Egypt to host official celebrations for World Tourism Day

BY Philip Mwakio

The Egyptian City of Aswan will host the official 2011 World Tourism Day (WTD), which will be themed ‘Tourism-Linking cultures’ next month.

"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," said United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.It will be held on September 27.

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.

"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 per cent of our GDP last year, and responsible for one in every seven jobs. World Tourism Day (WTD) 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," said Egypt’s Minister of Tourism, Mounir Fakhri Abdel-Nour.

Planned WTD activities in Aswan include a High-Level Think Tank on the 2011 theme, at which leading public and private tourism stakeholders, academia and the media will address the role of tourism in building understanding, respect and tolerance worldwide.

WTD activities running throughout the year include the annual WTD Photo competition, which offers a round-trip to Egypt as first prize. UNWTO has also launched the first ever WTD Twitter competition, asking people to ‘tweet’ about how they consider tourism to link cultures.