WITH SUPPORT FROM India’s Ministry of Tourism, the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations is hosting a high-level roundtable on 'Sustainability in Tourism' at the U.N. headquarters in New York on July 14. The roundtable, organized in collaboration with Croatia's Ministry of Tourism, is a part of the forum on sustainable development, the UNWTO said in a statement.
The event will advance UNWTO's work in sustainable tourism through public-private partnerships.
“It aims to bring collective action for sustainable tourism across sectors through discussions with global leaders and U.N. representatives,” the statement said.
In New York, UNWTO and partners will promote sustainable development goals understanding, present the Goa Roadmap, raise awareness about measuring tourism sustainability, outline benefits of an ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses, and share key points from the "Achieving the SDGs through tourism: Toolkit of Indicators for Projects," developed with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the statement added.
Csaba Kőrösi, president of the U.N. General Assembly, and Lachezara Stoeve, president of the Economic and Social Council, will jointly inaugurate the event. Moderated by UNWTO's executive director, the high-level roundtable will include Tourism Ministers from Croatia, India, Jamaica, and Spain, along with Ivan Šimonović, permanent representative of Croatia to the UN. Matt Callaghan, director of EasyJet Holidays, and Edward Brooks, executive director of Oxford SDG Impact Lab, will represent the private and academic sectors respectively, the statement said.
In June, the World Travel & Tourism Council and UNWTO signed a memorandum of understanding at the G20 Ministerial meeting in Goa to promote global collaboration for job creation, talent development, and business opportunities in the travel and tourism industry worldwide.
Canadian traveler picks Pakistan’s hospitality over India’s
Pakistan Beats India in Hospitality, Says Canadian Vlogger
INDIA IS KNOWN for “Atithi Devo Bhava,” meaning "The guest is God," but some foreigners disagree. A Canadian man, when asked to choose between India and Pakistan for better hospitality, picked Pakistan without hesitation.
His brief interview with an Instagram user has since gone viral, Hindustan Times reported.
Instagram user @officialnamour, known for vox pop videos, recently asked Canadian traveler Nolan Saumure about "desi" hospitality. Saumure, a Canadian travel vlogger, has visited dozens of countries, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Indonesia, the U.S. and Vietnam.
When asked, “India or Pakistan—which has better hospitality?” Saumure instantly replied, "Pakistan, obviously."
He explained that Indians often see foreigners as wealthy customers, while Pakistanis offer warm hospitality, inviting tourists into their homes and offering food.
"You go to India, and people just see you as a walking ATM," Saumure said. "You go to Pakistan, and people are like, 'Oh, come here, sit. Take this free food. Come sleep at my place.'"
The video has more than 4.4 million views and hundreds of comments, many agreeing with Saumure.
"As an African living in Dubai, I agree with him. Pakistanis are friendlier than Indians. Pakistanis see you as a friend, while Indians see you as a stranger," one user commented. Another added simply, “I agree (I’m Indian).”
“India gets a lot of tourists, so we’re used to it and have built an economy around them,” another Instagram user said. “Pakistan gets only a few hundred tourists a year, so seeing a foreigner is a big deal for them.”
Some criticized Saumure’s opinion, some with racial overtones.
“Why do whites expect princess treatment from Indians after stealing $45 trillion from India?” one user asked.
A whitepaper by the Confederation of Indian Industry and EY projects India’s tourism and hospitality sector will create 6.1 million jobs by 2034. It currently accounts for 8 percent of total employment.