Special trip
On September 21 of each year, the world celebrates the International Day of Peace, an occasion that opens a wide door to looking at tourism as more than a travel and economic movement; It is one of the most capable human activities to bring together people from different cultures and backgrounds in one space, and to transform knowledge of the other from a mental image into a direct experience.

Tourism builds bridges

The United Nations Tourism has repeatedly emphasized that travel contributes to enhancing dialogue and understanding between peoples, because direct contact between the visitor and the host community creates opportunities to learn about different customs, cultures and lifestyles. In 2024, the organization chose the slogan “Tourism and Peace” for World Tourism Day, emphasizing the sector’s role in building bridges and reducing misunderstanding between communities.

Without peace, the roads are empty of the smiles of passers-by

During the 2024 World Tourism Day celebrations in Tbilisi, Zurab Pololikashvili, former Secretary-General of the United Nations for Tourism, said that “without peace there is no tourism,” calling for building a tourism sector that is more aware of its role in supporting peace and linking tourism education with initiatives to build understanding between peoples.

When flights are missed
The relationship appears in the opposite direction as well; Conflicts lead to the cessation of flights, the closure of hotels, a decline in investments, and the endangerment of cultural and natural heritage. Therefore, the return of tourists to a destination emerging from a period of turmoil often becomes an indicator of the gradual return of confidence, economic and social life.

Travel breaks stereotypes

Tourism does not create peace alone, but it gives people a rare opportunity to get to know each other away from preconceived news and images. The United Nations Tourism has described travel as a tool for dialogue and cultural exchange, considering that interaction between communities enhances tolerance, respect and mutual understanding.

How do we make our trips have a warm impact on the hearts of others?

For the Arab tourist, the trip itself can be a simple act of rapprochement: respecting the culture of the host community, supporting its local projects, and listening to the stories of its residents. Every trip not only changes the place by what you spend there, but it may also change the way the visitor sees the world and the people who live in it.