Tourism has once again been identified as the sector that is central to empowering rural communities by providing jobs and preserving cultural heritage.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili highlighted these attributes ahead of the September 27 date earmarked as World Tourism Day.
“All around the world, tourism empowers rural communities, providing jobs and opportunity, most notably for women and youth. Tourism also enables rural communities to hold onto their unique cultural heritage and traditions, and the sector is vital for safeguarding habitat and endangered species. This World Tourism Day is a chance to recognize the role tourism plays outside of major cities and its ability to build a better future for all” he said.
The 2020 edition themed “Tourism and Rural Development” comes at a critical moment, as countries around the world look to tourism to drive recovery, including in rural communities where the sector is a leading employer and economic pillar.
For the first time in the 40-year history of World Tourism Day, the official celebration will not be hosted by a single Member State of the United Nations specialized agency. Instead, nations from the Mercosur bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, with Chile joining with observer status) will serve as joint hosts. This co-hosting agreement exemplifies the spirit of international solidarity that runs through tourism and which UNWTO has recognized as essential for recovery.
This also comes on the heel of government’s look up to the sector to drive recovery from the effects of the pandemic and with the enhanced recognition of tourism at the highest United Nations, UN level which was most notably illustrated with the recent release of a landmark Policy Brief on tourism from the UN.
During the launch of the Policy Brief, United Nation’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had identified the key role of the sector in driving development in the rural communities.
“For rural communities, indigenous peoples and many other historically marginalized populations, tourism has been a vehicle for integration, empowerment, and generating income,” Guterres said.
Recall that the UNWTO had posited that for countless rural communities around the world, tourism has been a leading provider of employment and opportunities.
“In many places, it is one of the few viable economic sectors. Moreover, development through tourism can also keep rural communities alive. It is estimated that by 2050, 68% of the world population will live in urban areas, while 80% of those currently living in ‘extreme poverty’ live outside of towns and cities.
The situation is particularly hard for youth: young people in rural communities are three times more likely to be unemployed than older adults. Tourism is a lifeline, offering young people a chance to earn a living without having to migrate either within their home countries or abroad.
World Tourism Day 2020 will once again be celebrated by UNWTO’s Member States in all global regions as well as by cities and other destinations and by private sector organizations and individual tourists. It comes as communities in rural areas also struggle with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These communities are usually much less-prepared to deal with the short and longer-term impacts of the crisis. This is due to a number of factors, including their aging populations, lower income levels, and the continuing ‘digital divide’. Tourism offers a solution to all of these challenges” the United Nation’s tourism specialized agency posited.
