One billion tourists have travelled the world in 2012, marking a new record for international tourism, a sector that accounts for one in every 12 jobs and 30 percent of the world’s services exports.
On the symbolic arrival date of the one-billionth tourist (13 December 2012), the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) revealed the actions tourists can take to ensure their trips benefit the people and places they visit, as voted by the public.
Recalling the positive impact even the smallest action can have if multiplied by one billion, UNWTO launched the One Billion Tourists: One Billion Opportunities campaign to celebrate this milestone, showing tourists that respecting local culture, preserving heritage or buying local goods when travelling can make a big difference.
“Today, we welcome the symbolic arrival of the one-billionth tourist,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “Your actions count. That is our message to the one billion tourists. Through the right actions and choices, each tourist represents an opportunity for a fairer, more inclusive and more sustainable future.”
As it is impossible to know exactly where the one-billionth tourist arrived, many countries are celebrating the occasion by welcoming tourists arriving on 13 December. UNWTO is celebrating in Madrid, Spain, home to its headquarters, by welcoming the symbolic one-billionth tourist in the Museo del Prado, Madrid’s most-visited tourism attraction, together with the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism of Spain.
To see where the one billion tourists come from, where they travel to, how they get there and what their trips mean for development, see the One Billion Tourists infographics.
