And obviously we hope on this day of days you’ll be reading this in some foreign clime… yes, World Tourism Day is a trip.
Apart from the fact that every day should be World Tourism Day.
We obviously fully endorse anything that shines a light on our industry.
Now we never underestimate the joy of travel and were reminded of its importance to the human condition during lockdown.
So to have the United Nations step up and designate a day to Travel when our own countries too often pass over it is a boon.
The one in ten
Travel is too easily seen as a frippery and those who work in it frivolous and their field trips mocked as freebies.
I’m almost too tired to bother justifying what we do on the grounds that we do this because we’re good at it.
And that there is a market for what we do.
Travel’s back
But don’t just take my word for it. Well do, but the UN confirms that one in ten people across the globe works in tourism.
It is encouraging then to see that there has been a strong rebound in 2022 with almost 250 million international arrivals recorded.
And that means that the sector has recovered almost half (46 per cent) of pre-pandemic levels.
And this means that our holiday providers are able to pitch our vacations at lower prices.
All of which I’ll find our more of when the world comes together in person for the first time since Covid at the World Travel Market in London.
Of course the world of travel didn’t stop during lockdown just because we couldn’t travel.
Bergamo leads way
Although some of us did mask up to probe how Covid got into Europe with Omio in Bergamo in the north of Italy.
And how those heroic Bergamaschi endured that shockwave with forbearance and their recovery plan which is now yielding benefits.
We are glad to see that Asia where Covid broke out is reopening too.
And it is poignant that Japan should lift its restrictions on the eve of the Cherry Blossom fall… there’s hope in the air.
The Glasgow Declaration
But what can we do to improve our holiday experience both for ourselves and others from our corner of the world.
Well Scotland’s Second City might not jump out as the starting point.
But the Glasgow Declaration which came out of COP26 the commitment to accelerate climate action in tourism.
And to secure strong commitments to support the global goals to halve emissions over the next decade.
And to reach Net Zero emissions as soon as possible before 2050.
With 450 organisations having become signatories of this declaration.
And this Glaswegian is right behind that and this designated UN day.
Yes, World Tourism Day is a trip… so today let’s all be day trippers.
