Held between September 25-27, 2024, in the cities of Kitchener and Toronto, Canada, the 6th Urban Economy Forum hosted extensive discussions on sustainable tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
City leaders, academics, representatives from civil society and the private sector from various countries participated in the forum, with active engagement of the participants from the MEWA Region.
The opening speech – Uğur İbrahim Altay, UCLG President and Mayor of Konya, highlighted in his speech the necessity of a profound transformation that integrates technology and ecological responsibility for the future of sustainable tourism. Altay stated that “For the future of tourism to be truly sustainable, a fundamental transformation that embraces both technological innovations and ecological responsibility is required.”
Hasan Kılca, Mayor of Karatay, discussed the investments aimed at expanding Karatay’s urbanization and social living spaces, remarking: “Comprehensive urban development across all sectors is our priority. Alongside expanding social living spaces, we are also investing in housing supply to promote orderly urbanization.”
On the first day of the event in Kitchener, UCLG-MEWA Secretary General Dr. Mehmet Duman took part in the session titled “Global Collaboration on Sustainable Tourism and Realization of the SDGs,” as a speaker. In his speech, he emphasized that protecting regional cultural heritage is an inseparable part of sustainable tourism, saying: “Acknowledging the region’s cultural heritage, one of our primary goals will be to build intercultural bridges through tourism, ensuring that these interactions are inclusive of everyone.”
Oğuz Şen, Avcılar Municipality Sustainable Development Goals Ambassador, conveyed the message from Utku Çaykara, Mayor of Avcılar, underscoring the intrinsic connection between tourism and culture. Şen highlighted the importance of cultural heritage in tourism, stating, “A city’s cultural heritage is often its most valuable asset, attracting visitors in search of authenticity and meaningful experiences.”
The second day of the forum was held at York University in Toronto. Yehia Ibrahim, UCLG-MEWA International Relations Coordinator, participated in the session “Sustainable Tourism, Community Empowerment,” underlining the critical role of local and regional governments (LRGs) in building safe tourism infrastructure. Ibrahim particularly focused on the safety of women travelers, emphasizing the significance of technology in this process: “In today’s technological world, the advanced technology we have, can be a key factor in ensuring safety for all travelers.”
Fuat Özcan, Manager of Foreign Relations at Karatay Municipality, participated in the session “Tourism, Culture, Heritage, and Infrastructure Development,” underscoring the revival of ancient sites and their key role in promoting sustainable tourism.
The three-day Urban Economy Forum concluded with in-depth discussions on sustainable tourism, cultural heritage, and the role of cities. The contributions of MEWA Region representatives played a substantial role in advancing the goals of sustainable tourism on both regional and global scales.