Official Message
Secretary-General, UNWTO
World Tourism Day has always been a chance to come together and celebrate the many and varied accomplishments of our sector. For the best part of four decades, we celebrated tourism’s unparalleled growth – in size, in reach and in significance.
In 2022, we once again recognize the opportunities that tourism has brought – and continues to bring – people everywhere. However, this year especially we also recognize that we cannot go back to the old ways of working. We must Rethink Tourism.
As the world opens up again, we must learn the lessons of the pandemic and the associated pause in international travel. In exposing weaknesses, the crisis showed us where we can build more resilience. And in exposing inequalities, it also showed us where we can deliver more fairness.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, remains our end goal. However, every part of the sector, from UNWTO and governments at the top down to destinations and small businesses at the bottom , must rethink how we get there. This will require restructuring business models so that they put people first. Tourism has always worked for young people, for women and for communities. But now it must truly work with them as well. We need new voices as well as new ideas if we are to transform our sector and build a better tourism for all.
Rethinking one of the world’s major economic sectors will not be easy. But we are already well on the way. Crisis has inspired and catalized creativity. And the pandemic accelerated the transformation of work, bringing both challenges as well as enormous opportunities to ensure even more people get to benefit from tourism’s restart. We are also making significant progress in making tourism a central driver of the the green, the blue and the digital economies, ensuring growth does not come at the expense of people or planet.
We are only just getting started. The potential of tourism is enormous, and we have a shared responsibility to make sure it is fully realized. On World Tourism Day 2022, UNWTO calls on both tourism leaders and everyone at the base of the broad and diverse tourism pyramid to pause , reflect and rethink what we do and how we do it. The future of tourism starts today.
Zurab Pololikashvili
Official Message by the Secretary-General, UN
World Tourism Day celebrates the power of tourism to foster inclusion, protect nature and promote cultural understanding.
Tourism is a powerful driver for sustainable development. It contributes to the education and empowerment of women and youth and advances the socioeconomic and cultural development of communities. It plays a critical part in the social protection systems that form the foundation for resilience and prosperity.
We must invest in clean and sustainable tourism, lowering the sector’s energy consumption, adopting zero-emission pathways and protecting biodiversity. We must create decent jobs and ensure profits benefit the host country and local communities. Governments, businesses and consumers must align their tourism practices with the Sustainable Development Goals and a 1.5°C future. The very survival of this industry and many tourist destinations, such as Small Island Developing States, depends on it.
There is no time to waste. Let us rethink and reinvent tourism and together, deliver a more sustainable, prosperous and resilient future for all.
Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia
Greetings From Wonderful Indonesia.
We are most delighted to be the host for the World Tourism Day celebrations this year.
The pandemic highlighted the critical need to transform the tourism industry and now we finally celebrate World Tourism Day as the global tourism slowly recovers. As emphasized by the theme: "Rethinking Tourism", I believe the time is now to begin this transformation.
The tourism industry needs to be prepared for future challenges which requires collaboration and a sense of interconnectedness between one another. First, stakeholders’ approach to the development of sustainable tourism sector. Second, strong role within the community as the agent of change in tourism transformation. And third, safety assurance for visitors during travel.
Let's celebrate and form the future of tourism that is sustainable, stronger, more inclusive, and empowering for the planet we live in and the people who rely on it. Because even though tourism potential grows, the core has to be humanity. Thus, no matter how we navigate tourism in the future the end goal must be inclusivity for all people.
It is such an exciting moment for us, Indonesians, especially the people of Bali to welcome you for World Tourism Day celebrations. It is also our proud moment to show the global community to witness and experience the progress that we have made in Bali. For those who have been to Bali, we once again bestow the culture, the beaches, the food, the people and their hospitality. And for those of you who have yet to visit Bali, now is the time. Because Bali is now open and waiting for all of you, as beautiful as it has ever been.
Thank you and see you all in Bali, wonderful Indonesia.
Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno