The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Government of the People’s Republic of China has hosted the First World Conference on Tourism for Development on 19 May. Under the theme ‘Tourism for Peace and Development,’ the event is the first high-level meeting to address how tourism can contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 universal goals.
The conference expected to bring together 1,000 public and private representatives from over 100 countries to discuss tourism’s role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on tourism’s capacity to fight poverty and build peaceful societies.
“Tourism’s capacity to contribute to more sustainable societies is reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with the inclusion of tourism in three of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals – Goal 8 on economic growth and jobs; Goal 12 on sustainable production and consumption, and Goal 14 on marine conservation. Yet, tourism’s cross-cutting nature and multiplier effect on many other sectors positions it perfectly to advance all 17 Goals. This conference will be fundamental in engaging tourism leaders from around the world in this universal agenda,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.
