MSC Cruises has signed the Travel & Tourism Declaration on Illegal Trade in Wildlife – the Buenos Aires Declaration – which sets out a number of specific commitments for companies active in the travel and tourism sector to help combat illegal wildlife trade.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Linden Coppell, Director of Sustainability, MSC Cruises, signed the agreement in New York

Chief among these commitments is a pledge to contribute towards ending the illegal carriage or sale of wildlife products, in full accordance with the terms of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife, Fauna and Flora (CITES).

MSC also became the first company to sign the WTTC’s Illegal Wildlife Travel & Tourism Sector Zero Tolerance Policy. Developed in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), this new policy fully commits the business to translate the principles of the Declaration into clear and measurable actions to protect wildlife and help in the prevention of illegal wildlife trafficking, according to a statement.