28 September 2024
World Tourism Day 2024 was observed at MICC 2 here this morning, addressed by Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Also present were SAC Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, SAC members, union ministers, the Nay Pyi Taw council chair, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the Nay Pyi Taw command commander, deputy ministers, heads of foreign diplomatic missions in Myanmar, ministry officials, member tourism experts of National Tourism Development Committee, representatives of private tourism organizations, award winners of World Tourism Day 2024 commemorative contests, and officials.
In his keynote speech, the Senior General said World Tourism Day was designated on 27 September 1970, on which the Statutes of the United Nations World Tourism Organization were adopted with the aim of broadening the knowledge about the importance of tourism and its related social, cultural, political and economic benefits. World nations are celebrating the Day annually on this date.
Every year, World Tourism Day is celebrated with its respective theme, and “Tourism and Peace” is the chosen theme of this year. Tbilisi, Georgia is the host of this year’s event.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization-UNWTO was established in 1976 with the aim to achieve economic development, international understanding, peace, prosperity, respect for human rights, fundamental freedom that is free from racial discrimination, freedom of worship, and equal rights through tourism development.
Its name was changed to UN Tourism in January 2024, and today, it has 160 member states including Myanmar, six jointmember countries and over 500 private tourism organizations.
Tourism is one of the largest service industries of the world which can generate a lot of job opportunities. According to statistics, 1.5 billion tourists traveled around the world in 2019, earning USD 1.8 trillion during the post- COVID-19 period. Tourism supports 10.3 percent of the global GDP and 330 million jobs.
Through tourism, people can understand the diverse histories, cultures, religions, thoughts, beliefs and customs of different countries and can build global peace through experience from travel experiences that include respect, tourism promotion, and cooperation in global tourism.
In this regard, many global countries are conducting tourism for peace. Peace, stability and socio-economic progress are the pivotal essentialities of the world today, and individual countries and human communities are trying to solve the hardships collectively.
It is common knowledge that Myanmar possesses a large array of resources for tourism business and is a home to diverse cultures and over 100 ethnic races. Strategically located in Southeast Asia, it is also rich in unspoiled beaches, towering mountain ranges, archipelagos, and fertile plains. Exotic natural beauties, ancient cultural heritages that have historical value, and traditions and cultures and lifestyles of friendly national races are attracting more visitors.
In connection with tourist arrivals, as more than one million tourists visited Myanmar in 2023 and more than 500,000 in the first five months of 2024, it is expected that more tourists will visit Myanmar this year than the previous year. While the government has been making multifaceted efforts for economic recovery, it can be seen that emphasis has been placed on tourism, which can contribute to the economy.
The most fundamental and vital prerequisite for the development of a country is stability.
The SAC has given priority to pragmatic and potential measures in the peace process. In doing so, development of regions of national races can be achieved rapidly if national race leaders join hands with the government earnestly in regional development tasks.
As socioeconomic lives of national races can be rehabilitated by peace building, tastes and fruits of peace can be enjoyed. Priority must be given to reduction and elimination of current violence and regional stability.
When measures for tourism promotion and dissemination of tourism information are taken by the ministry and tour agencies, they are required to utilize effective methods to inform tourists about and to ensure safety realities of tour destinations within a very short period.
Private tour operators are also urged to cooperate with them. In accordance with World Tourism Day – 2024′ theme, “Tourism and Peace,” all stakeholders in the tourism sector are urged to make concerted efforts together with the government in peace endeavors for the sustainable future development of Myanmar.
Then, the video message of the general secretary of the World Tourism Federation and video clips of Myanmar’s efforts for tourism development were screened.
Afterward, the Senior General presented prizes to winners of the tourism promotion short video competition and the colour photo competition marking the event.
Then, the joint secretary and Member General Mya Tun Oo of the SAC presented prizes to the winning students of the impromptu talks and the essay competition marking the event respectively.
Afterward, the Senior General and party posed for documentary photographs with the prize winners.
Then, the Senior General and attendees viewed booths for tour destinations in respective regions and state, booths displayed by Myanmar Tourism Federation, affiliate associations and ministries and the main booth of the National Solidarity and Peace- Making Negotiation Committee marking the event.
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