SIEM Reap, Cambodia (eTN) – The first ever joint conference by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNESCO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on tourism and culture is currently being held in the Cambodian tourism capital. The event, billed as the World Conference on Tourism and Culture, held its opening ceremony earlier today and was attended by Mr. Samdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia; Mr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism, Kingdom of Cambodia; Ms. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Kingdom of Cambodia; Alfredo Pérez de Armiñiàn, Assistant Director General for Culture of UNESCO; and His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Board & President of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities were among the dignitaries who were present at the opening ceremony.
Below is the UNWTO secretary general Taleb Rifai’s speech at the opening ceremony in its entirety:
“Arun Sousdey. Good morning to you all. On behalf of the World Tourism Organization, the UN specialized agency for Tourism, it is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the First UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture: Building a New Partnership.
Let me begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia for its immense support in organizing this landmark Conference and for hosting us so graciously in the memorable city of Siem Reap.
Prime Minister Hun Sen, we are truly honored to have you join us on this very special occasion. It is a privilege to count on your presence. You opening today’s Conference sends a very strong message on Cambodia’s commitment to sustainable tourism development and cultural preservation.
A special word of appreciation to our sister UN agency, UNESCO, for the partnership we have built throughout the years. Today´s Conference reflects well our close ties and our common vision on the transformative power of culture and tourism as drivers of a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Thank you also to the speakers and to all of you who join us on this occasion – I know many of you have crossed international time zones to join us here in this “Kingdom of Wonder”.
“Wonder” is indeed the best fitting description for Cambodia – a land filled with marvelous attractions – from the World Heritage Sites of Angkor to the warm smiles of its people. Indeed, we could not have gathered in a most inspiring place. Angkor Wat is the crowning jewel of Cambodia´s outstanding cultural heritage; a heritage that every year inspires a growing number of international tourists to explore this wonderful country.
Dear Friends
Tourism, and particularly, cultural tourism has become a fundamental pillar of Cambodia’s development; helping to position it as an emerging economy in South East Asia, creating thousands of jobs, stimulating infrastructure and contributing nearly US$ 3 billion to Cambodia’s balance of payments.
Cambodia is indeed the sheer example of how the links between tourism and culture can create new opportunities for sustainable development. Alongside its economic and social impact, tourism spurred Cambodia´s cultural identity – helping the image of the country to rise from the shadows of war to radiate a global light of archaeological wonder, natural beauty and a historical legacy.
Dear Friends,
Today´s Conference opens at a time when international tourism continues to grow despite a still uneven economic growth and growing geopolitical concerns.
Just last week, UNWTO released the latest results for 2014, which shows that international tourist arrivals grew by 4.7% to reach a new record of 1,138 million tourists – that is over 1.1 billion tourists travelling the world every year.
2014 was also a milestone year for UNESCO and for Culture as the World Heritage List reached 1,000 sites for the very first time.
Linking both facts is the unprecedented development of cultural tourism over recent years. Such development represents an immense opportunity for destinations to foster economic growth, inclusive social development and environmental preservation.
From an economic perspective, cultural tourism allows destinations to become more competitive, attract investment, create new employment opportunities, promote multiple linkages to other industries, and even revive lost traditional activities and customs.
I would like to recall the words of the travel writer, Pico Iyer, who once wrote that “tourism can resuscitate and revive culture – it has created new “traditional” dances in Bali and caused craftsmen in India to pay new attention to their works.”
Most importantly, alongside the economic dimension, cultural tourism nurtures a sense of pride among communities, advances public education and promotes heritage preservation by providing financial resources for the conservation of valuable heritage sites.
Ladies and Gentlemen, dear friends:
One billion tourists can be one billion opportunities or one billion disasters. As much as we welcome tourism´s growth and its benefits, we should never forget that such growth comes with increased responsibility.
Responsibility to protect our heritage, responsibility to promote our common values and responsibility to work together.
Indeed, partnership is the fundamental message at the heart of this Conference.
