The United Nations' World Tourism Organisation has selected Maspalomas, a tourist resort in the Canary Islands, as the site of the 2012 celebration of World Tourism Day. Maspalomas, located on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria, will host the event on 27th September.

(TRAVPR.COM) UK - September 19th, 2012 - This year, the theme of World Tourism Day is "Tourism and Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development." The event will focus on activities that emphasise the need for energy producers and the tourism sector to work together to provide world travellers with lodging, transportation and entertainment that are as green as possible.

According to the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation, Taleb Rifai, the tourism sector is one of the major players in the drive toward sustainable energy. " One only has to think of the investments being poured into renewable energy sources for aviation or the energy technology solutions implemented in hotels around the world, to know that sustainable energy is a major priority for the sector,” Rifai recently commented, adding that the goal of World Tourism Day 2012 is to bolster initiatives that will both protect the natural environment and provide economic opportunities and employment in the tourism industry.

Gran Canaria is an island off the northwest coast of Africa. Its oldest and most significant tourist city is Maspalomas, located on the southern coast. Celebrating World Tourism Day will allow visitors to learn more about the ways in which a tropical tourist resort is taking advantage of green energy.

Indeed, Spain is at the forefront of the push to use renewable energy sources and has distinguished itself as one of the top five nations in this regard, with approximately 20% of its energy consumption being derived from green sources.

World Tourism Day has been celebrated since 1980 and for more information on this year's celebration in Maspalomas, visit http://wtd.unwto.org/en/event/world-tourism-day-2012.

For more information about tourism on the island of Gran Canaria please see Corona Holidays' travel guide to Gran Canaria.

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