• What and When Is World Tourism Day?

World Tourism Day highlights the important role of tourism.

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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World Tourism Day

Celebrating the Power of Travel and Tourism

Importance of World Tourism Day

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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.

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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.

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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.

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World Tourism Day honors global travel, promoting cultural awareness, and highlights tourism's socioeconomic importance. Observed annually on September 27th.

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World Tourism Day

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It's World Tourism Day on 27 September. Visiting new places can be great, but there's a bad side to tourism too. Read this article to find out more.

Instructions

Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises to check your understanding.

Preparation

Do you like travelling to other places, cities and countries? Many people do. Tourism is a huge industry – it's as large as or larger than the oil, food and car industries. It creates so many jobs that one in every ten people in the world works in tourism.

However, for many people and places, tourism is not a completely positive thing.

What problems can tourism create?

Some places receive millions of tourists a year, which creates problems for local people. When tour buses block roads, it's hard for local people to get to work or school. Often, international companies open up, and small shops and restaurants close down. Another problem is accommodation – in Barcelona and New York, for example, many flats and houses are used as tourist accommodation, so homes for local people have become expensive and hard to find.

Tourism can be bad for the environment too. Natural areas are destroyed to make space to build hotels and tourist facilities, and building them consumes a lot of energy and resources. Historic buildings are damaged, such as those in Venice by large cruise ships entering the city. These ships also harm animal and plant life. More tourism means more crowds, noise, rubbish and pollution.

What is World Tourism Day?

The United Nations World Tourism Day is a day for thinking about tourism and its effects on people and places. It is celebrated every year on 27 September. On this day, people meet to discuss tourism and try to solve the problems that tourism creates. The meetings are organised by a different country or group of countries every year.

What can we do to make tourism less harmful?

Some governments have already taken action. In Barcelona and New York, there are now limits on short-term rental accommodation. The number of cruise ships entering Venice is limited now too.

Importantly, individual tourists can help by choosing more sustainable ways of visiting places. For example, if tourists visit Venice on a cruise ship but they sleep and eat all their meals on the ship, does the local community in Venice really benefit from their visit? If not, it could be better to choose a different form of tourism, one that benefits the city and local people more.

We also need to reduce pollution and climate change. Is it necessary to fly to your destination or can you take a train instead?

If we can make tourism more sustainable, everyone can benefit, and people can continue to enjoy visiting these places in the future.

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Which places do you like to visit? Have you noticed any positive or negative effects of tourism where you live?

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COMMENTS

  1. World Tourism Day

    6 UNWTO regions. Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day as international observances on September 27.This date was chosen as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted. The adoption of these Statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the ...

  2. World Tourism Day Celebrations

    World Tourism Day 2019. Tourism is a major source of employment because of its labour-intensive nature and the significant multiplier effect on employment in related sectors. It is estimated that one job in the core tourism sector creates about one-and-a-half additional or indirect jobs in the tourism-related economy. Overall tourism accounts for one in ten jobs worldwide.

  3. World Tourism Day

    The UN World Tourism Organization wants you to join the celebration online ( 27-28 September). You can follow its two-day event through its website or its YouTube channel. World Tourism Day (WTD ...

  4. World Tourism Day 2021: Tourism for Inclusive Growth

    UNWTO has therefore designated World Tourism Day 2021 as a day to focus on Tourism for Inclusive Growth. This is an opportunity to look beyond tourism statistics and acknowledge that, behind every number, there is a person. UNWTO invites its Member States, as well as non-members, sister UN agencies, businesses and individuals to celebrate ...

  5. World Tourism Day

    World Tourism Day is commemorated each year on 27 September, with celebrations led by UNWTO. Its purpose is to foster awareness among the global community of tourism's social, cultural, political and economic value and the contribution the sector can make in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2019, in line with UNWTO's ...

  6. World Tourism Day

    The many important contributions of tourism encouraged the UN World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO) to institute World Tourism Day in a meeting that took place in Spain, commencing the first ...

  7. About World Tourism Day

    Tourism is one of the world's largest industries, contributing to economic growth, job creation, and cultural exchange. It is a powerful tool for promoting peace, understanding, and cooperation among nations. World Tourism Day provides an opportunity to recognize the immense potential of tourism as a force for good and to raise awareness about the challenges facing the industry.