We need to bridge the gap that, despite encouraging efforts, still exists between tourism and culture. We need to explore new governance models and innovative initiatives where the best of the two worlds come together to the benefit of all.
We do not need to look beyond Siem Reap to grasp the weight of this challenge. Angkor Wat is a magnet for tourists and if we do not take up the cause of sustainability, it risks irreversible damage to this prized cultural treasure. Rising tourist numbers are a serious responsibility that calls for proper management, a better use of new technologies and innovation, greater education among businesses, tourists and host communities, and closer coordination between public authorities and between the public and the private sector.
Ladies and Gentlemen, dear friends:
Allow me to recall the words of UN Secretary-General Banki moon who said “Transformation is our watchword. At this moment in time, we are called to lead and act with courage. We are called to embrace change. Change in our societies. Change in the management of our economies. Change in our relationship with our one and only planet.”
2015 is an historic moment for the UN and for countries around the world as we work to set a new sustainable development agenda. A shared and inclusive agenda that places people at the centre of development.
With this in mind, I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our full commitment in making sustainable tourism a central pillar of the new post 2015 development agenda.
Over the last decades, tourism has seen extraordinary and rapid growth, becoming one of the leading socio-economic sectors of our times.
In 2012, we celebrated a historic and exciting milestone – of one billion tourists traveling the world in a single year. Tourism accounts today for 9% of the global GDP, 30% of the total exports of services and one in 11 jobs around the world.
The question is – how do we harness this sheer force of one billion strong for its immense value? How can we draw from this deep wellspring to benefit our cultural heritage and advance the post-2015 sustainability agenda?
In the thousands of years chronicling mankind’s progress, civilizations have flourished and fallen, and in their wake, left legacies bearing their indelible mark in the history of the world. These legacies showcase the pinnacle of mankind’s abilities, be they in outstanding monuments or in the uniqueness of paintings and music. Heritage tells mankind’s story; it tells our story. Tourism can enliven this heritage.
The links between tourism and culture offer an immense opportunity to contribute to inclusive economic growth, social development and stability and heritage preservation but only if we work together.
As we set the scene for this Conference, allow me close by highlighting three ways in which tourism and culture can work together to build a better future:
1. Tourism and culture can work together for economic growth
The responsible use of cultural assets for tourism creates new employment opportunities and generates income for local communities. By the same token, cultural tourism can provide a vital tool for poverty alleviation, as many poor and remote communities are often situated near famous heritage sites.
2. Tourism and culture can work together for social development and stability
We live in The Age of Travel. Never before in our history have we been more exposed to such a melting pot of ethnicities, religions and lifestyles.
Tourism breaks down walls and builds bridges between visitors and hosts, nurturing respect and mutual understanding that is so much needed in this often divided world.
The more people travel and immerse in other societies, navigate other languages, behold incredible monuments and natural wonders, or experience firsthand the living traditions passed down by generations, the more they become part of a global dialogue that makes us citizens of the same world; citizens that understand and respect each other.
Finally,
3. Tourism and culture can work for heritage protection and preservation
Being acclaimed as a World Heritage Site calls forth a greater responsibility of finding the equilibrium between rising tourism demand while protecting the inherent values for which these sites were inscribed on the World Heritage List.
It emphasizes the need for tourism that is carefully managed, for proper education among tourists and host communities, for close coordination and cooperation between conservation and tourism, for adequate financing mechanisms and for innovative approaches, including a better use of the opportunities offered by technology.
Ladies and Gentlemen, dear friends
By 2030, 1.8 billion tourists will be traveling the world.
This represents an extraordinary opportunity to pursue our shared goals of inclusive economic development and environmental sustainability into a reality.
Tourism intensifies our role as global citizens, stewards of world heritage and ambassadors of peace -– calling us to preserve our past, so we can protect our future.
I trust this Conference will allow us to strengthen our partnerships and work closer together as architects of such sustainable future.
Okun. Thank you very much.”
