September 27
World Tourism Day
The aim of World Tourism Day is to initiate a debate about the impact of tourism on the planet and the opportunities for more sustainable growth. International Tourism Day puts people at the center of key discussions. Where is tourism headed? Where are we heading? And how do we get there?
The overall disruption of the tourism industry caused by COVID-19 provides an opportunity to redefine and reassess the direction and narratives of investments in tourism for a more sustainable future for people, the planet, and prosperity. The World Tourism Day 2023, under the theme of Tourism and Green Investments, emphasizes the need for more and better-targeted investments for the Sustainable Development Goals, which are part of the UN's plan for a better world by 2030. Strategic investment opportunities for this triple dimension are enormous. Investing in education and skills is crucial for people, as the future global workforce in tourism will require millions of hospitality graduates annually by 2030, and an additional 800,000 jobs annually will require specialized training. Investing in sustainable infrastructure and accelerating green transformation is essential for the planet, as reducing emissions provides a $247 trillion investment opportunity by 2030 in the green building sector in developing markets, where hotels, resorts, and restaurants represent $15 trillion. Furthermore, tourism faces a much larger number of investment opportunities related to new solutions and technologies for decarbonizing the industry and ensuring climate-resilient infrastructure through adaptation solutions. Investing in innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship is vital for prosperity, as digitalization and innovation programs are a strategic priority for supporting the qualification of the tourism workforce, especially young people and women, and there is a global need to increase investments in programs that support and stimulate entrepreneurship and create opportunities for innovation. To succeed, let's make this World Tourism Day a call to action for the international community, governments, financial institutions, development partners, and private sector investors to come together around a new tourism investment strategy. Visit the UN World Tourism Organization's website for more information and digital materials for social media. Let's all contribute to supporting investments in tourism that aim to create a better world for all.
