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World Tourism Day

Celebrating the Power of Travel and Tourism

Importance of World Tourism Day

International tourism, world tourism day activities, happy tourism.

Celebrating the Global Impact of Tourism

This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of tourism and its impact on the global economy, cultural exchange, and environmental sustainability.

Tourism boosts economies and creates jobs worldwide. It supports infrastructure, local businesses, and cultural heritage. Tourism promotes cultural exchange and international peace.

World Tourism Day is a chance to celebrate tourism's positive impact and highlight its challenges. Tourism businesses and communities are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also given tourism a chance to become more sustainable and resilient.

World Tourism Day celebrates tourism's global impact and potential to improve lives. We encourage everyone to learn about tourism and how we can work together to make it more inclusive, sustainable, and responsible.

Celebrating Our Journey Together

International Tourism Day celebrates the power of travel to unite people from around the world. This special day promotes the social, cultural, and economic benefits of tourism and its role in sustainable development.

Tourism is one of the world's largest industries, contributing to economic growth, job creation, and cultural exchange. It promotes peace, understanding, and cooperation among nations. On International Tourism Day, we celebrate the diversity of cultures and traditions that make our world unique and the importance of preserving them for future generations.

This year's International Tourism Day theme is "Tourism for Inclusive Growth," highlighting tourism's role in economic development, social inclusion, and inequality reduction. As we celebrate this day, we must also recognize the challenges facing the tourism industry, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many tourism-dependent communities and businesses need our help to recover.

Day to Celebrate the Fun of Tourism

World Tourism Day celebrates travel's ability to improve the world. This day highlights tourism's impact on the global economy, culture, and environment. As part of the celebrations, various activities are organized worldwide to promote tourism's benefits and raise awareness.

World Tourism Day activities include everything from cultural festivals and food fairs to adventure sports and nature walks. These events highlight unique destinations, promote local businesses, and promote sustainable tourism. They also allow tourists and locals to experience the fascinating diversity of cultures and traditions in our world.

World Tourism Day activities educate and entertain. They help people understand the importance of responsible tourism and how their actions can benefit the environment and local communities. They also raise awareness of tourism industry issues like over tourism and environmental degradation and encourage action, aside this day allow travelers of all levels to explore new places, meet new people, and make lasting memories.

The Importance of Reviving Tourism

World Tourism Day is celebrated on September 27th to celebrate tourism's role in fostering economic growth, social development, and cultural exchange. The theme for World Tourism Day in 2023 is "Reviving Tourism," emphasizing the need to revive the tourism industry after the COVID-19 pandemic's devastating effects.

The pandemic has caused unprecedented disruption to the tourism industry, leading to business closures, job losses, and a sharp decline in travel. As the world recovers from the pandemic, the tourism industry must be revived to support economic recovery and create jobs.

On World Tourism Day 2023, consider the tourism industry's challenges and how to fix them. It's a chance to try new sustainable tourism methods that boost the economy, culture, and environment.

Travel More, Worry Less: Celebrating Tourism

Tourism promotes economic growth, cultural exchange, and environmental sustainability, so Happy Tourism Day is celebrated on September 27th. This is a day to celebrate travel, discover new places, and make memories.

Traveling is one of the most rewarding experiences in life. It broadens our perspectives, opens our minds to new cultures and traditions, and helps us connect with people from all over the world. Happy Tourism Day celebrates the transformative power of travel and its ability to bring people together and promote peace and understanding.

Happy Tourism Day promotes sustainable tourism and tourism's benefits worldwide. There is something for everyone to enjoy, from cultural festivals and food fairs to adventure sports and nature walks, further more, this day ffalls during the tourism industry's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. As we celebrate this day, it is crucial to support the tourism industry and promote environmentally friendly, community-benefiting tourism.

• What and When Is World Tourism Day?

World Tourism Day is an annual event observed by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) on September 27. The idea of commemorating World Tourism Day on September 27 of every year was proposed by the late Ignatius Amaduwa Atigbi of Nigeria. The purpose of establishing World Tourism Day is to make the international community aware of the role of tourism and its impact on the social, political, economic, and cultural values of people around the world. The event seeks to address the global challenges highlighted in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to discuss how the tourism industry contributes towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The color of the event is blue.

History of World Tourism Day

The UNWTO General Assembly instituted World Tourism Day in September 1979 during its third session in Torremolinos, Spain. The Assembly chose to celebrate the international event on September 27 because the date coincides with a significant milestone in global tourism: the adoption of the UNWTO Statutes in 1970. The timing is also crucial to the tourism sector because it comes at the beginning of the high season in the southern hemisphere and the end of the season in the northern hemisphere.

The first World Tourism Day celebrations were held in 1980, and the theme of the event was "Tourism's contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage and to peace and mutual understanding." Since then, the UNWTO has observed World Tourism Day annually under a different theme selected by its General Assembly. In October 1997 the Assembly resolved to appoint a country to partner with the organization and host the event each year. The first country to host the event under the new protocol was Mexico. Six years later, in 2003, the UNWTO General Assembly agreed to follow a geographical order when designating a host country for the celebrations.

Celebrating World Tourism Day

World Tourism Day is strictly a UN observance hence it is not a public holiday in any country. The UNWTO invites all the stakeholders in the tourism sector as well as other interested parties to observe the day and participate in the special celebrations organized in their respective countries. People are also encouraged to visit both local and international destinations on this day to promote global tourism. The official event is held in a designated host country, and it is chaired by the Secretary-General of the UNWTO who is responsible for issuing a special message based on the theme of the celebrations each year to commemorate the occasion.

