World Tourism Day 2023 to Focus on Green Investments
The need for more and better-targeted investments for the Sustainable Development Goals will be at the center of World Tourism Day (WTD) 2023, which will be celebrated in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday.
World Tourism Day has been celebrated since 1980 on September 27, the day in which the Statutes of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) entered into force. Peace and Dialogue, Energy, Accessibility, World Heritage, Water and Tourism, Sustainable Tourism, Inclusivity and Tourism and Technology have been some of the topics tackled on the previous editions of World Tourism Day.
2023 theme: Tourism & Green Investments
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 will highlight the need for more and better-targeted investments for people, for planet and for prosperity.
“Now is the time for new and innovative solutions, not just traditional investments that promote and underpin economic growth and productivity,” the UNWTO said in an announcement.
According to the UNWTO, World Tourism Day 2023 will be a call to action to the international community, governments, multilateral financial institutions, development partners and private sector investors to unite around a new tourism investment strategy.
“Tourism is a pillar of our economies. It plays a central role in our societies and in our individual lives. And it offers solutions to some of our biggest challenges – including the climate emergency and the urgent need to shift to more sustainable economies. The power of tourism is enormous. But it is not a force that can be taken for granted,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the official day on September 27, though all UNWTO Member States, as well as non-members and stakeholders from across the private sector, are being invited to host their own celebrations as well as to promote the day and its central theme.
“We are excited to welcome global leaders to celebrate World Tourism Day 2023 in Riyadh as we chart a sustainable future for tourism, uniting people, bridging cultures, and protecting the environment while boosting jobs and resilience,” said Saudi Arabia’s tourism minister, Ahmed Al Khateeb.
Key topics to be addressed in Riyadh
•How can governments promote international and private investments; and how can they improve regulations and incentives concerning human capital development?
•What steps can the private sector take to address the emerging investment needs of the tourism sector vis-a-vis education?
•How to motivate policymakers and investors to support increased investment in greening the tourism sector.
•How to accelerate climate innovation; how to invest in new technologies, business models, and practices to facilitate the emergence of new climate solutions.
•What are the financial investment mechanisms and instruments available to support innovation, technology and entrepreneurship?
•How to promote ease of doing business, how to better develop investment policies and how to embrace new innovative financial mechanisms and solutions to address emerging and complex challenges.
•How to close the financing gender gap and accelerate access to capital in both domestic and international markets for women entrepreneurs.
Information on the events of World Tourism Day 2023 can be found here.
UN: Tourism must be protected and nurtured
In his official message on occasion of World Tourism Day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted that 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,” he said, adding that today, the climate emergency is threatening many travel destinations and the very survival of communities and economies that depend on tourism.
Moreover, many developing countries that are severely affected by a changing climate are also facing a growing investment deficit and a cost-of-living crisis.
“On this World Tourism Day, we recognize the vital need for green investments to build a tourism sector that delivers for people and planet,” Guterres said.