Moroccan Tourism Workers Worried About Future After Massive Earthquake

Hawaiians have delivered a petition asking to delay tourism reopening following the summer wildfires.

Saudi Arabia has become a “must-see destination”, Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, said in Riyadh during the opening ceremony of World Tourism Day this weekend. “This is a country that always looks forward, and in big ways,” he continued. “Saudi Arabia is now the second-biggest place for foreign direct investment projects in all the Middle East and Africa. I’m proud to say we count on the support of Saudi Arabia.”

Saudi Tourism Authority and Ant Group have signed a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) to explore introducing Alipay+, a suite of unified global mobile payment and marketing solutions, to Saudi Arabia, aiming to provide a seamless mobile payment experience for Asian tourists in Saudi and beyond and to further expand Alipay+’s global coverage.

More than 500 officials, tourism leaders and experts from 120 countries attended a gala event in Diriyah in the Saudi capital this week to mark World Tourism Day. Among the guests at the At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site were 50 tourism ministers from around the world, who had been in the Kingdom for a series of conferences, UN World Tourism Organization initiatives and private sector sessions hosted by Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Saudi minister of tourism.

It's been just a year since Japan reopened its borders to international travel after the pandemic. But tourism has rebounded in ways almost no one could have predicted, setting up a potentially record-breaking 2024.

This World Tourism Day – taking place on September 27 – the hotel industry is witnessing a significant transformation with sustainability finally emerging as a crucial factor in a hotel’s success. As part of this year’s theme the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has identified green investments as a top priority for the recovery and future growth of tourism, emphasising the need for more focused and better investments for people, the planet, and prosperity.

Every year on September 27th, the United Nations observes World Tourism Day to acknowledge tourism’s significant role in promoting growth and cultural awareness. The theme for World Tourism Day 2023 is “Tourism and Green Investments,” emphasizing the importance of directing investments towards the well-being of people, the planet, and prosperity.

Heritage tourism experts grappled with complex issues of presenting culture and heritage to tourists at an international gathering of culture tourism experts 24-25 September in Valencia, Spain. Just over 100 delegates from 17 countries debated the latest issues, trends and opportunities affecting the sector, which accounts for 40% of all tourism activity, according to the UNWTO.

Responsible Travel has published its first major impact report, as it rolls out a carbon labelling initiative to its 479 industry partners.

Australia has recommenced visa processing for Chinese group travel, Australia’s Ministry of Trade and Tourism announced on Monday.

The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office has unveiled Mekong Voices and Mekong’s Hidden Gems – captivating interviews with local tourism pioneers, and insights into less travelled ‘hidden’ destinations. Both initiatives are hosted on the new MekongTourism.org website. Mekong Voices is a series of Q&A interviews with intrepid travellers, pioneers and changemakers who are leading by example in the travel sector in the Greater Mekong Subregion. The dialogues delve into sustainability, resilience and innovation within the travel industry. They offer practical insights and serve as catalysts for transformative change.

This month’s earthquake in Morocco claimed thousands of lives and left many homeless, including workers in the tourism sector, who are sleeping in empty hotel ballrooms or apartments rented out by their employers, according to the properties we spoke to.