Sri Lanka hosts official 2007 World Tourism Day celebrations

By Yusof Sulaiman l eTN Asia/Pacific
This year Sri Lanka hosts World Tourism Day, the official ‘institution’ day, celebrated every year on September 27. With the theme, “Tourism Opens Doors for Women,” the Sri Lanka Tourist Board yesterday hosted this year’s World Tourism Day (WTD), celebrated every year by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on September 27.

“Activities which was first started in 1980 and carried out in each individual countries since then has since heightened public awareness of the social, cultural, political and economic values of travel and tourism,” said UNWTO in an official statement.

Declaring it as a “Special Day for the entire national identity,” UNWTO has urged heads of state and governments affiliated to its ideals to think about tourism in the context of every country’s policies to further its stated aim of tourism development and promotion.

Among the officially UNWTO-sponsored events attended by international delegates, world tourism organization officials, foreign dignitaries and the media include the “faces of the New Millennium” awards ceremony and an online photo exhibition.

Meanwhile, a post summit events "POW-WOW" gathered professional women not only from the travel and hospitality field but from other sectors to share their experiences in a forum “to promote their ideas and concepts as well as the organizations they serve.”

Not wishing to miss the opportunity of putting the country on the world tourism map, the Sri Lanka Tourism Board (www.srilanka.travel) has laid out special travel packages for delegates attending the celebrations in Sri Lanka.

“This is an opportunity for Sri Lanka to re-launch its image as an ideal vacation destination,” said Malray Kiriella, director of international affairs from the Sri Lanka Tourism Board.

In celebration of the WTD, national tourism organizations have also been encouraged to reach out to the young and local communities.

Teaching institutions, universities and schools were encouraged to participate in the celebrations by organizing conferences and distributing prizes for the best contribution in composition, photography, drawing, film, video cassette and poster presentations on tourism.

September 28, 2007   Posted in: Sri Lanka