Against the backdrop of heightened insecurity, tourism stands out for its ability to foster understanding among and between peoples”
increase in tourist arrivals to G7 countries in 2023 compared to the previous year 25 % of all international tourists visit the seven G7 destinations 1 in 4
at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development report that foreign direct investment into all sectors, tourism included, reached approximately $1.7 trillion in 2023, a steady 3% increase despite challenging economic circumstances. By increasing the volume going into tourism-related projects, and more significantly directing investments where they will make the biggest difference, we can accelerate our work in transforming the sector and making it both more sustainable and more resilient. At UN Tourism, we serve as the bridge between investors and destinations, including those in Africa, the Americas, and Asia and the Pacific, where for too long a lack of investment has prevented plans from being transformed into reality. For G7 economies, as well as for countries everywhere, investing in tourism, including in its people, should be seen as an opportunity rather than a challenge. The sector is a proven pillar of employment and growth, and an investment in tourism has the potential to deliver significant economic as well as social dividends. Moreover, against the backdrop of heightened insecurity, tourism stands out for its ability to foster understanding among and between peoples. As we look ahead to World Tourism Day 2024 on 27 September, this year to be celebrated on the theme of ‘Tourism and Peace’, we ask all leaders to join us in embracing and amplifying this message of hope.
A VALUED CAREER PATH UN Tourism recognises and is addressing the key challenges standing in the way of ensuring tourism does indeed deliver on its potential. First, we must prioritise education and jobs. We need young people everywhere to see tourism as a valued career path. That means ensuring tourism jobs are decent jobs and giving workers of all backgrounds the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the sector rather than seeing it as a stepping stone to other things. Last year, we launched our Education Toolkit, a landmark initiative designed to help governments everywhere make tourism a subject in their high schools. Several of our member states have already started to make use of the resource, and its use in the G7 economies would be hugely welcome. At the same time, we are getting ready to welcome the first students into our first bachelor’s degree course in Sustainable Tourism Management, offered in partnership with the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. We are supporting tourism workers through every stage of their careers in our sector, from high school to university and then through ongoing professional training, and we urge governments and businesses everywhere to join us. GROWING INVESTMENT Alongside this focus on education and jobs, we also urgently need to grow investment in tourism. Our colleagues
ZURAB POLOLIKASHVILI Zurab Pololikashvili has been secretary-general of UN Tourism since 2018. He was previously Georgia’s ambassador to Spain, Andorra, Algeria and Morocco and its permanent representative to the United Nations World Tourism Organization up to 2017. He has also served as Georgia’s minister of economic development and deputy foreign minister, among other posts, and has a background in the private sector in the financial and business sectors.
X-TWITTER @pololikashvili unwto.org
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G7 ITALY: THE APULIA SUMMIT — 2024
globalgovernanceproject.org
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