World Tourism Day (WTD) is celebrated today, 27 September,
with the Maldives being the host of this
year’s official celebrations. The day will becelebrated in many countries around the world
with the 2013 theme, “Tourism and Water: Protecting our Common
Future”.
As the most important international observance day for tourism, WTD
2013 is a worldwide platform to underscore tourism´s responsibility and
commitment in ensuring a sustainable water future.
In a special message on the occasion of WTD 2013, UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “This year’s World Tourism Day
highlights the responsibility of the tourism industry to safeguard and
intelligently manage water. In this International Year of Water
Cooperation, I urge tourism establishments to cut consumption and
improve waste management and I call on individuals to play their part by
making environmentally conscious choices when they travel.”
“World Tourism Day offers a unique opportunity to shine a spotlight
on water both as an asset and as a resource and on the actions needed to
face up to the water challenge,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb
Rifai. “I urge all those involved in the tourism sector to join our
global World Tourism Day campaign and continue to devise innovate
solutions to ensuring tourism contributes to sustainable access to water
resources worldwide,” he added.
As part of the WTD celebrations in the Maldives, a high-level Think
Tank on Tourism and Water will bring together public and private sector
tourism stakeholders, leading experts on water preservation and media
experts to debate key issues encompassing the global water challenge.
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