This file photo taken on June 11, 2024 shows UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili in Barcelona, Spain. TO GO WITH "Interview: China's "Golden Week Plus" highlights global tourism impact, UN Tourism chief says" (UN Tourism/Handout via Xinhua)
MADRID, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- As China prepares for its "Golden Week Plus" holiday starting Oct. 1, Secretary-General of UN Tourism Zurab Pololikashvili highlighted the country's role in the global travel market as well as tourism's broader economic and cultural significance.
"The sheer numbers of people moving over such a short space of time never fails to impress me," Pololikashvili said in a recent written interview with Xinhua.
China is expected to see about 2 million daily border crossings and roughly 2.36 billion passenger trips nationwide during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.
Pololikashvili praised China's contributions to both domestic and international tourism. "In many destinations, most notably in Europe and across Asia and the Pacific, Chinese tourists support countless small businesses and livelihoods," he said. At the same time, with a rich culture and world-class travel infrastructure, China itself is emerging as one of the top destinations.
Highlighting the UN's Best Tourism Villages initiative, he said seven Chinese villages were recognized in 2024, bringing the country's total to 15 -- the largest number worldwide. Notable examples include Azheke in southwest China's Yunnan province, Shibadong in central China's Hunan province, and Yandunjiao in east China's Shandong province.
The program honors rural destinations that successfully balance welcoming tourists with protecting their cultural traditions, natural resources and community identity that make them distinctive.
China became a member of UN Tourism (formerly the World Tourism Organization) in 1983. Since 2021, Chinese has been formally recognized as an official language of the organization, together with English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian.
"I am also proud to say that China is a valued and very active member of UN Tourism. It is helping guide the development of tourism right across the wider region, putting innovation first," said the UN Tourism chief.
This year also marks UN Tourism's 50th anniversary. Over the past five decades, the organization has worked to ensure that the growth of the sector is managed sustainably and that its benefits are widely shared.
"When we could not travel, we yearned for human connections, cultural exchanges and seeing and experiencing new places. This human connection lies at the very heart of tourism," said Pololikashvili.
While technology such as virtual reality can expand access and protect fragile sites, in-person travel remains vital to economies and jobs, he added.
Looking ahead, he said UN Tourism will continue guiding the industry amid digitalization, artificial intelligence, climate challenges and changing travel patterns.
Headquartered in Madrid, UN Tourism works with 160 member states and more than 500 affiliate members to promote tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability. ■
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