With less than one day to go to World Tourism Day (WTD) on September 27, preparations for the official celebrations in host country Spain are well underway.

In the presence of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Asturias,  Maspalomas, one of Spain’s famed seaside towns on the island of Gran Canaria, will  host the official celebrations of World Tourism Day 2012 under the theme Tourism & Sustainable Energy, coinciding with the United Nations International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.

In his message on the occasion of WTD, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, said: “One of the world’s largest economic sectors, tourism is especially well-placed to promote environmental sustainability, green growth and our struggle against climate change through its relationship with energy (…). Sustainable energy will allow tourism to continue to expand while mitigating its impact on the environment.”  

Organized by UNWTO and the Government of Spain, and hosted by the Government of the Canary Islands, the Government of Gran Canaria, San Bartolomé de Tirajana Council and the town of Maspalomas, events in Maspalomas include a Think Tank on Tourism and Sustainable Energy at which tourism experts and leaders from the energy, airline and hospitality sectors will debate the use of sustainable energy in the travel and tourism sector.

Further highlights include the official launch of the Spanish version of the online tool Hotel Energy Solutions (HES), a UNWTO-led initiative, helping hotels to cut their energy use, and a Tourism and Sustainable Energy Fair, demonstrating the latest technologies in the field.

Hundreds more events will take place around the world on 27 September, as people celebrate WTD in their own countries. UNWTO invites all to share their events and follow official WTD celebrations online.