business School’s MBA in Sustainable Tourism, a programme designed to train leaders committed to the sustainable development of tourism in Ecuador, Latin America and beyond.
The programme sets out to give professionals in the sector the tools and knowledge to advance a tourism that benefits local communities economically while protecting nations’ natural and cultural resources.
The meeting between CMI Business School’s representative and Ecuador’s Minister of Tourism marks an important step towards meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) and SDG 17.
Why tourism matters
Tourism is one of Ecuador’s principal sources of income, with a great diversity of natural ecosystems and a cultural richness that draws visitors from across the world. Uncontrolled growth and a lack of regulation have, however, led to the overexploitation of resources, environmental degradation and the exploitation of local communities.
CMI Business School’s MBA in Sustainable Tourism addresses challenges of the kind Ecuador and dozens of other countries face, through education that encourages tourism practices respecting biodiversity, empowering local communities and conserving cultural heritage.
Students on the programme will study models of sustainable tourism, environmental management, community tourism, business ethics and much else, with the aim of becoming agents of change in the tourism industry.
Anyone interested in the MBA in Sustainable Tourism can see the programme here.
