Promoting global understanding through travel

Watching the World T20 matches on TV – currently being played in Sri Lanka, I noticed a Tourist Board commercial on the theme ‘Refreshingly Sri Lanka – Wonder of Asia.’ Immediately I recalled last year’s stamp released to mark World Tourism Day.

Sri Lanka issued ten stamps with an attractive souvenir sheet carrying all the stamps – a valuable item for a collector.

Since 1980, World Tourism Day has been celebrated by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) on 27 September. It was on this day 10 years earlier – in 1970, that the statutes of the UNWTO were adopted. The adoption of these statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism.

The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide. The event seeks to address global challenges outlined in the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to highlight the contribution the tourism sector can make towards reaching these goals. Following a resolution adopted by the UNWTO General Assembly, a host country is designated each year to act as the organisation’s partner in the celebration of World Tourism Day. It was Egypt in 2011.

 Each year, the day is celebrated based on a particular theme. In 2011, the day was celebrated under the theme ‘Tourism – Linking Cultures.’ It offered an opportunity to highlight tourism’s role in bringing the cultures of the world together and promoting global understanding through travel.

Ten stamps released by Sri Lanka depicted eight areas related to the main theme. They were heritage, pristine, wild, bliss, essence, festive, thrills and scenic. Two stamps depicted heritage, one was of the Ruvanveli Seya and the other the lion’s paw entrance at Sigiriya. “The sheer majesty of the Sigiriya rock fortress with its breathtaking landscaped gardens makes you feel on top of the world,” is how the stamp bulletin introduced Sigiriya.

Pristine was depicted with a beach scene – “a vision of supernatural beauty.” Two stamps – elephants and a leopard – projected the wild theme. “Visit this wondrous isle of bliss and it will breathe life into you,” stated the write-up on bliss.

Children representing the different communities depicted essence while the Kandy Perahera projected the festive aspect. Thrills stamp portrayed “a rush of a rapid on a roamy river.” A white veil of cascading waters was seen in the scenic stamp.

On 27 September 2011, UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai declared that thanks to tourism, millions of people from different cultures are being brought together around the world like never before. “This interaction between people of different backgrounds and ways of life represents an enormous opportunity to advance tolerance, respect and mutual understanding.”

An estimated 940 million tourists travelled to a different country, coming into direct contact with tangible aspects such as art and monuments and intangible aspects, music, food and traditions, culture in 2010. World Tourism Day 2011 was a celebration of this unique interaction and aims at furthering the understanding of the values of cultural diversity.  

World Tourism Day 2011 drew attention to the importance of preserving and promoting the cultures of the world in all their forms. Culture, which compels millions of tourists to travel and spend, is of immense value in itself, but it is also a vital tool for the development of a sustainable tourism sector.

 As such, it must be thoughtfully managed and protected, as set out in the global code of ethics for tourism which states that: “Tourism policies and activities should be conducted with respect for the artistic, archaeological and cultural heritage, which they should protect and pass on to future generations.” “Culture is one of our most precious assets and needs protecting. As we launch World Tourism Day 2011, I call on all people to conduct tourism in a way that preserves and enriches the cultural wealth of the world for future generations,” said Rifai.