PRESS BRIEFING
BY MONICA GRAYLEY,
SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY
PRESIDENT DENNIS FRANCIS
United Nations Headquarters, New York
16 April 2024
Good afternoon, everyone!
SUSTAINABILITY WEEK AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOCUSES ON TOURISM
This morning, the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Dennis Francis, spoke at the opening High-Level Thematic Event on Tourism to start the second day of Sustainability Week.
The PGA was followed by the Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili, and H.E. Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Chair of the Executive Council of the UN Tourism and Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In his remarks, Mr. Francis highlighted the power of tourism as “one of the most dynamic sectors of the global economy” accounting for 3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with an estimated direct GDP of $3.3 trillion. The sector employs one in every 10 people around the world.
President Dennis Francis recalled the role of the industry in attracting significant volumes of foreign direct investment and being a catalyst for development, especially in low and middle-income countries.
The PGA also invited the General Assembly to support the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism, which was adopted at the UN Statistical Framework in March.
President Francis reiterated the need for a global tourism sector that is “resilient” and “understands and caters to its own vulnerability”.
In a fireside chat, which was moderated by UN Tourism Ambassador and CNN journalist, Richard Quest, participants discussed also the future of tourism amidst challenges and risks including climate change, terrorism, political turmoil and pandemics.
This afternoon, two Ministerial Roundtables will take place with Representatives of South Africa, Guatemala, Maldives, Jamaica, Indonesia, and the Principality of Andorra.
The Mayor of New York, Mr. Eric Adams, will speak at the Closing Segment accompanied by the UN Tourism Organization and the President of the General Assembly.
More on the PGA’s speech on Day 2 of Sustainability Week on the PGA’s website: www.un.org/pga/78.
A few moments ago, President Francis delivered opening remarks at the ECOSOC Youth Forum on Youth Shaping Sustainable and Innovative Solutions.
Tomorrow, Sustainability Week will focus on transport.
PGA’S CHALLENGE FOR SUSTAINABILITY NEARS 120,000 ACTIONS
We have new numbers for you on President Francis’s challenge on #ChooseSustainability.
You will recall that ahead of Sustainability Week, the PGA called Member States, representatives of civil society and media as well as the public at large to join him on posting sustainability actions, either on a corporate or individual level.
This initiative is a partnership with the Department of Global Communications ActNow Campaign.
The initial target was set at 25,000 actions but to date – we are pleased to report – the challenge has registered almost 120,000 actions.
The challenge is still active and you can take part in it on the PGA’s digital platforms and #ChooseSustainability.
This is everything we have for you today. Do you have any questions or anything else?
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