Welcome to the Volume 2 of our Monaco – A Travel Journal!
After the World Tourist Organisation declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, it was obvious that our new edition should reflect more in depth what Monaco has been undertaking on this front as a luxury tourist destination.
This may come as a surprise: the Principality of Monaco is actually one of the world’s most advanced countries in terms of sustainability and of sustainable tourism. Under the leadership of its Sovereign Prince, Albert II of Monaco, the Principality’s government has been crafting a legal environment which has proven instrumental to bring together the stakeholders, the big and small players and the institutions which play a part in Monaco’s tourism.
This favourable frame has then proven successful enough to encourage hotels, restaurants, retail, public transports, public services etc. to take their own environmentally-friendly actions to the next level, producing a virtuous cycle which today’s achievements are the results of. Monaco is on a path to reconcile sustainability and social responsibilities, with its well-known and envied luxury and lifestyle, to which its tourism operators are world famous ambassadors.
This comes with responsibilities but also with opportunities as, nowadays, Green is the new Glam: a slogan that VisitMonaco has boldly adopted to reflect its commitment to sustainable tourism. All around the world, prominent leaders are now deploying their business and personal acumen to advocate for sustainability and to defend crucial environmental causes.
In Monaco, the 2006-incepted Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has been focusing on fields such as conservation of endangered species, development of renewable energy, sustainable management of water resources etc. It is a good example of how world leaders seek to use their privileged positions to act by example, to give back and to bring positive contributions to society.
Obviously, Monaco has been an ideal case study for the Foundation, with innovative solutions implemented and evaluated on its territory before being applied elsewhere, through the hundreds of projects financed and supported in the least developed countries, but also in the Mediterranean region.
The tourism sector represents an important part of Monaco’s economy. It is one of the largest employers and it welcomes more than 5 million visitors annually with 10% of them staying in its hotels. It is therefore one of the cornerstones of sustainability in Monaco.
We met many people from Monaco when researching for this edition, to better understand how Green can be the new Glam in this densely populated country. They have compelling stories to tell and we are delighted and proud to share some of them with you. We also identified key players who have created and run amazing projects in Monaco, which they are now exporting abroad. They told us how the environment like-no-other nurtured by the Principality, had been key to their inspiration and to their success. Real people’s stories, people whom one can meet when visiting and staying in Monaco and who make this second edition very special to us. We trust that it will also be special to you.
Enjoy reading and welcome to Monaco!