The Impact of Tourism on the Protection of National Minorities

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of tourism on the protection of national minorities. While tourism is widely recognized for its economic benefits, such as job creation and regional development, it can also have negative consequences for local populations, especially vulnerable communities and minorities. The paper highlights the role of international and European legal standards, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the American Convention on Human Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and, in particular, the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, in ensuring that tourism respects human and minority rights. Compared to universal and non-European standards of indigenous rights, the European protection of national minorities lags behind. This is not only because the Framework Convention does not explicitly address tourism but also because the Advisory Committee has yet to bridge this gap in its interpretation of relevant provisions. The author calls for increased focus on the use of minority languages and the preservation of cultural heritage sites in tourism-related contexts.

Finally, he outlines five criteria to be considered in assessing tourism’s role in protecting national minorities.

Keywords: Tourism, National Minorities, Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights, Cultural Heritage, Framework Convention, Advisory Committee