World Travel & Tourism Council looks at how tourism Transforms our World to celebrate World Tourism Day
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) joins UNWTO in the celebration of World Tourism Day in Qatar to highlight the economic, social and environmental contribution of Travel & Tourism to sustainable development around the world.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, said: “Travel & Tourism is a remarkable sector, it brings people from different backgrounds, culture and beliefs closer together, driving peace, in addition to the significant socioeconomic benefits to a country’s welfare and local livelihoods.
Travel & Tourism has a huge role to play in sustainable development, whilst on average global level the sector generates over 10% of the world’s GDP and supports 1 in 10 jobs, these figures can be, and often are, a lot higher and denser on local level. When done well, which means growing Travel & Tourism in a sustainable and inclusive fashion, tourism is a catalyst for job creation, community development, environmental protection and economic growth.”
The strength and beauty of how Travel & Tourism can impact and change people’s lives in a positive way are encompassed in the stories in WTTC’s new campaign ‘Transforming our World’.
Transforming our World provides an insight into the stories of people that operate in Travel & Tourism and show how the sector has transformed their world or how they use tourism to transform other people’s worlds.
Guevara added: “I believe there is a real value in storytelling and as a sector this is something we can do better. Sharing a story is powerful, inspirational, and educational. Through our campaign I encourage other people and organisations within Travel & Tourism to share their story too.”
The current campaign stories, which come from WTTC’s Tourism for Tomorrow programme, cover the transformational stories of people in all corners of the world – including Botswana, China, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, and USA – and cut across education, community, nature, and wildlife.
WTTC would love to hear how tourism has transformed your life, please share your story on: http://www.transformingour.world/awards/whats-your-story/
#transformingourworld
Visit the Transforming our World website here.
For more information on Tourism for Tomorrow, click here.
UNWTO launches a travellers’ competition to promote sustainability
With the aim of promoting responsible travel, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has launched a travellers’ competition ahead of World Tourism Day. The initiative is part of the ‘Travel.Enjoy.Respect’ campaign taking place within the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017. A one-month trip across the world visiting sustainable tourism initiatives is the prize that will be awarded to the winner of the competition.
“Every action counts and travellers have a strong role to play in building a more sustainable tourism sector. Imagine the impact of one small action multiplied by millions”, said Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of UNWTO. “We want to inspire all travellers to be the change they want to see in the world.”
Competition entrants are invited to share their travel experiences at www.travelenjoyrespect.org and explain why they should be selected to represent the global “responsible traveller”.
This journey will start at the UNWTO Headquarters in Madrid, with an official ‘designation’ ceremony with the Secretary-General, and will end at the closing ceremony of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland, where stakeholders from the tourism community and the UN family will unite.
The winner’s across the world journey will be supported by Explore WorldWide, an adventure travel group offering a wide range of activities and experiences with a commitment to responsible travel and a pinch of Explore spirit. Destinations including Colombia, Germany, Mexico, the United Arab Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah and the Léman region in Switzerland have offered to host the winner and help them discover responsible and sustainable tourism practices.
The competition is one of the main activities of the ‘Travel.Enjoy.Respect’ campaign that UNWTO launched to raise awareness of the value and contribution that sustainable tourism can make towards development, and to engage tourists in making the sector a catalyst for positive change.
Zanzibar grapples to protect children from abuse
The United Nations Children Fund is working with the Zanzibar government to eliminate child abuse in the rich tourist island in the Indian Ocean coast.
Rich in beach tourism, Zanzibar has been rated among African destinations haunted by “sexcapades” from Europe, Africa and South East Asia.The Island had in recent years reported an increase on children abuse in different forms, from family to institutional levels.
Tourist hotels are mentioned among institutions known for gearing sexual and child abuse in the island.
Zanzibar government is now looking for financial and technical support from United Nations agencies and other donors to help the island fight gender-based and child abuse violence rampant in the island.
Zanzibar Minister for Labour, Women and Children Maudline Castico recently launched a five- year National Action Plan looking to end rampant abuse to children and women in the island.
Through support from UN agencies, the Zanzibar government is looking to implement a five-year plan aimed to protect children the island and said his semi-autonomous government will ensure that women and children are highly protected from gender and child violence. The program will cost about a US$ 20 million.
The UN agencies had raised a concern over rampant child abuse where child abuse affects two out of three children born in the island. The UN report says that 6 out 10 boys and 7 out of 10 girls had experienced violence through different forms in the island.