  8. World Tourism Day

    Secretary-General's message 2023. Tourism is a powerful force for progress and mutual understanding. But in order to deliver its full benefits, this force must be protected and nurtured. Today ...

  9. What and When Is World Tourism Day?

    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 ...

  10. World Tourism Day

    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 ...

  11. World Tourism Day 2022

    The time is now to seize this opportunity to rethink how we do tourism. The official World Tourism Day celebration will be held in Bali, Indonesia, on 27 September, highlighting the shift towards tourism being recognized as a crucial pillar of development. Wonderful Indonesia - Witness the 42nd World Tourism Day 2022 in Bali, Indonesia!

  12. World Tourism rankings

    The World Tourism rankings are compiled by the United Nations World Tourism Organization as part of their World Tourism Barometer publication, which is released up to six times per year. In the publication, destinations are ranked by the number of international visitor arrivals, by the revenue generated by inbound tourism, and by the ...

  13. World Tourism Day

    The United Nations World Tourism Day is a day for thinking about tourism and its effects on people and places. It is celebrated every year on 27 September. On this day, people meet to discuss tourism and try to solve the problems that tourism creates. The meetings are organised by a different country or group of countries every year.

  14. Agenda item 8 World Tourism Day: themes and host countries for 2024 and

    Agenda item 8 World Tourism Day: themes and host countries for 2024 and 2025 to be proposed to the General Assembly - CE/118/8 Previous article Next article > Agenda item 8 World Tourism Day: themes and host countries for 2024 and 2025 to be proposed to the General Assembly - CE/118/8 ... UN Tourism is a specialized agency of the United Nations ...

  15. World Tourism Day

    World Tourism Day 27 September. Search the United Nations. Submit Search. A-Z Site Index. ... Tourism is an easy-access sector for micro and small enterprises and for the self-employed, who make ...

  16. UN Tourism

    UN Tourism (UNWTO until 2023) is a specialized agency of the United Nations which promotes responsible, sustainable and universally-accessible tourism.Its headquarters are in Madrid, Spain.Other offices include: a Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific in Nara, Japan and a Regional Office for the Middle East in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.. UN Tourism serves as a global forum for tourism ...

  17. World Tourism Day 2023

    Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | 27 - 28 September. Join the celebration! #WTD23. UNWTO has identified investments as one of the key priorities for tourism's recovery and future growth and development. For World Tourism Day 2023, UNWTO highlights the need for more and better-targeted investments for people, for planet and for prosperity.

  18. World Tourism Day 2024: When Is It Celebrated?

    For World Tourism Day 2023, Tourism Research Australia released new data that shows the tourism records. From the data, it can be seen that Queensland dominate the country's holiday market with $33.2 billion worth of overnight visitor as of June 2023. With its dominance, Queensland's tourism industry is perceived as the key driver of ...

  19. World Tourism Day 2024

    Since 1980, World Tourism Day (WTD) has been celebrated annually on 27 September. This significant date commemorates the adoption of the Statutes of the Organization in 1970, a pivotal moment that led to the establishment of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) five years later. Exciting news for 2024!

  20. World Tourism Day 2024: Tourism and Peace

    World Tourism Day 2024: Tourism and Peace . All Regions; 27 Sep 24 SAVE THE DATE; 27 September 2024 | Tbilisi, Georgia The pursuit of peace is a continuing endeavour, and progress through tourism is more relevant than ever. Tourism can play a vital role as a catalyst for fostering peace and understanding between nations and cultures and in ...

  21. Category:World Tourism Day

    Media in category "World Tourism Day" This category contains only the following file. বিশ্ব পর্যটন দিবস এডিটাথন ব্যানার.svg 1,050 × 438; 161 KB

  22. History

    UNWTO and the World Travel and Tourism Council host a side event at the COP-15 negotiations demonstrating the commitment of the tourism industry to the climate imperative, Copenhagen (Denmark) ... From 1980 onwards, this day will be celebrated as "World Tourism Day". 1969. The Intergovernmental Conference in Sofia (Bulgaria) and the United ...