UNWTO Secretary General announces ‘Tourism Opens Minds’ campaign in a pledge to promote lesser-known destinations
On
the
occasion
of
World
Tourism
Day
(WTD),
the
UNWTO
revealed
this
week
its
global
campaign,
‘Tourism
Opens
Minds’,
in
a
universal
pledge
to
address
the
challenges
facing
the
tourism
sector.
This
global
initiative
presents
an
opportunity
to
rediscover
the
way
people
travel
and
encourages
tourists
to
venture
into
a
wider
range
of
destinations,
to
open
their
minds
and
hearts
to
places
they
haven’t
previously
imagined
visiting.
A
YouGov
survey
released
earlier
this
week
showed
that
while
66%
of
travellers
prefer
familiar
destinations
over
exploring
new
horizons,
83%
report
that
the
experience
of
traveling
to
new
places,
broadened
their
perspective
and
enabled
them
to
develop
a
better
understanding
of
other
cultures.
As
a
global
call
to
invest
in
undiscovered
destinations,
Mr.
Zurab
Pololikashvili,
Secretary-General
of
the
UNWTO,
launched
the
‘Tourism
Opens
Minds’
initiative
during
the
WTD
conference
taking
place
in
Riyadh,
in
an
announcement
saying:
“To
ensure
true
global
prosperity,
we
must
work
together
to
ensure
that
every
country
can
harness
the
potential
of
a
thriving
tourism
industry.
The
sector
serves
as
a
unifying
force,
fostering
cultural
understanding,
strengthening
bonds
between
societies,
and
championing
environmental
preservation.
His
Excellency
Ahmed
Al-Khateeb,
Minister
of
Tourism
of
Saudi
Arabia,
said:
“Since
embarking
on
our
tourism
journey,
Saudi
Arabia
has
been
committed
to
enhancing
the
sector
and
generating
an
impact
extends
beyond
borders.
Our
contributions
including
pivotal
partnerships
such
as
the
establishment
of
the
UNWTO
Middle
East
office
in
Riyadh,
the
creation
of
the
Riyadh
School
for
Travel
and
Hospitality
and
hosting
record-breaking
editions
of
the
WTTC
Global
Forum
and
UNWTO
World
Tourism
Day,
underscore
the
immense
potential
of
the
sector
when
people
from
across
the
globe
are
united
and
connected.
The
UNWTO
‘Tourism
Opens
Minds’
Initiative
is
another
important
milestone
for
the
tourism
sector,
and
its
launch
at
World
Tourism
Day
in
Riyadh
is
a
continuation
of
our
many
previous
commitments
to
the
global
tourism
sector.”
The
universal
pledge
aims
to
support
and
encourage
tourists
to
explore
new
horizons,
enrich
their
travel
experiences
and
diversify
the
industry.
This
will
eventually
result
in
creating
a
positive
economic
and
social
impact
on
local
communities
as
it
unlocks
the
true
essence
that
tourism
plays
in
bridging
cultures
and
creating
a
truly
inclusive
world.
UNWTO
member
states,
business
leaders
and
tourism
experts
at
the
WTD
conference
hailed
the
announcement
which
was
a
testament
to
the
industry’s
commitment
to
connect
people,
cultures,
businesses,
and
communities.
Leaders
from
across
the
global
tourism
sector
have
convened
in
Riyadh
for
this
year’s
UNWTO
WTD,
which
was
celebrated
from
27th
–
28th
September.
Through
a
range
of
impactful
events,
global
ministers,
industry
leaders
and
experts
have
highlighted
the
power
of
tourism
and
uncovered
avenues
for
collaboration
to
foster
growth
of
the
sector,
placing
people,
the
planet
and
prosperity
at
the
helm.
