This year’s World Tourism Day to feature representatives from over 100 UNWTO member states, including 50-plus MoTs
World Tourism Day 2023 is set to revolve around the theme of tourism and green investments. The official celebrations will take place in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) member states participating through various special events and programmes. UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili stressed the importance of tourism for both economies and societies, underscoring the need for sustainable and inclusive growth. The day’s emphasis will be on three key aspects: investment for people, investment for the planet, and investment for prosperity.
In Riyadh, UNWTO will introduce its Global Tourism Investment Framework and host a series of high-level panels addressing the challenges and opportunities related to tourism investments. Additionally, the winners of the inaugural UNWTO Women in Tech Startup Competition for the Middle East will be announced during the official World Tourism Day celebrations.
This year’s World Tourism Day is expected to be the largest celebration to date, featuring representatives from over 100 UNWTO Member States, including more than 50 Ministers of Tourism. High-level figures from the global tourism private sector including the Middle East region, will also be in attendance.
World Tourism Day, which originated in 1980, serves as the Global Day of Observance for tourism, highlighting the sector’s crucial role in promoting peace and prosperity. The date, September 27, holds historical significance as it marks the day when the Statutes of the Organisation that later became UNWTO were signed.
