WORLD TOURISM Day is to be commemorated on Sept. 27 each year by
appropriate events on themes selected by the General Assembly on
recommendation of UNWTO
Executive Council. The main purpose of World Tourism Day is to foster awareness among the
international community of the importance of tourism and its social,
political and economic values, said Tourist Ministry Secretary P. M.
Leelaratne.

‘Tourism opens doors for women’ is the theme for the United Nations
World Tourism Day 2007 and Sri Lanka has been selected to be this year’s
host country for this important event. Sri Lanka has been a UNWTO member
for over 30 years.

The celebration will be held on September 27 at the Picnic Area,
Bentota, which will be attended by many international delegates. UN
World Tourism Organisation officials, professional women of architects,
social scientists, lawyers, doctors, engineers, diplomats, librarians,
writers, bankers, insurers, hoteliers, tour operators, travel agents and
entrepreneurs, fashion designers, beauty consultants, sports
personalities, media personalities.

In keeping with the UN’s 3rd millennium development goal of promotion of
gender equality, empowerment of women and the elimination of gender
disparity in education, the UNWTO has chosen to make women in tourism,
the focus of this years summit.
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