National Tourist Appreciation Day

All over the world, tourism and travel provide local economies with a boost, whether on a smaller or larger scale. Although some local communities can find that tourists bring a bit of disruption and some difficulties into their lives, they can also bring some good.

And that is what National Tourist Appreciation Day is all about! This day is all about bringing attention to and showing appreciation for the tourists whose penchant for experiencing new places brings custom to local businesses and helps to stimulate the economy.

History of National Tourist Appreciation Day

Whether staying in hotels, enjoying meals at restaurants or purchasing items at local shops and supermarkets, tourists typically arrive with money to spend! And those extra dollars can be good for other businesses too, such as museums, water parks, zoos, sporting activities and so much more.

Whether they are purchasing a hot dog and a foam finger at a professional basketball game or eating a fancy dinner and taking a taxi to a local musical production, tourists provide the businesses of a community with access to outside resources that they wouldn’t normally have. In fact, some businesses rely almost solely on the tourist season to keep their financial situation profitable.

So while local neighbors might feel a bit inconvenienced by certain traffic patterns or an inability to get a table at their favorite restaurant because of outsiders coming in, for many businesses and communities the costs will outweigh the negative impact. And National Tourist Appreciation Day is a great opportunity to act as a reminder of why tourists are so important!

How to Celebrate National Tourist Appreciation Day

Take advantage of this special day to observe and appreciate the impact that tourism and tourists have on the world. Consider some of these ideas as ways to celebrate and enjoy National Tourist Appreciation Day:

Show Appreciation For Tourists

Those who run or work in businesses that are related to tourism might consider hosting some special events or offering some special discounts and deals to their tourist customers. People in local government positions, such as running the Chamber of Commerce or other agencies, could use National Tourist Appreciation Day as time to launch a special marketing campaign or to throw a little party!

Consider Some Important Benefits of Tourism

In observance of National Tourist Appreciation Day, it might be a good idea to take a look at the various ways that tourism can be beneficial and reasons that tourists should be appreciated. Get started with some of these interesting facts about tourism and tourists:

• Cultural Preservation. As the world continues to evolve, it can be difficult to hang on to history and cultural distinctions. Tourism offers the opportunity to develop museums and other avenues of learning that help to promote the history and culture of certain places and also generate funds that provide financial support.
• Opportunities for Entrepreneurs. Tourism brings access to new and different groups of people that can make it possible for young entrepreneurs to start a business, whether it’s a small ice cream stand or a pop up kiosk that sells t-shirts or souvenirs, or other products and services that the local residents may not use, such as bicycle rentals or walking tours.
• Conserve Natural Environment. Though certainly tourism can create a strain on nature, when incorporated properly, tourism business can also help to pay for needed protection for natural spaces.

Be a Tourist

Perhaps National Tourist Appreciation Day would be an ideal time to be appreciated as a tourist! Use this day as a motivator to make plans for that next trip, or just be a local tourist and visit a nearby museum in your own town. It’s possible this day will bring opportunities to save money too, as many businesses and municipalities might be offering discounts, coupons and deals in order to save on activities in their area. Do a quick online search to see what places are offering bargains in honor of the day and be sure to take advantage of them!

Create a Tourist Appreciation Soundtrack

Certainly National Tourist Appreciation Day is a time that people are thinking about travel! Whether using the day as a reason to take a road trip or a plane ride, one fun way to pass the time on the way to your destination might be to create a travel playlist. The world is filled with songs about travel, so here are some that might be fun to get started with and then build a playlist from there:

• On the Road Again by Willie Nelson (1980)
• (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66 by Nat King Cole (1946)
• I’ve Been Everywhere by Johnny Cash (1996)
• I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers (1988)

Watch a Travel Documentary

Get inspired to travel in honor of Tourist Appreciation Day by watching and learning from some travel documentaries that feature unique and interesting places to visit all over the world. Try out some of these titles of documentary travel films to get inspired about travel and being a tourist:

• Hit the Road India (2013). Two friends embark on a twelve day journey across India – by rickshaw. From Mumbai to Chennai, these two encounter unique and interesting people as well as incredible cinematography.
• The Last Tourist (2021). This documentary takes a hard look at tourism and reveals ways that tourism can become more intentional, purposeful and sustainable in the new era of tourism following the pandemic.
• A Map for Saturday (2007). A filmmaker quits his job and takes his camera on the road to travel around the globe. Encounter different people in their daily lives with this unique and beautiful peek into why every day feels like a Saturday when it’s time for traveling.
• Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father (2017). Perhaps this one fits just as well into the comedy adventure category as it does travel documentary, this film takes a look at what it is like for a father and son to travel through beautiful landscapes with scenic views. And certainly with some entertaining humor on the side!