The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has put a face to its sustainability campaign, unveiling Hello Kitty as a special ambassador to the International Year of Sustainable Tourism Development.

UNWTO's ‘Travel.Enjoy.Respect’ campaign is aimed at raising awareness of the value and contribution tourism can make towards sustainable development. Hello Kitty, Sanrio’s most popular IP, will now support UNWTO with its advocacy effort.

“Travelling opens our minds and our hearts, and lets us see how we are equal,” said Hello Kitty in a special video inviting people to ‘Travel. Enjoy. Respect’.

The campaign will run in various languages at outlets around the world and will provide visitors to foreign countries with a set of recommendations to help them make responsible choices when travelling.

“You can be the change you want to see in the world," said Taleb Rifai, UNWTO secretary-general. "You can be an ambassador for a better future.

“Today, more than ever, ensuring that tourism is an enriching experience for visitors and hosts alike demands strong, sustainable tourism policies and practices and the engagement of national, as well as local, governments and administrations, private sector companies, local communities and tourists themselves.”