The United Nations World Tourism Day, held every year on September 27, will be hosted this year by Sri Lanka. The theme this year is "Tourism opens doors for women" and in the context of UNWTO's Global Code of Ethics for Tourism they intend to join forces with UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women) to further enhance the role of women in tourism.
UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) will also join with the Sustainable Tourism Research Centre in Australia to launch a new dedicated website (www.tourismgender.com) to focus attention on the role of gender in tourism an dhow to enhance it, addressing women as agents of change in and for sustainable tourism.
A photo contest will be launched to show women playing leadership roles at all levels within the sector in order to increase public awareness of the interrelation of tourism and its beneficial role for women. The 12 selected winners will be exhibited during the UNWTO General Assembly in Cartagena de Indias, Columbia, in November.
The promotion of gender equality, empowerment of women and the elimination of gender disparity in education is the third UN Millenium Development Goal to which the UNWTO is committed.
"With Sri Lanka as the Host Country and planned celebrations around the world, UNWTO is launching this new initiative to show the achievements, opportunities and challenges for women in tourism," UNWTO's Francesco Frangialli announced, "By working closely with our sister agency UNIFEM and using our Global Code of Ethics for Tourism as a framework, we believe we can help this industry make even greater contribution to the Millenium Development Goals."
