World Tourism Day 2022

Firstly, Happy World Tourism Day!

If you do not know what I am talking about – let me enlighten you! World Tourism Day is a day to commemorate tourism around the world. World Tourism Day has been held on 27 September each year since 1980. The date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Statutes of the Organization in 1970 which paved the way for the establishment of UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation) in 1975.

This year’s theme

Every year UNWTO has a theme that it puts at the forefront that the travel industry adheres to very dearly. This year, UNWTO has taken an amazing approach the way the world sees Tourism and urges us all to rethink our approach to tourism.

Their 2022 inaugural report is boldly titled “Rethinking Tourism: From Crisis to Transformation” (you have have a read of it). The report basically outlines putting people and planet first and bringing everyone from governments and businesses to local communities together around a shared vision for a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient sector.

We know the effect the pandemic had on the travel industry but we rarely think about the active effect Tourism has on the countries around the world. Although on one side tourism helps eceonmies that are considered ‘poorer’ than the west but the other side is that the cost of living in some parts of the world has soared to the point where locals have had to leave cities.

Bali, Indonesia is one of those said countries that currently depends heavily on Tourism. Which is why the Official World Tourism Day celebration will be held there this year to highlight the need for a shift towards tourism being recognised as a crucial pillar of development.

To avoid information overload on my part, I will end this blog here but I genuinely advise you read the report. It is a stimulating read.

Love and Hugs,

Tillyah x