Aswan in Egypt to Host Official World Tourism Day Celebrations

On 27 September, the Egyptian city of Aswan will host the official 2011 World Tourism Day (WTD) celebrations, which will include a High-Level Think Tank on this year’s theme, ‘Tourism – Linking Cultures’.

Egypt is world famous for its rich history and vibrant culture which draw millions of tourists to the country each year.

Minister of Tourism of Egypt, Mounir Fakhri Abdel-Nour, said, “We are very honored 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.”

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. The UNWTO has also launched the first ever WTD Twitter Competition, asking people to ‘tweet’ about how they consider tourism to link cultures. Winning entries will appear on the official programme handed out during the celebrations in Aswan.

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