World Tourism Day Celebrated

World Tourism Day is celebrated annually September 27 as part of Tourism Month. A United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) initiative, it calls attention to the global issues and aspirations around tourism.

The purpose of World Tourism Day is to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value goals.

World Tourism Day has been celebrated on September 27, when the United Nations World Tourism Organisation 1980 held the first one. The date was chosen as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation were adopted. The adoption of these Statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism.

 

Each years World Tourism Day has a special theme, and this year’s theme is ‘Tourism – Linking Cultures’. It celebrates tourism’s role in linking together the cultures of the world through travel. With millions of people travelling the world each year, never before have so many people been to so many places, nor been so exposed to other cultures. This interaction between individuals and communities, and their diverse cultures, leads to tolerance, respect and mutual understanding - the building blocks for a more peaceful world.

As the most widely celebrated global day for tourism, World Tourism Day represents an opportunity to address how tourism can help build tolerance and understanding worldwide by serving as a catalyst for communication and exchange between the different cultures of the world.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

Taking about World Tourism Day, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said "World Tourism Day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of tourism to global well-being. As we travel, let us engage with other cultures and celebrate human diversity. On this observance, let us recognize tourism as a force for a more tolerant, open and united world".

Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General said  “WTD 2011 is a call to all those involved in tourism to act in a way that is conscious and respectful of culture, which promotes intercultural dialogue and ensures that local communities fully participate in, and benefit from, the development opportunities of tourism.” 

                                                                                                                                      

Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariette du Toit-Helmbold: said “Travel teaches tolerance. As people discover other places, people, and cultures, so they grow an understanding of how difference is not something to be feared. This is as true when speaking about Capetonians engaging with people and experiences beyond their back yard, as it is for the global traveller who encounters life in the townships of Cape Town.”

Taleb Rifai

At its Twelfth Session in Istanbul in Turkey in October of 1997, the UNWTO General Assembly decided to designate a host country each year to act as the Organization's partner in the celebration of World Tourism Day. At its Fifteenth Session in Beijing in China, in October of 2003, the Assembly decided the following geographic order to be followed for World Tourism Day celebrations: 2006 in Europe; 2007 in South Asia; 2008 in the Americas; 2009 in Africa and 2011 in the Middle East.

The previous host countries and the themes chosen for the past five years were:- 2006: 'Tourism Enriches', host Portugal; 2007: 'Tourism opens doors for women', host Sri Lanka; 2008: 'Tourism Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change and global warming', host India; 2009: 'Tourism - Celebrating Diversity', host Africa; and 2010: 'Tourism & Biodiversity', host China.

Egypt was the country chosen to be the 2011 official host country to act as the UNWTO's partner in the celebration of World Tourism Day.

Aswan

The Egyptian city of Aswan hosted the official 2011 World Tourism Day (WTD) celebrations. UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, said “It is most fitting that Egypt, home to some of the world’s most celebrated cultural heritage and a leading tourism destination, be the host country for the official celebrations of World Tourism Day 2011”.

The Day featured a High-Level Think Tank on this year’s theme of ‘Tourism – Linking Cultures’, in which leading public and private tourism stakeholders, academia and the media addressed  the role of tourism in building understanding, respect and tolerance worldwide.

Winner of Photo Competition

World Travel Day activities running throughout the year include the annual World Tourism Day Photo Competition, which offers a round-trip to Egypt as first prize. UNWTO has also launched the first ever World Tourism Day, asking people to ‘tweet’ about how they consider tourism to link cultures. Winning entries will appeared on the official programme handed out during the celebrations in Aswan. 

Egypt is world famous for its rich history and vibrant culture which draw millions of tourists to the country each year. It is precisely this interaction between the peoples and cultures of the world, driven by tourism, that is at the heart of the WTD 2011 theme ‘Tourism – Linking Cultures’.

Mounir Fakhri Abdel-Nour

The Minister of Tourism of Egypt, Mounir Fakhri Abdel-Nour. said “We are very honoured to be hosting the official celebrations of World Tourism Day 2011 in Egypt. Tourism is one of the most important sectors of our society, representing 12% of our GDP in 2010 and responsible for one in every seven jobs. World Tourism Day is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness around the world of this vital economic sector and its contribution to social, economic and environmental well-being worldwide and in Egypt in particular”.

Despite a challenging round for tourism in recent years, it remains a powerful economic contributor, a major generator of jobs and opportunities, and an agent of change, working as it does to bring travellers to new, unknown things, people, and experiences.