The UN has designated 27 September as 'World Tourism Day'. It's a chance to shine a light on the benefits that tourism brings to the local community, whilst also considering the industry's place among the major global issues of the day.

World Tourism Day

World Tourism Day 2024 is centred around the theme 'Tourism and Peace'. This is to showcase the power of tourism to bring people together over new customs or shared experiences. It also covers the ways in which tourism can help bring stability to otherwise troubled areas - bringing jobs, prosperity and increased cross-border co-operation.

Did you know, for example, that countries with a more open and sustainable tourism sector tend to be more peaceful? They're also more prosperous - around one in ten jobs worldwide are in the tourism industry.

As United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message for World Tourism Day 2024: "Let us travel responsibly, build bridges, and promote mutual respect among cultures and nations. Together, we can harness the power of tourism to advance peace and prosperity for all."

Celebrating peace in Portsmouth

For a city with a history influenced in large parts by conflict and war, Portsmouth has many stories about peace.

For example, though HMS Warrior may have been the fastest, well-armed and best-protected ship of her time (said to have made all other warships obsolete on the day of launch), she never once fired a shot in anger. Instead, Warrior was a deterrent - and it turns out a very effective one.

Over at The D-Day Story you'll find 'Soldier of Sacrifice', a sculpture by Alfie Bradley - who created the famous Knife Angel. Made of replica bullets (plus steel and resin) the sculpture represents Den Brotheridge, the first man to land on the Normandy beaches on 6 June 1944. Whilst crouched in a way as if to throw a grenade, what's in the sculpture's hand is actually a dove, symbolising peace in Europe and to acknowledge that the deaths on D-Day were not in vain.

A more modern celebration of peace can be found in the city's burgeoning street art scene. You don’t have to wander too far into Southsea before you spot a bird or seagull espousing peace, love, or the motto: 'be excellent to each other'. Created by local artist Fark Fk, these designs are well loved locally and nationally, and it’s been said that seeing one of his seagulls 'really makes you feel you are in Southsea'.

For more information, including stats and details of what's going on, visit the World Tourism Day website.

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