At the heart of summer the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant People has published its yearly message for World Tourism Day which will be celebrated on September 27. The title chosen for this year’s message is topical: “Tourism and water: protecting our common future”.

The message providentially coincides with the U.N. sponsored “International Year for Cooperation for Water” that was promulgated by the U.N. General Assembly during the International Decade for Action “Water, source of life” (2005-2015). According to resolution

A/RES/65/154 which was approved by the UN General Assembly on 20 December 2010, “water is critical for sustainable development, especially for environmental integrity and eradication of poverty and hunger, it is essential for the health and well-being of human beings, and is fundamental to achieve the Millennium Development Goals”.

In view of the above-mentioned UN resolution water is certainly an essential resource and a singular benifit towards the inception and sustainable flourishing of tourism. The message explains that water is “an asset because people feel naturally drawn to it, and there are millions of tourists seeking to enjoy this natural element during their days off, by choosing as their holiday destination some ecosystems where water is the most specific element (wetlands, beaches, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, islands, glaciers or snowfields, just to name a few), or trying to grasp its many benefits (especially in seaside resorts or spas). … Water is also a resource for the tourism industry and it is essential, among other things, to hotels, restaurants and leisure activities”.

Unfortunately greed has also dipped its destroying finger in the tourism sector. There are worldwide visible signs that under the pretext of rapid and facile economic profit tourism industry has been permitted to pollute a place. Many a time water is one of the resources which is paying a costly price in this unbridled and irresponsible way of development. In his message on the occasion of the World Day of Water of this year, the U.N. General Secretary, Ban-Kimoon, said that “however, year after year the pressure on this resource increases. One out of three people live in a country with moderate to high-water shortages, and it is possible that by 2030 the shortage will affect almost half of the world’s population, since its demand may exceed the supply by 40%”.

In fact it is estimated that one billion people cannot have access to drinking water. Sadly this huge number is bound to increase in the forthcoming years due to the water’s poor distribution, pollution or even its scandalous waste. To add insult to injury it is not excluded that inappropriate or unfair employment of water can make things far worse as they are now. Regrettably tourism has contributed to this faulty use of water by letting itself being governed by fierce and soulless competition with other sectors to the point of wasting large amounts of water at the expense of the nearby populations which are suffering from its scarcity.

Towards its conclusion the message exhorted both politicians and entrepreneurs to remedy this tragic situation by advocating a change in mentality that is animated by sobriety and self-discipline. “[They] must ensure that tourists are aware and reflect on their responsibilities and the impact of their trip. They must be convinced that not everything is allowed, although they personally carry the economic burden. [They] need to educate and encourage the small gestures allowing us not to waste or pollute the water and, at the same time, help us appreciate even more its importance”.

This means putting into practice Pope Francis’ to take “all the serious commitment to respect and preserve creation, to be responsible for every person, to oppose the culture of waste, to promote a culture of solidarity and encounter”.

Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap

San Gwann