World Tourism Day, celebrated each year on 27 September, is the global observance day fostering awareness of tourism’s social, cultural, political and economic value and the contribution that the sector can make towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.
The day is a unique occasion to amplify the conversation about sector’s role in recovery and growth.
Photos by Shripad Wagh, Wildlife Photographer
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive social and economic impact. As the normalcy returns the restart of tourism will help kickstart recovery and growth.
This year’s theme is, ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’, to recognize everyone who has played a significant role in making tourism an employment opportunity across the globe and has played an important part in preserving their nation’s heritage with hearty dedication.
On 27 September 1970, the statutes of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) were adopted. Five years later, these statues, considered a milestone in global tourism, paved the way for the establishment of the UNWTO.
The UNWTO celebrated the first World Tourism Day on 27 September 1980, to mark the occasion of its establishment. Ever since then, the day has been marked across the world.
The international body said that it aims to ensure that every part of the tourism sector has a say in how the sector will shape in the future. The UNWTO said it would make efforts to “celebrate tourism’s unique ability to ensure that nobody is left behind as the world begins to open up again and look to the future”.
During the pandemic, 90 percent of world heritage sites were closed and millions, who were dependent on tourism for their livelihoods, left unemployed. The purpose of World Tourism Day is to highlight the importance the tourism sector plays in our lives and to focus on inclusive growth in the sector.
