By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Tourism should be marked by justice and respect for Creation, and, for this Jubilee Year, those working in tourism should express Christian hope.
These elements were outlined in the Vatican’s message for the 46th World Tourism Day 2025, which is observed annually on Sep 27, on the theme ‘Tourism and Sustainable Transformation.”
In the message, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, urged admiration for and protection of the Earth’s resources, promotion of tourism through just practices, and adoption of sustainable lifestyles.
In light of global mobility, Archbishop Fisichella noted, “a use of resources is required that significantly impacts both people’s health and the environment.”
Therefore, he appealed to those working in tourism to seek solutions that respect environmental sustainability.
Justice, care and caution
Tourism, Archbishop Fisichella suggested, brings up the issue of justice, which, he stressed, means offering fair wages to those working in tourism.
“The inevitable increase in travelers must be matched by appropriate offerings,” he said, while warning again speculation, thinking only about profits, and the attitude of some who, in the face of growing tourist activity, respond by closing their doors to visitors.
“Overcrowding, in some places,” he recognized, “presents serious challenges,” but, he reasoned, “these can be prevented through timely interventions and by making use of the tools that technology provides.”
Christian community’s participation in tourism
The Archbishop recalled that the Christian community also participates in tourism, especially through the hospitality they extend to pilgrims and tourists.
For this reason, he underscored, shrines are encouraged to remain “sacred spaces of authentic spirituality, where the heart finds comfort and reflection on life’s fundamental questions is encouraged through silence, prayer, and dialogue with men and women of God.”
Archbishop Fisichella, whose Dicastery is in charge of overseeing the 2025 Holy Year, reaffirmed his desire that “the Jubilee may inspire signs of hope by promoting sustainable use of resources.”
Moreover, he announced that the Nineth World Congress on the Pastoral Care of Tourism will be held in Rome from Oct 16-19, calling it “an important opportunity to reflect together on these themes and on the commitment the Church wishes to undertake so that tourism too may develop as a tool for evangelization and human advancement.” – Vatican News
