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UN chief â€“ Message on World Tourism Day

25 September 2012 14:28 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Anakhanym Hidayatova-APA.On the World Tourism Day, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls for building a more sustainable future for all.

The UN office in Baku says, â€œTourism and Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Developmentâ€ is the theme of this yearâ€™s World Tourism Day, selected to advance the goals of the 2012 International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.

The UN chief emphasized that the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development could make a significant contribution to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development: â€œOne of the worldâ€™s largest economic sectors, tourism is especially well-placed to promote environmental sustainability, green growth and our struggle against climate change through its relationship with energy. Hundreds of millions of people around the world depend for income on this energy-intensive sector. Sustainable energy will allow tourism to continue to expand while mitigating its impact on the environment. I commend the tourism community for its growing commitment to sustainable energy. I also thank the tourists who play their part by off-setting their own carbon emissions, choosing ecologically friendly destinations and providers, or simply by postponing having their towels laundered. Every action counts. This year, one billion international tourists will travel to foreign destinations. Imagine what one act multiplied by one billion can do. On this World Tourism Day, I appeal to all who work in and enjoy the benefits of this global sector to join in building a more sustainable future for allâ€.