Nearly 600 participants yesterday attended the official launch of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development (2017) which took place at the FITUR international tourism fair in Spain. Over the next 12 months, actions will be taken globally to increase the contribution of sustainable tourism to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The launch session, moderated by the tandem formed by Max Foster, of CNN, and Raquel Martínez, of RTVE, highlighted the immense socio-economic prospects that the sector opens up in all societies as well as its role in the service of mutual understanding, peace and sustainable development throughout the world.
“Every day, more than three million tourists make international trips. Every year, nearly 1.2 billion people travel abroad. Tourism has become a pillar of economies, a passport to prosperity and a transformative sector to improve the lives of millions of people. The world can and must harness the power of tourism as we work to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his message for the International Year.
“2017 offers us an exceptional opportunity to promote the contribution of tourism to the future we want, but also to determine together the exact role we will give to tourism in the actions to be taken for sustainable development, by 2030 and beyond. There is an incomparable opportunity to be seized to establish the position of tourism as a pillar for achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals,” explained UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai in his opening speech.
“On this occasion of the launch of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, we would like to recall that our countries are all facing common challenges of global scope, which can only be overcome by developing relationships and strengthening partnerships. This initiative is an opportunity to highlight that the Sustainable Development Goals set the course for tomorrow’s development and will guide us in our efforts to create long-term assets while leaving the minimum of liabilities,” declared the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
“The International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development (2017) is an incentive to engage in social and political dialogue leading to initiatives, investments and government measures in favor of development and the fight against poverty,” declared the Vice-President of the Republic of Honduras, Ricardo Alvarez Arias.
“Sustainable tourism is included in the 2030 Agenda as a vector for development, job creation and the promotion of local culture and products. Tourism, which is part of the Sustainable Development Goals, contributes decisively to almost all of the 17 goals through its effects in the areas of the fight against poverty, the promotion of decent jobs, the improvement of gender equality and the livelihoods of young people, and the fight against climate change,” declared the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Alfonso María Dastis.
Also speaking at the ceremony were Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Francesco Bandarin, Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO, and Elzbieta Bienkowska, European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs.
WTO announced on this occasion the appointment of ambassadors for the International Year: H.E. Ms. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia; His Majesty King Simeon II; Huayong Ge, President of UnionPay; Dr. Talal Abu Ghazaleh, President of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization; and Dr. Michael Frenzel, President of the Federal Association of German Tourism Professionals.
The ceremony was also marked by the launch of the International Year campaign “Travel.Enjoy.Respect”, which aims to promote sustainable tourism among travelers, in partnership with CNN and RTVE.
Sponsors of the International Year:
Official sponsors: ANA, Balearic Islands; Global Tourism Economy Research Center; Minube; Amadeus; Chimelong; Ras Al Khaimah; Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Colombia; Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Morocco; IFEMA/FITUR
Diamond: Ministry of Tourism of the United Mexican States, National Tourism Bureau of Georgia, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan, The Travel Corporation, Capital Airlines, Eventísimo, Mastercard
Gold: German National Tourism Office (DZT), Turismo de Portugal, Valencia Tourism Agency, Catalonia Tourism Office, Global Geoparks Network, University of Applied Sciences HTW Chur – Institute of Tourism and Leisure, Intercontinental Hotels Group
Silver: JTB Corp, South Pole Group
Media partners: CNN, RTVE, Travel Weekly.
