H.E. Ms. Eliza Jean Reid, First Lady of Iceland has been nominated as Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The appointment took place at the second UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture, an official event of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, being held in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman on 11 and 12 December.

UNWTO launched the Special Ambassadors for Tourism and the SDGs program as a legacy of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017. The program aims at advocating for the contribution of sustainable tourism´s to the 17 SDGs and encouraging the full integration of tourism and the SDGs in national, regional and global agendas.

In her intervention at the Conference H.E. Ms. Eliza Jean Reid underlined the relevance of sustainable tourism as a means to build peace and social cohesion “A strong, positive correlation exists between tourism and peace. The very existence of tourism depends on peace and security. Tourism represents a vital force for peace and a factor of friendship and understanding among the peoples of the world, because of the direct contacts it engenders between people of different cultures and lifestyles.” she said.

“With my strong belief in the power of sustainable tourism to help reduce inequality and increase tolerance, it is a tremendous honour for me to have been asked to be a Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals.” she added.

“By becoming a Special Ambassador on Tourism and SDGs the First Lady who personify Iceland’s wholehearted commitment to sustainable tourism development will surely provide an invaluable support to our efforts to make tourism more sustainable and increase our contribution to all 17 SDGs” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.