Islamabad, Sep 28 (IANS): Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said tourism helps us "understand each other's cultures" that promote tolerance and shared values.

"Let us pledge to engage with people and try to develop better understanding of each other's cultures," Gilani said on the occasion of the World Tourism Day Tuesday.

Gilani said the day draws our attention to the importance of tourism and its economic, political and cultural values.

He said this year's theme "Tourism: linking cultures" under the UN World Tourism Organization is most appropriate as it underscores the need for promoting tolerance and understanding among individuals, communities and cultures.

Tourism gives people an opportunity to travel to other parts of the world and this mutual interaction brings out shared stakes in the collective wellbeing of humanity, the official APP news agency quoted him as saying.

Gilani said Pakistan offers a variety of attractions for tourists; from exotic locales to diverse cultures.

The UN World Tourism Day is celebrated Sep 27 every year since 1980.