Tourism Food for Good brings together policymakers, tourism businesses, academia, civil society and local communities to redesign food systems along circular and sustainable principles. The initiative will focus on reducing food loss and waste, increasing redistribution of surplus food, and generating value from by-products through circular economy practices.
UN Tourism Executive Director Zoritsa Urosevic said: “Tourism holds a unique power to drive systemic change across its vast value chains. The Food for Good Initiative harnesses this potential and its goal is ambitious – to reduce tourism’s food-related carbon footprint while advancing global food security. With an estimate of 20 to 40% of food waste in the sector we must embrace a circular model and act now.”
As part of the initiative, partners will co-develop the 2040 Impact Roadmap for Sustainable Food Systems in Tourism. This framework will identify key intervention areas and practical solutions that can be implemented by tourism stakeholders worldwide. The initiative builds on UN Tourism’s existing Global Roadmap for Food Waste Reduction in Tourism, developed in collaboration with UNEP, and is supported by the TUI Care Foundation’s Field to Fork programme, which connects farmers, hotels and travellers to strengthen local agricultural supply chains.
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| Harvesting fruits on the island of Sal |
Thomas Ellerbeck, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of TUI Care Foundation, said: “Tourism connects people and places – and food is a key element of this connection. With our Tourism Food for Good initiative, we want to unlock the sector’s potential to promote local agriculture, reduce food waste and support circular food systems.”
The first pilot project will be implemented in Cabo Verde, with findings expected to be adapted and scaled to other destinations. The programme will use CRSD Cambridge’s Impact Roadmapping and Cambridge Policy Boot Camp methodologies, integrating systems thinking and collaborative research to ensure both scientific evidence and local knowledge guide implementation.
Professor Nazia M. Habib, Founding Director of CRSD Cambridge, stated: “We turn innovative action research into real-world impact by teaming up with diverse voices to reimagine tourism food systems. Together, we create bold, practical pathways – like transforming waste into valuable resources.”
The launch took place during a high-level event linked to the Tourism for Development Fund, led by the TUI Care Foundation with support from UN Tourism. The fund promotes partnerships and investment initiatives to strengthen tourism’s role in sustainable and inclusive development.
Tags: Thomas Ellerbeck, TUI Care Foundation, Zoritsa Urosevic, UN Tourism
