September 27 – World Tourism Day

nPostednon September 27, 2015

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nAccordingnto the official website for this United Nations holiday, everyntime we travel, we have an opportunity to make a positive change innthe world.

nCertainly travel is enriching to each of us. Onnan individual level, when we travel, we see and hear things we don’tnsee in our own hometowns. We meet new people. Perhaps we try newnfoods, discover new ways of doing things or new ideas. We often hearndifferent languages, and we always, always expand our horizons.

Travelnmeans learning. And hopefully it means greater acceptance ofn“different” – of “other.” Greater understanding. A morenglobal outlook, a greater desire to protect natural spaces andnwildlife, a longer view as well as a wider one.

nAndnif enough people are learning to care about other people and otherncultures and nature and ecological systems – that’s a win forneveryone!

nOf course, there is another way that travel and tourism can be anpositive force – and that is not for the people doing the travel,nbut for the people living in the places being visited.

nBecausentravel and tourism usually translates to money, and jobs, andnopportunities. Hotels and restaurants, airlines and tour boats, shopsnand museums and attractions – and so much more – all thrive withntourist dollars.

When economical growth from tourism helpsnendangered species and encourages conservation of wilderness, it’s anwin-win. When tourist dollars support local craftspeople andnencourage preservation of traditions, that’s a win-win, as well. n

nDonenright, tourism can have value for human rights, for cultures, forngovernmental stability – as well as for economies.

nThisnyear…

nBurkina Faso will host the official 2015 World Tourism Day celebration.

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nThisn year’s theme is “1,000,000,000 tourists – 1,000,000,000n opportunities” – or, in words, “One billion tourists – onen billion opportunities.” I read that the plan was to call itn “Millions of tourists, millions of opportunities.” But — apparently — tourism is bigger than “just” millions!

I amn surprised that, in a world of only seven billion people, there aren one billion tourists! But I read that there are – not just onen billion tourists – but MORE THAN one billion INTERNATIONALn tourists EACH YEAR!

(Naturally, some of these must ben business travelers and frequent travelers. In other words, a personn who travels outside of her country six times a year must surely count as sixn international tourists.)

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nTouristsn in India can visit more than 200 ticketed monuments and museums forn free today – wonderful places such as the world-famous Taj Mahal!n There are similar sorts of tourism-encouraging freebies in somen other nations as well.

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