Tourism and Peace are celebrated at World Tourism Day

Tbilisi, Georgia, is the official host of the latest edition of the United Nations’ (UN) World Tourism Day, this year focusing on the theme of Tourism and Peace, and how travel, cultural exchange and sustainable tourism practices can contribute to conflict resolution, reconciliation, and the promotion of peace worldwide.

“Sustainable tourism can transform communities – creating jobs, fostering inclusion and strengthening local economies,” said U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres. “By valuing and preserving cultural and natural heritage, it can help reduce tensions and nurture peaceful coexistence. Tourism can also promote economic interdependence between neighbours, encouraging cooperation and peaceful development.”

“At the same time, tourism broadens horizons,” he said. “Every traveller can be an ambassador, engaging respectfully with local populations, recognizing our diversity and shared humanity, and the values that unite us all.”

Celebrations are taking place all over the world today (Sept. 27), including India, where Pax is currently attending G Adventures’ global community tourism summit, GX.

In Jaipur, Canadian travel advisors were treated to a surprise Holi celebration, an ancient Hindu tradition typically held in spring on the last full-moon day of the lunar month. The Festival of Colours, where participants don white and throw water and vibrant-coloured powdered dyes at each other.

Earlier in the week, advisors also learned about G’s community tourism projects in India, like the Salaam Baalak City Walk, a guided tour around the New Delhi Railway Station and Paharganj areas that’s led by former street children.

Thanks to the collaboration, Salaam Baalak has a reliable stream of income, generated by G travellers, to help advance its work, which supports at-risk young people from ages six to 18.

World Tourism Day has been held on Sept. 27 each year since 1980. The date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Statutes of the Organization in 1970, paving the way for the establishment of UN Tourism five years later.

The timing of World Tourism Day is particularly appropriate in that it comes at the end of the high season in the northern hemisphere and the beginning of the season in the southern hemisphere.

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