World Tourism Day is celebrated annually on September 27 around the globe to raise awareness about the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political, and economic value. The day is designated by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and aims to promote sustainable, responsible, and universally accessible tourism worldwide. Tourism also plays a significant role in fostering peace. On a global level, where nations are interconnected and interdependent, tourism emerges as a dynamic force to defy stereotypes and challenge prejudices. In this article, let’s know more about World Tourism Day 2024 date and the significance of this annual event. September 2024 Festivals, Events and Holidays Calendar: Complete List of Important National and International Days and Dates. 

World Tourism Day 2024 Date

World Tourism Day 2024 will be celebrated on Friday, September 27.

World Tourism Day 2024 Theme

Each year, World Tourism Day highlights a specific theme to address current issues or trends within the tourism industry. The World Tourism Day 2024 theme is ‘Tourism and Peace’, wants to highlight the vital role of this sector in fostering peace and understanding between nations and cultures and in supporting reconciliation processes.

World Tourism Day History

The contributions of tourism encouraged the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to institute World Tourism Day in a meeting that took place in Spain. The first celebration of the World Tourism Day was held in the year 1980. This date was chosen to coincide with an important milestone in world tourism: the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the UNWTO Statutes on 27 September 1970. During its 70th session in 2015, the United Nations General Assembly designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by resolution A/RES/70/193, which encouraged support for sustainable tourism as a means of promoting and accelerating sustainable development, especially poverty eradication.

World Tourism Day Significance

World Tourism Day provides a platform to discuss the challenges and opportunities within the tourism sector. Tourism is one of the world’s most important economic sectors. As per UN data, this sector employs one in every ten people on Earth and provides livelihoods to hundreds of millions more. World Tourism Day underscores tourism's role in creating a better future by bringing about cultural unity, and sustainable development.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 25, 2024 09:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).