The first World Tourism Day was held in 1980. As the global day of observance for tourism, it offers a chance to celebrate the sector’s vital role in advancing peace and prosperity.
And beyond that in today’s world, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia has set the stage for World Tourism Day 2023 under the theme of Tourism and Green Investments to emphasize working towards a sustainable future.
UNWTO global regions take turns hosting this annual celebration, and this year the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is ready to stage the official celebrations on September 27 through a range of special events and programs. This date marks the day the Statues of Organization were signed at UNWTO.
In Riyadh, UNWTO will present its Global Tourism Investment Framework and hold a series of high-level panels focusing on the challenges and opportunities surrounding investment in tourism. The official World Tourism Day celebrations will also see the winners of the inaugural UNWTO Women in Tech Startup Competition for the Middle East announced.
This year’s World Tourism Day celebration in Saudi Arabia will welcome representatives from more than 100 of the UNWTO’s Member States, including more than 50 Ministers of Tourism. Joining them will be high-level representatives from tourism’s private sector from the Middle East region and globally.
The day will focus on the importance of:
- Investment for People (by investing in education and skills).
- For Planet (by investing in sustainable infrastructure and accelerating green transformation).
- For Prosperity (by investing in innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship).
