World Tourism Day is observed worldwide on September 27 since 1980. This date was chosen by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political, and economic values worldwide. In the ongoing pandemic times, it is important to raise awareness about the tourism sector given that 90% of world heritage sites closed as a result of the pandemic last year and young people in rural communities were unemployed.
The theme for World Tourism Day 2021 is “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”. UNWTO has designated it as an opportunity to look beyond tourism statistics and acknowledge that, behind every number, there is a person.
