Tangible ways forward
Projections on the basis of current and previous developments regarding inequalities show that a trend reversal is absolutely essential to accomplish SDG 10. Without political will and a clear vision, achieving the goal is highly questionable. The established and popular assumption that growth in tourism automatically leads to development and diminishes inequalities is not realistic. Sustainable Tourism is not a goal in itself. Modest socio-economic or ecological adjustments in production (this is usually understood by “sustainable tourism”) will not bring the necessary change. Sustainability in tourism needs to be measured against the ways in which tourism contributes to reducing inequalities. Unfortunately, the necessary transformation of tourism and a reversal of trends are not very likely, as they are not in the interest of the majority of decision makers in govern- ments and companies.
Local participation in decision-making
In many destinations local people are not involved in decision making processes and tourism planning. A legal claim to involvement and participation is urgently needed and must fit the needs and realities of the local population. The governance principle of “prior informed consent”, described in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, has to be implemented and applied to all and in all tourism planning processes. Discriminatory laws, policies and practices which harm the social and economic development of individuals or specific groups have to be abolished in order to achieve a broader range of social benefits.
From leakages to linkages
To reduce inequalities between countries, a destination needs to reduce the outflow of money to other countries. Tourism needs to be embedded in an overall economic strategy to gain the highest local net product possible. This includes strategic support for small and medium-size businesses on site. Economic advantages that prevent internationally merged businesses from purchasing local products and help them benefit from global economies of scale need to be revised.
Fair distribution of costs and benefits
International competition at the expense of people and the environment leads to inequalities. Ecological costs (in long-haul tourism 80 percent of the climate impact is caused by air travel) and social costs (e.g. outsourcing or harmful recruiting practices especially of migrant workers) have broadly been ignored. There is an urgent need to tax ‚public bads‘, e.g. flight emissions and implement fair labour standards including living wages and social protection.
Re-distribution of revenues
Tax equity and the distribution of national revenues have to tackle inequalities in a targeted way and should reduce disparities with regard to power and opportunities. Tax exemptions and subsidies by governments divert resources needed by society, for example in education and health. “Significant redistribution of wealth, resources, opportunities and power, which in turn means robustly addressing the financial and political privileges of wealthy elites and transnational corporations” is needed to reduce inequality (Donlad, 2016).