The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the prominent international organization in the field of tourism, is the UN agency accountable for the promotion of responsible and viable tourism, and considers tourism as a dynamic force to foster economic development, inclusive growth and environmental sustainability and offers headship and direction to the sector in promoting knowledge and tourism policies world over.
In the 38 previous editions of World Tourism Day, the focus had been made on Peace and Dialogue, Energy, Accessibility, World Heritage, Water and Tourism and Sustainable Tourism.
To take full advantage of the tourism in maximizing socioeconomic impact, UNWTO promotes tourism to attain the Sustainable Development Goals, aimed at alleviating poverty and promoting inclusive and sustainable development worldwide.
World Tourism Day, launched by the UNWTO, celebrated on 27th September around the world, is a distinctive occasion to raise wakefulness on tourism’s real and potential contribution to sustainable development.
World Tourism Day 2018 will highlight the prospects provided to tourism, by technological and digital advances and innovations including big data, artificial intelligence and digital platforms, for tourism development.
According to the UNWTO website, the programs will commence in the Hilton Budapest Castle, with a number of UNWTO members participating namely, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili and Zoltan Guller, the government commissioner and GEO, Hungarian Tourism Agency.
The events will take account of tourism-related meetings and discussions, keynote speeches and messages by eminent tourism personalities, tourism-related events and developments, and will come to an end by an invitation-only dinner on the Europa Boat. The event marks the important role played by technology in the hospitality and tourism industry.
