At the UN Tourism headquarters in Madrid, a significant gathering took place to mark a milestone in the global tourism sector. Ambassadors to Spain from 24 Member States, including His Excellency Farrukh Tursunov, Ambassador of Uzbekistan, and Rosario Sánchez Grau, Spain’s Secretary of State for Tourism, were welcomed by UN Tourism leadership to look ahead to 2027, which has been proclaimed as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism.
This designation follows a resolution sponsored by Uzbekistan and adopted by 86 Member States at the UN General Assembly in February. The adoption of this resolution is a collective achievement, emphasizing the global commitment to promoting tourism that is not only a driver of development and opportunity but also sustainable and resilient.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili highlighted the importance of this resolution, stating, “The adoption of the Resolution to proclaim 2027 the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism was a joint achievement. So it is only right we come together today to celebrate it. The year will allow us to make clear tourism’s unique ability to drive development and opportunity, while also stressing the need to ensure that the sector’s growth is sustainable in every way and resilient enough to weather future shocks and challenges.”
The UN General Assembly Resolution calls on UN Tourism to lead the organization and implementation of this International Year, working in collaboration with governments, United Nations agencies, international and regional organizations, and other stakeholders. This initiative will provide a platform to showcase tourism’s potential to contribute positively to global development while addressing the sector’s challenges and ensuring its long-term sustainability and resilience.
As the world prepares for 2027, the focus will be on strengthening the tourism sector’s ability to adapt to and overcome future challenges, ensuring that tourism continues to thrive in harmony with our planet and communities.
