WORLD TOURISM DAY CELEBRATIONS

United Nations World Tourism Day is held on 27 September every year, to promote awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its cultural, social, economic and political value.. This year the theme is 'Linking Cultures'. United Nations World Tourism Organization held a photo competition in August and below is the 1st prize winning photo followed by the four runners up. The first prize is 7 day round trip to Egypt and the runners up were awarded digital cameras. These winning photos along with the photographs in the 'Finalists' category will be displayed at the Photo Exhibition in Aswan, Egypt as a part of the World Tourism celebrations. To see more photos from the UNWTO photo competition, click Here

First prize winner - Give Me Red by Sourav Karmakar

Runner up - East West Jubilation by Rabin Chakrabarti

Runner up - East Meets West by Wong

Runner up - Baobab Huggers by Jose Rosado

Runner up - OMG by Birkley Wildgoose

Egypt will host the official 2011 World Tourism Day (WTD) celebrations in the city of Aswan. Egypt emerged as a winner of World Travel Award this year under various categories where are number of Egyptian tourist attractions, hotels and organizations emerged victorious at the World Tourism Award 2011 Africa and Indian Ocean Ceremony on September 16.

 “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

Some pictures of the historically and culturally beautiful city of Aswan, Egypt