World Tourism Day 2018

In 2017, the official World Tourism Day celebrations were held in Doha, Qatar, under the theme "Sustainable Tourism: a Tool for Development." In 2018, the occasion is set to be held in Budapest, Hungary. The theme of this year's event is "Tourism and the Digital Transformation." Currently, the world is becoming digitized, and we are in an era where technology is impacting every aspect of our lives. One of the industries that is most affected by this transformation is the tourism sector, and all stakeholders are asked to come together and find solutions that will help the industry cope with the changes.

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• Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)
• Member States in Asia and the Pacific
• SUSTAINABLE TOURISM OBSERVATORIES (INSTO)

With less than a month away to this year’s World Tourism Day, UNWTO is gearing up for its observance in Bali, Indonesia.

This year the focus is on re-imagining the sector’s growth, both in terms of size and relevance. The Republic of Indonesia will host the official day (27 September), though all UNWTO Member States, as well as non-members and stakeholders from across the private sector, are being invited to host their own celebrations as well as to promote the day and its central theme.

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.

One can check for more updates and information about the event on the UNWTO Official Website and share their local celebrations through the World Tourism Day platform .

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The What And The Why Of World Tourism Day

Since 1980, World Tourism Day has been celebrated every year on 27th September, with celebrations led by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The statutes of the UNWTO were originally adopted on September 27, 1970, and therefore this date was chosen.

At UNWTO’s twelfth session in Istanbul, Turkey, which was held on October 1997, the UNWTO General Assembly decided to designate a host country each year to act as their partner in the celebration of World Tourism Day. At the same session, it was also decided to accord a theme relevant for each year’s celebration. The theme of the first World Tourism Day held in 1980 was “Tourism’s contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage and to peace and mutual understanding.”

At the UNWTO’s Fifteenth Session in Beijing, China, on October 2003, the Assembly established the following geographic order to be followed for World Tourism Day celebrations: 2006 in Europe; 2007 in South Asia; 2008 in the Americas; 2009 in Africa and 2011 in the Middle East.

Also Read: Essential Travel Tips For First-Time Travellers

The purpose of celebrating World Tourism Day is to raise public awareness among the global community about the social, cultural, political and economic worth and value of tourism. The occasion also tries to address how this sector can contribute to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals stated by the United Nations. This celebration is also to feature and recognise the commitment the tourism industry can make in achieving these objectives.

• World Tourism Day 2019

In 2019, in line with UNWTO’s overarching focus on skills, education and jobs throughout the year, World Tourism Day will be a celebration on the topic ‘Tourism and Jobs: a better future for all’. India will be hosting the World Tourism Day celebrations for the World Tourism Organisation of the United Nations (UNWTO), in 2019. The official event is held in New Delhi, and it will be chaired by the Secretary-General of the UNWTO who is responsible for issuing a special message based on the theme of the celebrations each year to commemorate the occasion.

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  Tourism Month 2024

​Tourism Month is celebrated annually in September to promote domestic travel, showcase the country's diverse tourism offerings, and to highlight the sector's significant contribution to the South African economy.

Tourism Month festivities are held throughout the country highlight the plethora of tourism offerings in our nine provinces. The festivities also provide a platform for the sector to share its affordable travel deals to inspire South Africans to explore the country in its entirety from the coastal regions to small towns, villages and dorpies.   

World Tourism Day (WTD) is celebrated globally on 27 September as declared by UN Tourism. The day affords the global tourism community an opportunity to reflect and commemorate its milestones in relation to the fulfilment of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 2024 World Tourism Day will be celebrated in the Northern Cape Province under the localised theme Tourism and Peace – 30 years of connecting People to Places and Cultures. The event will be a celebration of our diverse cultural and historical heritage that continues to foster peace in South Africa, making the country a preferred holiday destination.

TOURISM MONTH EVENTS:

TOURISM MONTH MEDIA LAUNCH:

Date:       Tuesday, 20 August 2024  

Venue:   Kimberley- Northern Cape Province  

Time:      11:00 - 14:30

SHO'T LEFT TRAVEL WEEK:

Date:       02 – 08 September 2024  

Link:       https://shotleft.co.za

WORLD TOURISM DAY CELEBRATION:

The Department in collaboration with SA Tourism, the Northern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, and its marketing agency the Northern Cape Tourism Authority will host the World Tourism Day Celebrations on 27 September 2024. 

Date:        Friday, 27 September  2024  

Venue:   Carnarvon - Northern Cape Province

Time:       11:00 - 14:30

​Tourism Month Provincial calendar of events -  Click here

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

In latin america, un tourism drives growth through investment, un tourism global conference on wine tourism heads to armenia to focus on cultural heritage, victoria falls hosts first regional forum on gastronomy tourism for africa, new academies in collaboration with un tourism planned for zambia and zimbabwe, the first global dashboard for tourism insights.

As society progresses, the tourism sector, much like many other sectors, needs to transform to serve as a catalyst for prosperity at a universal scale. Enhancing the well-being of individuals, safeguarding the natural environment, stimulating economic advancement, and fostering international harmony are key goals that are the fundamental essence of UN Tourism. The organization takes on the role of driving a sustainable force that is now central to many economies

"UN tourism is leading the way forward in growing investments into the tourism sector. We serve as the bridge between investors and destinations, and we guide investments where they will have the biggest impact in making tourism more resilient, inclusive and sustainable."

Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili UN Tourism Secretary-General

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