Raising public awareness on World Tourism Day 2015

September 27th is World Tourism Day. This year, activities at the Tourism Day rally will focus on raising awareness and calling for responsible tourism practices for everyone when traveling.

With the message “One billion tourists, one billion opportunities”, World Tourism Day 2015 emphasizes the potential that one billion tourists bring to socio-economic growth, comprehensive development and environmental protection.

International tourists visit Hanoi. (Illustration photo: Huy Le)

In his message on World Tourism Day 2015, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization Taleb Rifai emphasized: “Currently, more than one billion tourists visit international tourist destinations each year. It is these one billion tourists who have made tourism a leading economic sector, contributing 10% of the world's total GDP and 6% of the world's total export turnover.”

Mr. Taleb Rifai also affirmed: Tourism is not just about going to a place - tourism is global. Every time we travel, we become part of a global movement that has the power to promote positive changes for our planet and for all people.

In response to World Tourism Day 2015, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism with technical support from the European Union-funded Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme (EU-ESRT Project) will organize a Rally to celebrate World Tourism Day on September 26, 2015 at Ly Thai To Monument, Hanoi.

Activities at the rally focused on raising awareness and calling for responsible tourism practices for everyone when traveling. The most prominent activities were the garbage collection activities of hundreds of students at tourist attractions in the capital and the electric car parade around the central streets and the old quarter.

Established in 1960, after 55 years of development, the tourism industry has taken shape and become an economic sector with important contributions to socio-economic development. According to the report of the General Department of Tourism, in 2014 Vietnam welcomed 7.87 million international visitors. Total revenue from tourism reached about 230 trillion VND, contributing about 6% to GDP. Foreign currency revenue from tourism is only behind 4 commodity export industries: crude oil, textiles, footwear, and seafood./.

According toCommunist Party of Vietnam