UN officials stress tourism’s role in safeguarding environment,reducing poverty

(Sept.28,2010) Top United Nations officials marked World Tourism Day on Monday, stressing the important role that sustainable tourism can play in conserving the diversity of life on the planet, and in helping to reduce poverty. “Tourism and biodiversity are closely intertwined,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted in his message for the Day, pointing out that millions of people travel each year to experience nature. “The income generated by sustainable tourism can provide important support for nature conservation, as well as for economic development,” he stated. “Furthermore, sustainable tourism can help to raise awareness among tourists and local communities of the importance of biodiversity to our everyday lives,” he said.
Ban pointed out that despite repeated global pledges to protect the planet’s species and habitats, and the goods and services they provide, the variety of life on Earth continues to decline at an unprecedented rate, adding that human activities are the cause. This year, which happens to be the International Year of Biodiversity, provides a timely opportunity to focus on the urgency of safeguarding biodiversity for the wealth, health and well-being of people in all regions of the world, he added.