On 27 September, the World Tourism Day, high officials of the United Nations, sent the message to tourists around the globe, with the aim to contribute to raising the awareness on the importance of tourism, its social, cultural, political and economic values.
Each year, celebrating the tourism day, a specific topic is celebrated, which is current and of importance for promotion of the entire sector.
This year, the UN World Tourism Organisation is promoting the values and the potential of tourism with the message “Sustainable tourism – instrument for development”.
On this significant holiday, the UN World Tourism Organisation Secretary General (UNWTO) every year, send a message to all the members, with the invitation to the representatives of the tourism sector to join the global campaign, to design innovative solutions in order to ensure the contribution of tourism to the overall economic progress.
“Tourism today is the third largest export industry in the world following the chemical and fuel industry. It contributes to the hope, prosperity and understanding of a large number of people around the world.
Last year only, 1235 million passengers crossed the international borders in one year. Until 2030, this number will increase from 1.2 billion to 1.8 billion.
The question, while celebrating the Tourism Day of 2017, is how we can ensure that this powerful global transformation force, with 1.8 billion occasions make this world a better place for life and improve the sustainable development in all five pillars:
1. Economical: ensure inclusive growth
2. Social: ensure decent jobs and strengthen the community
3. Environmental: preservation and enrichment of the environment and stressing the climate changes
4. Cultural: glorify and preserve varieties, identity and material and non-material culture
5. Peace: as the central precondition for development and progress.
UN General Assembly has proclaimed the year 2017 as the International year of sustainable tourism for growth. This is a unique occasion to have all us together promote the contribution of travelling and tourism, as a grandiose human activity of the 21st century, construction of a better future for people, planet, peace and prosperity. On this World Tourism Day, wherever you travel, remember that it is necessary to respect the nature, respect the culture, and respect your host.
You can be a change you want to see in the world. You can be the ambassador for a better future. Travel, enjoy and respect. Happy World Tourism Day”, said the UN World Tourism Organisation Secretary General Taleb Rifai.
In Serbia the World Tourism Day is celebrated on Wednesday 27 September at 1 o’clock, in the ”White Palace” in Belgrade, with the ceremonial awarding with “the Touristic Flower” given for significant achievements in raising the quality of touristic services and for the contribution, improvement and promotion of tourism in Serbia.
