The 27th of September marks the United Nations´ calendar day highlighting tourism, a sector that is driving socioeconomic growth and development all over the world. The World Tourism Day 2013 was dedicated to ‘Tourism and Water – Protecting Our Common Future’ in line with the International Year of Water Cooperation, wherein stakeholders called for greater global efforts in water preservation.
The call by Ban Ki-moon, secretary-general, United Nations on the responsibility of tourism sector to safeguard and intelligently manage water was echoed by Taleb Rifai, secretary-general, UNWTO, “As one of the world’s leading socio-economic activities, the tourism sector must take a leadership role and ensure companies and destinations invest in adequate water management throughout the value chain.”
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| L-R: Arvind Pradhan, director general, Indian Merchants Chamber (IMC); Clarence Fernandes, co-chairman – Travel and Tourism Committee, IMC; Pradip Madhavji, chairman – Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Committee, IMC; Ernest Rwamucyo, high commissioner, Rwanda High Commission – New Delhi; Shailesh Vaidya, president, IMC and Jitendra Sanghvi, deputy director general, IMC graced the World Tourism Day celebrations organised by IMC held in Mumbai | Students of Happy Home and School for the Blind present the welcome songs at the event |
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| IndiaTourism Mumbai office celebrates World Tourism Day | |
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| Kiran Mehra Kerpalman, director, United Nations Information Centre for India and Bhutan (UNIC) lighting the lamp at Amity University’s 10th annual convention held on World Tourism Day in Noida | Kiran Soni Gupta, principal secretary to government – Literature, Art and Culture, and CEO, Amber Development and Management Authority going around the photo exhibition by Padam Sharman along with the visitors held on the occasion of World Tourism Day at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur |
