World Tourism Day is celebrated every year on September 27, a date established by the United Nations Organization to coincide with the date on which the statutes of the United Nations World Tourism Organization were approved.
Religious tourism and pilgrimages to different countries and Catholic churches has made the Dicastery for Evangelization within the Catholic Church aware of its role in this respect and has strengthened its ongoing commitment to fraternity. The Dicastery joins in on World Tourism Day every year to promote a space for prayer, meeting, and reflection on the importance of tourism for countries and their current and future generations.
Tourism is an activity that goes beyond the act of traveling to see other lands or landscapes. Those who travel, not only find beautiful views or cultural icons, but also meet other people, other creeds, cultures and ways of seeing the world in a one-way journey. This encounter inevitably always returns to them; to that new person who has been transformed by the experience.
That is why this date is an appropriate time to reflect on the value of tourism for those who do the traveling, as well as for those who receive the travelers. Moving from one place to another is also a form of encounter. By opening ourselves up to others and breaking out of the comfort of our cultures and beliefs, we can discover in others the face of God that is also manifested in them: by their love, closeness and their welcoming us into their culture, however different it may be. Reflect on this experience with their way of seeing life, seeing divinity and how they live the love of God.
Traveling is a way of recognizing others in order to recognize ourselves. It is also a way of fulfilling the evangelizing mission that Jesus entrusted to us: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Mk 16:15) “Proclaim”, not impose; “approach”, not force. Sharing the “Good News”, that is the key. Sharing the beauty of a world created by God for humanity, the beauty of every culture, the beauty of every belief, and every faith.
On this day that we commonly call “tourism day”, the UN proposes the theme “Tourism and Peace”. A theme that also invites us to reflect, to think about how, in this experience of traveling and getting to know others, we can smooth the rough edges; recognize one another as brothers and sisters and work to reduce conflicts between peoples. Committing to peace is always the way forward – a commitment to the encounter between people, accepting that we are all different but equal in the eyes of God.
It is also an invitation to look beyond ourselves, to understand what tourism is in many cases. As Monsignor Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization said, “Tourism is the only decent source of income that many people and individuals have to survive; a livelihood that the drama of war and violence ruins, preventing tourists from traveling safely to the affected regions, leading to even more hunger, devastation and poverty.”
On the other hand, regarding religious tourism and pilgrimages that move an important part of world tourism, it is necessary to reflect a little more as believers. We must understand that beyond the visit to a temple or holy place, the spirit of prayer, fraternity and respect for the devotions of others must prevail.
Visiting temples or going on a pilgrimage to them, should be an experience that goes beyond photography and travel. It is necessary to turn it into a true spiritual practice, experiencing transformation in an encounter with God personally, but also by encountering brother or sisters, or pilgrims with whom we share the road. And it is especially an opportunity to show respect for the rites and devotions that are performed in these holy places. Pilgrimage entails having a contemplative attitude; in silence; or even barefoot in order to enter into the intimacy of God.
Finally, may the World Day of Tourism allow us to build bridges of fraternity towards others. May it help us to know and understand ourselves as a pilgrim humanity that, in its journey towards others, also finds a way of approaching God.
