UN sees sector as critical pillar in sustainable global growth

Editor's note: As the First World Conference on Tourism for Development holds its opening ceremony in Beijing on Thursday, Wu Hongbo, UN undersecretary-general for economic and social affairs, shares with China Daily his insights into tourism's role in promoting development.

What is your expectation of the conference?

Across the globe, the tourism sector has become a critical pillar within national development planning and policies. The sector has a unique ability to act as a powerful engine for advancing sustainable development.

Recent experience suggests that sustainable tourism can play an important role when it comes to poverty reduction, job creation and infrastructure investment.

In adopting the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, member states stressed the importance of tourism and included a specific target on tourism in the eighth sustainable development goal, also known as SDG 8, by 2030 - to devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.

The First World Conference on Tourism for Development, held under the theme "Tourism for Peace and Development" is thus a unique opportunity to foster a high-level dialogue on tourism's contribution to the 2030 Agenda. The conference provides a timely platform for identifying best practices, lessons learned and for exchanges of experience.

What are your comments on current tourism development worldwide? What do you predict the sector's future development trends will be?

Tourism has become one of the fastest growing socioeconomic sectors. Accounting for 10 percent of the world's GDP, the sector has a vast potential to address some of the world's most pressing challenges.

Recent forecasts indicate that tourism will experience sustained growth in the coming years, reaching 1.8 billion international tourist arrivals in 2030, up from 1.2 billion in 2015.

Tourism fosters economic growth, promotes inclusive development and has the potential to encourage environmental preservation. Moreover, tourism can help us build a more tolerant and peaceful society through the millions of encounters that take place every day around the world.

The year 2015 was a landmark year for the international community with the adoption of the SDGs, which will guide our common action toward 2030.

Tourism is part of this important roadmap. It is included in three of the goals for its capacity to promote economic growth, local culture and better resource management.

Last year was also a special year for tourism as the United Nations General Assembly has decided to declare 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

For the future, I believe we will see an acceleration of the current trends in the direction of sustainable tourism, in both developed and developing countries.

All sectors of tourism - from transport to water and energy consumption, to the protection of the natural resources, to job creation and poverty reduction - play an important role. I hope to see both the tourism industry and tourists themselves practice sustainable tourism.

What role do you think tourism plays in promoting peace, development and poverty relief?

Over the last decade, tourism's contribution to global GDP has been growing at an average annual rate of 2.3 percent since 2005.

Tourism can be a major source of income and employment, particularly if it brings real and tangible benefits to the local communities.

However, tourism can also cause social dislocation, loss or destruction of cultural heritage, economic dependence and environmental degradation.

Therefore, it is time to promote sustainable tourism, which creates income opportunities for local populations.

It can also enhance understanding and friendship between nations, increase environmental awareness and protect the natural and cultural heritages of the destination countries.

In this context, we should strive to maximize the potential of tourism for eradicating poverty, by developing appropriate sustainable tourism strategies in cooperation with all major groups, indigenous and local communities.

What is your thinking on the growth of China's tourism?

As China's tourism industry continues to flourish, the country is poised to become the world's second-largest travel and tourism economy after the United States.

The rapidly expanding tourism sector poses opportunities for innovation and product differentiation as more Chinese travel at home and abroad, and more foreign tourists visit China.

I am convinced that China's leadership in placing tourism as a priority for its development, and an effective tool for poverty alleviation, will be an inspiration to all participants in the conference.

What are your favorite tourist destinations in China and why?

China is a large country, rich in biodiversity and ecosystems and rich in history and culture. It has so many excellent tourist destinations to offer. Thus it is difficult for me to say which one is my favorite destination.

My dream is to be able to visit all the sites with rich and unique natural and cultural heritages.