1.    We, the Ministers of Tourism of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China, and the Republic of South Africa, met on 24 October 2023, in the city of Cape Town in the Western Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa, under South Africa’s 2023 BRICS Tourism Chairship theme on “Sustainable and inclusive Tourism Recovery”; in recognition of South Africa’s BRICS 2023 Chairship theme “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism”.

2.    We recognise that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is far reaching and acknowledge the existence of numerous destinations grappling with other major stresses and shocks, ranging from electricity or water shortages to extreme weather events. On the other hand, we believe that COVID-19 provides an opportunity to implement transformational shifts as the Travel and Tourism sector creates a more resilient and inclusive future.

3.    We acknowledge that despite the significant negative impacts of COVID-19 on tourism, the crisis is providing an opportunity to rethink tourism for the future. Achieving greener and more sustainable tourism recovery, calls for a greater policy focus on the environmental and socio- cultural pillars of sustainability.

4.    We recognise the UNWTO’s definition of sustainable tourism that is “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities”; which describes that the growing demand for sustainable tourism is reshaping people’s travel lifestyle, more interested in lower impact trips as a response to the existing climate emergency context.

5.    We aim to support post-pandemic socio-economic recovery and the attainment of the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals and 2063 AU Agenda on inclusive growth and sustainable development.
 
6.    We recall the Communiqué of the BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Meeting adopted by the Ministers in 2022 where they agreed to strengthen the BRICS Alliance for Green Tourism and to establish its working mechanism and explore the potential of cooperation on the green growth and sustainable development of tourism. Ministers further undertook to determine the cooperation modality and development direction of the BRICS Alliance for Green Tourism and to encourage the Alliance to study and share innovative experiences in fields including sustainability principles, digital empowerment, product development, marketing, infrastructure development, and investment amongst others where possible. We envisage that tourism recovery will be resilient and will overcome the disruption of the pandemic, maintain a reliable tourism supply chain, and give play to the due role of tourism in driving economic growth, creating jobs, alleviating poverty, and improving people’s communication and understanding.

7.    We recognise that in order to achieve a resilient, sustainable and inclusive tourism recovery as well as the promotion of intra-BRICS tourism, we should consider further cooperation on the following areas:

a)    Mainstreaming sustainable policies and practices:

Policy-makers, at all levels of government, to be encouraged to take additional steps to better support the transition to a green, low emissions, and climate-resilient tourism economy as well as policies and practises which contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

b)    Developing more sustainable tourism business models:

Businesses and other key stakeholders to be encouraged to play their roles by adopting eco-responsible practices for all sectors involved in the tourism value chain for tourism to have a positive impact on sustainability; and use technology to better manage visitor flows and strengthening sustainable and inclusive tourism economy.

c)    Reconsidering perceptions of tourism success:

Encourage a paradigm shift in perceptions across all key stakeholders for a greater focus on environmental and socio-cultural pillars of sustainability, so that tourism can be inclusive of indigenous peoples’ and communities.

8.    We recognize the need to raise awareness among BRICS countries to the importance of developing routes for better tourism mobility and connectivity amongst the Member countries.

9.    We agree to continue our cooperation in strengthening intra-BRICS relations and developing mutually beneficial collaboration in the interests of continuity of BRICS cooperation.

10.    We express appreciation towards South Africa for leadership during its 2023 BRICS Chairship and welcome the invitation extended to Argentine Republic, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to become full members of BRICS from 1 January 2024.

11.    We look forward to Russia ’s BRICS plans and Chairship for 2024.