Egypt to host official World Tourism Day celebrations 2011

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’

“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 UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, announcing the news.

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.

“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,” said the Minister of Tourism of Egypt, Mounir Fakhri Abdel-Nour.

EGYPTIAN TOURISM AUTHORITY ETA - World Tourism Day Photo Competition 2011

EGYPTIAN TOURISM AUTHORITY ETA - World Tourism Day Photo Competition 2011

World Tourism Day Photo Competition 2011

We would like to inform you that UNWTO and Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA) are happy to announce the 2011 World Tourism Day online photo competition under the theme Tourism – Linking Cultures. The competition is part of celebrating the official World Tourism Day which is taking place on 27 September at Aswan, Egypt.

The celebration of World Tourism Day (WTD) this year is being held under the theme Tourism-Linking Cultures. The theme aims to highlight the role of tourism in linking altogether the culture of the world through travel. It also shows the interaction between the individuals and host communities, and their diverse cultures, leads to tolerance, respect, and mutual understanding to build up bridges of cultures for a more peaceful world.

Use photos to show others your travel experiences and don't hesitate to be part of WTD 2011 winners!

We are looking for photos which capture how tourism brings people together from different cultures and ways of life around the world. We'd like to see photos that reflect the role of tourism in strengthening ties, promoting peace and conserving and enhancing cultural diversity.

Terms of the Global Photo Competition

Photos can be in colour or in black and white.
Up to 3 photos may be submitted by each individual participant.
Photos must be the individual work of the named participant and must not have been previously published.
Photos must be submitted electronically in high resolution jpeg, gif or png format (minimum 800 width x 600 height pixels/no more than 5MB)
All photos should be accompanied by a title and a short description, no more than 250 characters.

Win Cool prizes

* 1st Prize - 7-day round trip to Egypt, valid for one year from 27 September 2011
**** 4 Runners-up will be awarded with a digital camera

Winning photos will be featured on www.UNWTO.org

Eligibility

It is open to all people of all ages.

Remember the deadline

The deadline for participation is 31 August 2011. Winners will be announced and notified in early September 2011.

For more information about the competition and to start to win NOW! please visit http://wtd.unwto.org/en/content/world-tourism-day-photo-competition-2011
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