It is a matter of great pleasure for me to extend this message today while we are celebrating the World Tourism Day, 2023 and to renew our pledge for setting priorities to consider tourism sector’s power and potential to advance prosperity and progress of the region.
Pakistan is a country which is home to the most fascinating tourist attractions in the world including the highest mountain peaks, stunning coastlines, beautiful lakes, lush green valleys, ancient civilizations and rich cultural heritage.
The day is celebrated each year on 27 September under the aegis of UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to spread awareness about the importance of tourism and its impact on our society. As the theme of this year is ‘’Tourism and Green Investments’’, we have ample opportunity to identify the potential of green investments as one of the key priorities for tourism’s growth and development on sustainable lines.
For World Tourism Day 2023, UNWTO highlights the need for more and better-targeted investments for people, for the planet and for prosperity. Now is the time for new and innovative solutions, not just traditional investments that promote and underpin economic growth and productivity.
Today, the climate emergency is threatening many travel destinations and the very survival of communities and economies that depend on tourism. And many developing countries that are severely affected by a changing climate are also facing a growing investment deficit and a cost-of-living crisis. There is a dire need to come up with long term planning to boost the tourism industry on sustainable basis and set new boundaries for securing its future.
The theme of this year aims to harness the full potential of sustainable tourism by motivating Private actors for adoption of zero-emission pathways, lower their energy consumption and leverage renewable forms of energy to protect the biodiversity and ecological balance of all destinations.
Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) and provincial tourism departments have planned various activities to celebrate the Day focusing on raising awareness regarding green investments and eco-friendly tourism for boosting the tourism industry to meet the challenges of this new era. So let us all join hands to harness the great potential of sustainable development of tourism by focusing on green investments for a better and more viable future.
