What is World Tourism Day?
World Tourism Day is celebrated annually on September 27th to highlight the importance of tourism in allowing global citizens to discover the multitude of diverse cultures around the world. Furthermore, this occasion honors the millions of workers who dedicate their lives to creating enlightening experiences for visitors and emphasizes the need to support the tourism sector in every country.
What Makes Tourism so Vital?
Economically, tourismâs impact on the global economy cannot be ignored. A recent study showed the tourism sector employed 10% of the global working population. In addition, the infrastructure built out to accommodate tourism, ranging from hotels to transportation, can spur tremendous economic growth in the locality. Businesses not in tourism within the locality stand to benefit from increases in tourism access, further bolstering the economy.
Even ignoring the economic advantage of tourism, the industry globally facilitates the dissemination of education and information that may have not reached foreigners. While the internet has democratized education, tourism motivates people to continue learning more about cultures, which they may have not been seeking out prior. The spread of knowledge of culture can benefit the host country, both in the awareness of the country politically as well as economically.
What is Special about This Day in 2023?
This yearâs World Tourism Day focuses on the very bedrock that enables tourism: people. Many developing countries, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, have struggled to hire local talent, a headwind on their tourism sectors. Two of the biggest factors are the lack of resources and (access to) educational training. Due to the prevalence of the English language, tourism workers, for the most part, must learn English to communicate with tourists and truly show the beauty of their respective countries. However, many localities lack infrastructure or staff to educate their citizens, which hinders the ability for the tourism sector to obtain talent. To this end, the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) is emphasizing the value of concentrating on providing educational opportunities and resources for young people interested in the tourism industry, across the globe.
Additionally, the UNWTO has stressed the importance of building âgreenâ tourism infrastructure to support the United Nationsâ climate change goals.
UNESCO BMWâs Involvement
UNESCO Body and Wellness Mind Club is dedicated to encouraging the spread of cultural knowledge around the world. We are a champion of cultural diversity and host numerous events often, both online and in-person, that support in spreading peace and self awareness through cultural understanding. For example, we were recently at the Smithsonian Folk Festival that celebrates cultural heritage. Furthermore, we are proponents of enabling the education of global citizens and allowing them to contribute more to the world.
UNESCO BMWâs Vision
Our vision mission encompasses three main goals that are also in line with this occasion today and engage people of all ages, especially the youth-improvement of the inner ecosystem, enhancement of inner creativity through arts and crafts and, lastly, encouragement of inner peace on a global level.
Informational Sources:
https://www.unwto.org/world-tourism-day-2023
https://www.un.org/en/page/world-tourism-day-background
https://www.un.org/en/observances/tourism-day
By: Rithvik Gujjula