World Tourism Day 2022 is observed on 27 September globally.
Key-points
The World Tourism Day is observed every year to promote tourism and spread awareness about its importance.
It focuses on the post-pandemic initiatives and developments concerning the tourism sector.
It aims to put people and the planet first and promote the shared vision for a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient tourism sector.
It seeks to make people understand the joy of exploring the world.
Indonesia is the host country for the 2022 celebrations.
The events were kicked off in Bali and across the globe.
Theme
The theme of World Tourism Day 2022 is ‘Rethinking Tourism’.
Everyone will focus on understanding the growth of the tourism sector and reviewing and redeveloping tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic.
History
The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) started World Tourism Day in 1979.
The celebrations for the same officially began in 1980.
It is celebrated on 27 September every year because the date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Statutes of UNWTO.
In 1997, UNWTO decided that the day would be celebrated in different host countries each year.
The initial commemoration of World Tourism Day focused on the promotion of tourism as a whole with a central theme.
About United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations tasked with promoting responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism.
Its headquarters are in Madrid, Spain.
It is the world’s leading international tourist organisation, promoting tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development, and environmental sustainability, as well as providing industry leadership and support in the advancement of knowledge and tourism policy around the world.
UNWTO encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, to maximize tourism’s socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible negative impacts.
India became a member of the UNWTO in 1975.
The nodal agency in India that works with the UNWTO is the Ministry of Tourism.