26 September 2023
Tourism thought leader and one of the most sought out speakers, Alain St. Ange has delivered his message ahead of the celebration of the 2023 World Tourism Day (WTD2023), which is schedule for September 27.
World Tourism Day 2023 has been labelled “Tourism and Green Investment” as reflection point. It is very important for every tourism destination to mark the 27th of September because this remains the dedicated day for Tourism. World Tourism Day arrives every year, but it cannot just be a day that we think of tourism and then return to the old habits and close our eyes to practices that hurt tourism.
Alain St. Ange, the former Seychelles Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine speaking as he prepares to leave Seychelles for a Tourism Summit in Bali, said that if the world values tourism as an industry it need to be reflected day after day and recognised as the industry that keeps many an economy afloat and keeps the millions in employment. “Tourism cannot just be an activity for today. It needs to be embraced as the industry we want for today, tomorrow and for the future. We must be seen to be living by statements we make to push for a sustainable tourism future that will help feed our people and safeguard our economy,” said former Minister St. Ange who is now the VP for World Tourism Network and who is also the VP for the ‘AFASU'(Asia & Africa) Tourism Awards for Capital Cities.
The world of tourism is gathering in Bali in Indonesia for the tourism summit as the World Tourism Day 2023 is being marked. “There is no better time for a tourism summit;” said St. Ange “because thinking tourism, living tourism, and wanting tourism to succeed is what will mark a Tourism Day. We must take the “Tourism and Green Investment” reflection point and stretch it further. Tourism is not a resort or a hotel, it is not the airline or a cruise ship, it is not the DMC or the tourism guides – tourism is more than that and must be seen as enveloping all these spin off businesses and employment avenues in the country where tourism is being seen as a viable industry.
We do not have a tourism industry for an airline, or one for a hotel group. We must see it as One Tourism Industry that we all work together to make it succeed. The destination must rise to the level and not be the bad apple in the basket of apples. The country is the tourism destination, and every government has the responsibility to ensure they are providing the necessary infrastructure and services which will be seen as the benchmark to their tourism industry. Let us use World Tourism Day 2023 to commit to be tourism destinations worthy of the name ‘A Tourism Destination,’ said Alain St. Ange, the former Minister of Tourism.
Alain St. Ange today heads he very own Tourism Consultancy working with Ministries of Tourism and Tourism Boards across Africa and in Asia. He also remains a sought after speaker on the Tourism and Aviation Circuit as assists for tourism destinations in their visibility campaigns to ensure they remain relevant.