On September 27, the world commemorates World Tourism Day 2023 with a very relevant theme: “Tourism and Green Investments.” This event, organized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), is a call for the entire international community, governments, multilateral financial institutions, development partners and the private sector to jointly design investment strategies that are more environmentally sound and sustainable.
This conference features a number of expert speakers who present a variety of relevant topics. One of the highlights was the presentation by Ms. Aglison Valle, Senior Director APAC, who discussed the need to preserve cultural heritage, including historical objects, historic buildings, memorial monuments and historic places that form the narrative of the nation’s struggle against colonialism.
Mrs. Ni Made Eka Mahadewi from Bali Tourism Polytechnic discussed the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) based green investment model which incorporates the concept of sustainability in tourism planning. This is an important step to ensure that tourism investments take into account environmental, social and good governance aspects.
Religious views on ecological tourism were also covered in this conference, with a presentation from Mrs. Hera Oktadiana, Ph.D., who explained the Islamic perspective on sustainability in ecotourism.
Sustainability in tourism management and efforts to maintain social, economic, cultural and environmental aspects were also the focus of Mrs. Dr. Yunita Ismail.
Prof. Dr. Vikneswaran Nair highlighted the principles of regenerative tourism and its integration in agritourism as part of a green investment strategy. This opens up new opportunities for the development of a more sustainable agritourism sector.
Finally, Olivier Ponti discusses travel trends and future prospects in the Asia-Pacific region and Indonesia, providing valuable insights into investment planning and tourism sector development.
World Tourism Day 2023 activities reinforce the message that sustainable tourism investment is the key to maintaining a balance between economic growth, environmental preservation and community welfare. This theme reflects the global commitment to maintaining sustainable tourism for the benefit of all parties. This conference underscores the importance of global collaboration, education and environmental awareness in formulating a more sustainable and resilient tourism future.