Ghana to Host World Tourism Day 2009

World Tourism Day will commemorate its 30th anniversary on 27 September 2009 in Ghana under the theme ‘Tourism - Celebrating Diversity’.

Other than adding perspective to the role of globalization in balancing tourism influx and environmental and cultural sustainability, this year’s theme also aims to shed light on the most human side of the industry – its capacity to build understanding, foster social inclusion and promote higher standards of living.

UNWTO Secretary-General a.i., Taleb Rifai, said, “There is increasing awareness of tourism’s role as a productive activity and its undisputed potential to generate employment, government income and other benefits whether directly or through induced effects in the economy. Tourism is a global industry and as such has a responsibility to make positive contributions world wide.”

This year’s host, Ghana, is one of the Organization’s first member states and a key player in UNWTO’s Sustainable Tourism for Elimination of Poverty (ST-EP) programme.

The Ghanaian government has scheduled a series of forums and cultural events that will stretch through the week of the 21st of September and climax with UNWTO’s Think Tank on 27 September.

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