IUCN Congress Confirms: Protected Areas Are Not Sites for Unsustainable Tourism
At the IUCN World Conservation Congress, Members overwhelmingly adopted Motion 130: Strengthening restrictions against unsustainable tourism infrastructure, with more than 98% voting in favour. The motion reinforces a core principle of conservation: IUCN Category I and II protected areas must remain safeguarded from large-scale tourism and infrastructure development.
This motion was initiated by PPNEA (Albania) and co-sponsored by 14 partner organizations from 13 countries, including EuroNatur, BirdLife International, Tour du Valat, Wetlands International, and others. What started as a call from a small country like Albania, against the controversial amendments to the Law on Protected Areas (Law No. 21/2024), has now grown into a global achievement for conservation. Together, we reaffirmed a simple principle: protected areas are for conservation, not massive development, including for mass tourism.
The adoption of Law No. 21/2024 in Albania, defended under the false narrative of “following IUCN criteria,” opened the door for tourism complexes, airports, and energy facilities even in national parks. This dangerous precedent prompted the development of Motion 130 to ensure governments worldwide cannot use similar loopholes to justify the destruction of nature under the guise of tourism. The motion specifically urges the Albanian government to reinstate restrictions on heavy infrastructure development within protected areas.
This outcome also adds weight to recent calls from the European Union, which has already required Albania to restore its environmental protections as a condition for advancing EU accession (see PPNEA recent statement: Despite nature conservation concerns, EU opens negotiations with Albania on environment).
From Albania’s coastal wetlands and aged sand dunes of Vjosa–Narta, where luxury resorts and airports are planned, to similar struggles across the globe, Motion 130 is now a strong international reminder to governments that tourism is no excuse to destroy protected areas.
While the vote marks a significant step forward, continued engagement will be essential to ensure that the motion’s guidance is reflected in national policies and in the management of some of the Mediterranean’s most sensitive areas. Motion 130 now stands as an important global reference point for maintaining the integrity of protected areas in the face of accelerating tourism pressures.
Full motion text, list of sponsors, further information here.