UN says that child abuse in Zanzibar has been connected with abuse and violence against women where one (1) out of nine (9) women have been sexually abused.
Zanzibar President Dr. Ali Mohammed Shein said through a statement that his government will work out to end violence against children and women by imposing laws and legislations leading to tough punishment against violence perpetrators.
“Violence is a daily reality for significant numbers of women and children in Zanzibar. The immediate and long term social, health and economic consequences of violence against women and children represent a key challenge to national development”, Dr. Shein said in the statement.
United Nations Children Fund (Unicef) Representative in Tanzania Ms. Manisa Zaman said culture of silence in Zanzibar has been a cause for child abuse where parents kept silent when their children fall victims to torture and physical assaults.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) had underlined Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, aimed to end exploitation of human beings in any form, especially when applied to children.
“We cannot build the responsible and sustainable tourism sector that we seek without protecting the most vulnerable in our societies. To do so we need effective tools and a global commitment,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Dr Taleb Rifai in July during a meeting which discussed tourism ethics.
“Sexual exploitation in travel and tourism has a child’s face. No country is untouched by this phenomenon and no child is immune,” Dr. Rifai said.
“We cannot build the responsible and sustainable tourism sector that we seek without protecting the most vulnerable in our societies. To do so we need effective tools and a global commitment,” he noted.
The fight against Child Exploitation in tourism is one of the priorities of UNWTO who has been leading since 20 years the World Tourism Network on Child Protection.
UNWTO said that the rise of the Internet and informal operators as well as greater access to international travel have expanded ‘demand’ and heightened the dangers for children. At the same time, grinding poverty and lack of education combined with the continued neglect of child protection systems, all have fuelled children abuse.
In the context of the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the International Year aims to support a change in policies, business practices and consumer behaviour towards a more sustainable tourism sector that can contribute to all the 17 SDGs.
Zanzibar is a popular sex tourism destination for European tourists, attracting girls from poor families to engage themselves in sex business. The semi-autonomous island has been dominated by sex workers operating under top secrecy.
The island depends tourism as its main economic artery, banking on its pristine beaches.
In his message to mark the 2017 World Tourism Day, Dr. Rifai said, “Whenever you travel, wherever you travel, remember to respect nature, respect culture and respect your host”.
BY APOLINARI TAIRO, ETN TANZANIA CORRESPONDENT
Bartlett to Promote Jamaica at World Tourism Day Celebrations in Qatar
KINGSTON, Jamaica; September 26, 2017: Hon. Edmund Bartlett departed the island yesterday (September 25, 2017) to participate in the official celebration of World Tourism Day being hosted in Doha, Qatar, on September 27, 2017.
The invitation was extended by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Qatar Tourism Authority, which also asked the Minister to participate in a high-level think tank focusing on: Tourism as a Means for Enhancing Cultural Preservation and Mutual Understanding.
“It is quite an honour for Jamaica to have been invited to participate in the official celebration for World Tourism Day (WTD) 2017. I am excited to use this prestigious platform to highlight all the wonderful things we are doing to leverage our tourism product to benefit the people of Jamaica. Naturally, I will also promote our upcoming UNWTO, Government of Jamaica and World Bank Group Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism’, which is scheduled for November of this year,” explained the Minister.
The Minister will share the stage with over 20 other influential speakers from across the globe during the event, which will be held at the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel.
The impressive line-up includes Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Taleb Rifai; State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism in Croatia, Frano Matušić; Director of the UNESCO Office in Doha, Anna Paolini; and Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of Liberia, Eugene Lenn Nagbe. He think tank will be moderated by CNN International’s anchor Max Foster.
During his visit, which was fully paid for by the UNWTO and the Qatar Tourism Authority, the Minister will also have a special meeting with the country’s Prime Minister, His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani.
He will then travel to London to attend the second staging of Jamaica Travel Market (JTM), which is being hosted by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) on September 29 and 30. While there, he will meet with tour operators in the UK to share the many new tourism offerings and developments happening locally.
Jamaica Travel Market is a business-to-business tradeshow which is a platform for British, Irish and Nordic tour operators to meet with authentic Jamaican suppliers directly. It includes a day and a half of business appointments, destination updates and ends with a grand Gala Awards Dinner.
Minister Bartlett is scheduled to return to the island on October 1, 2017.