World Tourism Day 2022: Importance of ‘Rethinking Tourism’

World Tourism Day has been marked every year on September 27 since 1980. This day coincides with the anniversary of an important milestone in world tourism, it is the date on which the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s Statues were adopted in Mexico City. 

The date also seems fitting given that during this time the northern hemisphere sees the end of the high season while the southern hemisphere sees the beginning of the season. This day is also marked as a reminder of the importance of tourism not just as a luxury or a much needed getaway, but how it affects the socio-cultural, political and economic sectors of any country, as well as the international community. 

This year’s theme is ‘Rethinking Tourism’, with a focus on the future, as the industry is still recovering from the unprecedented effect of the Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns and restrictions. Meanwhile, it is also building on the unprecedented political and public recognition of the sector.  

Therefore, this year the UNWTO wants to rethink how we do tourism moving forward, and calls for putting people and the planet first and bringing everyone together with a shared vision of a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient sector. The official celebrations for World Tourism Day 2022, are being held in Indonesia this year, one of the countries whose economies rely on tourism and was adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“On World Tourism Day 2022, UNWTO calls on everyone, from tourism workers to tourists themselves, as well as small businesses, large corporations and governments to reflect and rethink what we do and how we do it,” said the UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili. 

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The pandemic has highlighted the importance of tourism in countries like Sri Lanka, Maldives and so on. As the overall industry is also one of the world’s most important sectors for most economies. According to the UNWTO, tourism supports 1 in 10 jobs and provides a livelihood for millions of others in both developing and developed countries. 

In Small Island Developing States (SIDS) particularly, tourism accounts for at least 80% of exports and also represents a significant share of their national economies in developed as well as developing nations. Therefore, given the sheer impact of the industry on different countries around the world and their socio-cultural, political and economic effect has become important to rethink tourism moving forward. 

Tourism was one of the most adversely affected sectors during the pandemic, however, with the ease of restrictions international tourism is back to 60% of pre-pandemic levels in the first seven months of this year, said the UNWTO. According to the “UNWTO World Tourism Barometer”, international tourist arrivals saw a surge of 172% from January to July 2022 compared to the same time period in 2021. 

This recovery is a direct reflection of the “strong pent-up demand for international travel” as at least 86 countries have no Covid-19 related restrictions as of earlier this month. Reportedly, Europe and the Middle East are leading this recovery with 190% in the first 7 months compared to the same period in 2021.

“Tourism continues to recover steadily, yet several challenges remain, from geopolitical to economic. The sector is bringing back hope and opportunity for people everywhere. Now is also the time to rethink tourism, where it is going and how it impacts people and planet,” said the UNWTO Secretary-General in a statement. 

Every year in the month of September, several countries encourage and engage in activities for sustainable tourism while also spreading awareness about its industry’s importance. While some countries also waive the entry fee to see monuments or museums, to promote tourism.