The United Nations General Assembly has held a second thematic event focused on tourism and the sector’s critical role in advancing sustainable development and resilience.

Organised by the President of the General Assembly in collaboration with UN Tourism, the event was held at the UN Headquarters within the framework of Sustainability Week (April 15-19).

The presence of Member States, observers, civil society organisations, and UN agencies reflected a growing collective commitment to harnessing the transformative power of tourism for inclusive and sustainable development.

Addressing the General Assembly, UN Tourism Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, highlighted the need for tourism to be resilient if it was to continue providing widespread benefits to societies and economies.

“We cannot allow the lifeline of tourism to be cut again. Resilience in tourism is not just a matter of planning or reacting to crises. It is also about proactively addressing the underlying factors of those crises. Unsustainable consumption is leading to biodiversity loss, climate change, and the emergence of pandemics. It's vital that we adopt policies to accelerate transformative change.”

The President of the General Assembly, Dennis Francis, said: "We need a global tourism sector that is sustainable – one with deep local value chains that expand demand for locally made products and services in ways that also directly and positively benefit local communities; a sector that serves as a positive force for biodiversity conservation, heritage protection, and climate-friendly livelihoods."

High-level platform for statistics-led strategy

The event provided a platform for Member States to share best practices, strategies, and innovative approaches to promote sustainable and resilient tourism, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. Key highlights included:

• Fireside chat: The Future of Tourism – Leaders from the tourism industry, academia, and civil society engaged in a dynamic discussion on the future of tourism and the need for innovative solutions to address emerging challenges and opportunities.
• Ministerial roundtables: Discussions were held on the launch of the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism and strategies for fostering resilient tourism in the face of global challenges. Ministers and high-level officials shared insights and commitments to advance sustainable tourism practices and policies.

In closing, Francis reiterated the importance of collaboration and partnership to address the complex challenges facing the tourism sector and reaffirmed the UN's commitment to supporting sustainable tourism as a catalyst for positive change.

In February, the UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution to declare 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism. The resolution invites UN Tourism to work with governments, UN agencies, and international organisations on the implementation of the themed year.