Tourexpi
UN General Assembly Hosts Tourism for Sustainable Development Event
Organized by the President of the General Assembly
in collaboration with UN Tourism, the event was held at the UN
Headquarters within the framework of Sustainability Week. The presence of
Member States, Observers, civil society organizations, and UN agencies
reflected a growing collective commitment to harnessing the transformative
power of tourism for inclusive and sustainable development.
Addressing the General Assembly, UN Tourism
Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The growing significance of the
tourism sector for our societies and our economies brings with it extra
responsibility. We cannot allow the lifeline of tourism to be cut again.
Resilience in the tourism is not just a matter of planning or reacting to
crises. It is also about proactively addressing the underlying factors of those
crises. Unsustainable consumption is leading to biodiversity loss, climate
change and the emergence of pandemics. It's vital that we adopt policies that
accelerate transformative change.”
The President of the General Assembly, His
Excellency Dennis Francis, said: "We need a global tourism sector that is
sustainable – one with deep local value chains that expand demand for locally
made products and services in ways that also directly and positively benefit
local communities; a sector that serves as a positive force for biodiversity
conservation, heritage protection and climate friendly livelihoods."
High-level platform for statistics-led strategy
The thematic event provided a platform for Member
States to share best practices, strategies, and innovative approaches to
promote sustainable and resilient tourism, aligned with the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). Key highlights included:
Fireside Chat: The Future of Tourism - Leaders
from the tourism industry, academia, and civil society engaged in a dynamic
discussion on the future of tourism and the need for innovative solutions to
address emerging challenges and opportunities.
Ministerial Roundtables: Discussions were held on
the launch of the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability
of Tourism and strategies for fostering resilient tourism in the face of
global challenges. Ministers and high-level officials shared insights and
commitments to advance sustainable tourism practices and policies.
In closing, the President of the General Assembly
reiterated the importance of collaboration and partnership to address the
complex challenges facing the tourism sector and reaffirmed the UN's commitment
to supporting sustainable tourism as a catalyst for positive change.
In February, the UN General Assembly adopted a
Resolution to declare 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and
Resilient Tourism. The resolution invites UN Tourism to work with Governments,
UN agencies and international organizations to on the implementation of the
themed year.
Image Credit: © UN Tourism
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