Chinese leader harps on higher financing for tourism development
The role of tourism in fighting poverty and building peace was the key focus of the first World Conference on Tourism for Development held recently.
Delivering the keynote address to declare the conference open, Premier Li Keqiang of China underlined the role of tourism in lifting people out of poverty and the importance of stepping up international cooperation in tourism.
The event, organized by UNWTO and the government of the People’s Republic of China, gathered about 1,000 participants from over 100 countries in Beijing, China.
Premier Li Keqiang, who emphasized tourism’s capacity to stimulate economic growth, create jobs and foster inclusive development, said: “The global economy is lacking in growing momentum and needs a new driving force. As one of the fastest-growing and most resilient industrial sectors, tourism plays an important role in boosting world economic recovery.”
At the same occasion, perhaps as a way of stating its readiness to put its money where her mouth is, China announced the launch of an international tourism cooperation plan that is expected to further accelerate tourism development across the world.
Also addressing the conference, President of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyussi, stated that inclusion through tourism requires adequate investment in education as well as capacity building. In the same manner, the link between development and peace was underlined by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, who said: “There can be no development without peace and no peace without development.”
In a message, the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon said: “When tourism is well-managed, it has tremendous capacity to create decent jobs, provide opportunities for inclusion and education, and contribute to preserving cultural heritage and the environment.” The message was delivered on his behalf by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Wu Hongbo.
The conference included three main panel sessions dedicated to the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to poverty alleviation and to peace.
During the summit session, moderated by CNN’s Richard Quest, participants called for an integrated approach to tourism development that can contribute effectively to the SDGs. Issues discussed included effective resource management, the role of the private sector and the need for the SDGs to be understood by all - citizens, policy makers, and the business community.
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