The World Tourism Day falls on 27 September and for this year [2023], it will be marked in in Riyadh, kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of that, the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Zurab Pololikashvili has stressed on the sector’s significance to world economies.
World Tourism Day has been held on 27 September each year since 1980.
The date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Statutes of the Organization in 1970, paving the way for the establishment of UNWTO five years later.
In his official message for the celebration, the Secretary General said, the celebration has offered the right avenue to highlight the importance of the sector.
Below is the full text of his message
Dear Friends,
It is a true pleasure to greet you on this World Tourism Day.
This is a chance to reflect on the importance of our sector.
Tourism is a pillar of our economies. It plays a central role in our societies and in our individual lives.
And it offers solutions to some of our biggest challenges – including the climate emergency and the urgent need to shift to more sustainable economies.
The power of tourism is enormous. But it is not a force that can be taken for granted.
Instead, it must be supported, above all with investment.
This World Tourism Day we recognize the theme of Tourism and Green Investments.
The theme could not be more timely.
2023 was the hottest year on record. And extreme weather events like heat waves could become the new normal.
Tourism needs to adapt. For this, we need to rethink how our sector is financed.
We need to make it easier for investors of all kinds to support tourism projects with the potential to make a difference.
Looking further ahead, we need investments that can empower tourism to build a better and fairer future for all.
Once again, I wish you all a peaceful and inspiring World Tourism Day.
Zurab Pololikashvili
