Tourism Industry Supports World Tourism Day Themes

After the success of the World Tourism Day 2007 theme “Tourism opens doors for women,” the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) general assembly recognized the importance of the themes and established the campaign as an annual event so as to raise awareness on the constructive social role of tourism. The general assembly took place in Cartagena de Indias, Columbia.

The UNWTO session concluded with two additional themes for 2008 and 2009. World Tourism Day 2008 will be hosted in Peru and carry a theme around the tourism sector’s response to the challenges of climate change. World Tourism Day 2009 will be hosted in Ghana to promote the value of diversity and authenticity of tourism in a globalizing world.

The focus on climate change coincides with UNWTO’s active support of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals.

These goals aim to ensure environmental sustainability and the proclamation of 2008 as the International Year of the Planet, which will extend to 2009.

The 2009 theme will celebrate tourism diversity and implement a campaign to highlight the significance of tourism and globalization.

The campaign aims to assert the dual role of tourism, notably a catalyst for globalization as well as an opportunity to reaffirm and preserve the identity of a destination. It will also mark the thirtieth anniversary of World Tourism Day.