Photo courtesy of Surtrek Ecuador & Galapagos Tours, Ecuador, for SustainableTrip.org

Do you believe travel can be a force for good? Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNTWO) has celebrated World Tourism Day on September 27th to bring awareness to the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political, and economic value.

“World Tourism Day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of tourism to global well-being. As we travel, let us engage with other cultures and celebrate human diversity. On this observance, let us recognize tourism as a force for a more tolerant, open and united world.”

Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General

As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expresses in his World Tourism Day 2011 Message, this day is based on the belief that tourism can change people’s lives for the better. This idea is really quite empowering for the traveler; it means that your travel choices matter, including your decision to travel at all. But as any superhero can tell you: with great power comes great responsibility. Mr. Ban’s statement is also a call to actively engage with the culture of the country you are visiting – a prescription which lies at the heart of this year’s theme of “Linking Cultures.”

We celebrate the theme of “Linking Cultures” in honor of the power of tourism to connect people from all different walks of life and parts of the world. Indeed, there are many who say that the best part of traveling is the people you meet. Traveling always presents amazing opportunities to connect with others whose lives are entirely different from your own. Something truly wonderful happens when two people from completely different backgrounds, say for example, an American suburbanite and a rural Ecuadorian villager, share their experiences and, laughing in awe and fascination at the strangeness of the other’s daily routine, suddenly discover something they have in common. I think many travelers can relate, having experienced similar interactions and the good feeling that goes along with them – the satisfaction of having really connected with someone.

If tourism is to foster cross-cultural understanding and peace, then it is necessary for us to travel responsibly, with respect, curiosity, and open-mindedness. Responsible travel requires active engagement on the part of the traveler because unfortunately, irresponsible travel choices can actually do harm to the cultural and economic well-being of local communities. For example, certain hotels do not make it a point to hire their staff locally, thereby preventing income from tourist activities from benefitting the local community and sometimes even driving local families out of business. To avoid this, responsible travelers do their research and use sites like SustainableTrip.org, where all the hotels listed have made a commitment to support local communities and protect the environment. Another great resource is “The Responsible Tourist and Traveler,” a practical guide to traveling sustainably developed by the UN based on the principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.

Continue reading this article on the SustainableTrip blog