SUSTAINABILITY: UNWTO AND THE WORLD CODE OF ETHICS FOR TOURISM IV. THE ESG (ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, GOVERNANCE) PRINCIPLES IN THE TOURISM CONTEXT As already pointed out, tourism has a significant impact on the environment and local communities, which makes it vulnerable to global stresses such as climate change and biodiversity loss. (UNWTO, 2023) Sustainability in tourism has gained prominence since the 1990s, reflected in various UNWTO contributions in terms of policies and measurements. Sustainable tourism must optimize the use of environmental resources, respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities and ensure viable, long-term economic operations. Understanding ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in tourism is fundamental for sustainable and responsible management in this sector (LEE, FREITAS, LEE, 2021). As far as environmental aspects are concerned, ESG practices in tourism are focused on minimizing the negative impact on the environment. This includes promoting ecotourism, conserving natural resources and biodiversity, and reducing the carbon footprint of tourism operations. Socially, ESG in tourism involves ensuring fair labor practices, promoting employee welfare, respecting and promoting local culture and heritage, and establishing strong ties with local communities. This not only supports business operations, but also offers a competitive advantage by creating unique cultural experiences for guests, moving away from conventional tourist paths (SOLIMAR INTERNATIONAL, 2023). In fact, if you think of the Amazon region in terms of its tourism potential, the range of tourism activities opens up to those such as rural tourism or even agrotourism4. These are types of tourism where the traveler will have closer contact with the people of the region and their customs and values. The Ministry of Tourism defines rural tourism as "a set of tourist activities carried out in rural areas, committed to agricultural production, adding value to products and services, rescuing and promoting the community's cultural and natural heritage". (MTUR, 2010, p.20). Its advantage lies in the fact that tourists are inserted into the context of the farmer's/producer's life, as they are looking for experiences that are more connected to the physical/natural places where they are. This type of trip increasingly meets the demands of the modern tourist (UNWTO, 2023) who is looking for more meaningful and sustainable travel experiences. Trends such as 4 Despite their similarities, rural tourism and agritourism have distinct specificities.
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