Period
1st of January 2017 - 31th of December 2017
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has declared as International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.
This decision comes fifty years after the celebration of International Tourist Year on Tourism – Passport to Peace (1967) and fifteen years since International Year of Ecotourism (2002).
2017 presents a unique opportunity to explore and highlight tourism’s potential to help transform the world into a place of prosperity and wellbeing for all.
As one of the largest and fastest-growing socio-economic sectors of our times, tourism can stimulate economic growth, create decent jobs and business opportunities, helping millions of people escape poverty and improve their livelihoods.
With the right policies in place tourism can contribute to gender equality, preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity, protection of natural and cultural heritage and offers solutions to many other pressing challenges our world is facing today.
The International Year shall explore and highlight tourism’s role in the following five
key areas:
1. Inclusive and sustainable economic growth
2. Social inclusiveness, employment and poverty reduction
3. Resource efficiency, environmental protection and climate change
4. Cultural values, diversity and heritage
5. Mutual understanding, peace and security
UNWTO invites governments, the UN System and other international and regional
organizations including financial institutions, the private sector, academia, civil society and tourism stakeholders – as well as the billions of tourists who travel
domestically and internationally every year – to engage in the celebration of the International Year.
The outreach of an International Year is global attracting an audience of millions of people from governments, private sector, international organizations, academia, NGOs and civil society and tourists themselves.
UNWTO International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development Main Events
UN Resolution A/RES/70/193 on International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 – adopted by the UN General Assembly on 22 December 2016 – stresses that costs of all activities that may arise from the implementation of the present resolution that are above and beyond the activities currently within the mandate of the lead agency should be met from voluntary contributions. In line with this Resolution the below is a preliminary plan of action to be implemented by UNWTO:
- Official Opening Ceremony in Madrid, Spain, host country of UNWTO coinciding with the Spanish Tourism Fair FITUR (18 January 2017)
- Exhibition in Madrid (materials will be available to be replicated in any location) to be opened coinciding with the Opening of the International Year
- Communication kit of the International Year (logo, communication materials including social media kit, videos, etc.)
- Communication campaign under the theme "Travel. Enjoy. Respect" focusing on the role of tourists in promoting responsible travelling and making an effective change (TV, printed ads and social media strategy)
- Official IY2017 website to showcase communication campaigns, events around the world, research, and tourism stories of those working in the sector
- Bloggers’ competition
- Series of media partnerships with global and specialized media
- Coordination and promotion of UNWTO and stakeholder-led initiatives
- Series of conferences and events focused on enhancing the knowledge and the exchange of good practices on the links between sustainable tourism and development including:
- The 6th International UNWTO Conference on Tourism Statistics “Measuring Sustainable Tourism”,
Philippines, June 2017
- The 5th UNWTO Conference on Tourism and the Media
- The Celebration of World Tourism Day on the theme Sustainable Tourism – a tool for development
on 27 September 2017 in Qatar
- The UNWTO General Assembly, to be held in Chengdu, China in October 2017 under the theme of the International Year
- Donors Conference on financing tourism for development
- Flagship publication on Tourism and Development Special Ambassadors Programme for the International Year
- Use of the International Year to promote and receive support for flagship initiatives of UNWTO and its partners, such as the initiatives under the 10YFP Sustainable Tourism Programme and tourism development programmes, e.g. women empowerment and/or youth employment through tourism
- Awareness-raising and training on the new set of indicators on sustainable tourism, corresponding to the UN Statistical Commission’s recommendations on an indicator framework for the monitoring of the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda
- Linking the International Year with side events of international conferences, summits, events and initiatives
- Closing Ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland in December 2017
- Report on the implementation of the International Year for the UN General
Assembly in 2018
UNWTO International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development Sponsorship
Since all UNWTO activities must be funded through voluntary contributions UNWTO pleased to offer the following support opportunities:
- Official Sponsor of the International Year
Official Sponsorship packages are particularly designed for companies and
governments and start at EUR 50 000.
Official Sponsors will be highlighted prominently throughout the International Year
and publicly acknowledged for their major commitment in all communications and
events of the year.
- Partner of the International Year
Partnership packages are available at:
- Diamond
starting at EUR 20 000
- Gold
starting at EUR 10 000
- Silver
starting at EUR 5 000
- Friend of the International Year
UNWTO welcomes those "Friends" who wish to join the International Year through
smaller contributions starting at EUR 1 000. "Friends" of the International Year will
be duly recognized on the official IY2017 website throughout the year.
Organizers of UNWTO International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development
World Tourism Organization UNWTO
UNWTO International
Geneva, Switzerland
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