Tourism opens doors for women

CELEBRATION: World Tourism Day will be held in Sri Lanka in September. "Tourism Opens Doors for Women" will be the theme of the day this year.

In the context of UNWTO's Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, the Organization intends to join forces with UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women) to enhance further the role of women in tourism.

The programme will be reviewed annually through 2015, the year targeted by the UN to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Together with the Sustainable Tourism Research Centre in Australia, UNWTO will launch a new dedicated website. www.tourismgender.com will focus its attention on the role of gender in tourism and how to enhance it, addressing women as agents of change in and for sustainable tourism.

In order to increase public awareness of the interrelation between tourism and its beneficial role for women, UNWTO will launch an online photo contest to show women playing leadership roles at all levels within the sector. The 12 selected winners will be exhibited during the UNWTO General Assembly in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, in November.

"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 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 Millennium Development Goals."

The promotion of gender equality, empowerment of women and the elimination of gender disparity in education is the 3d UN Millennium Development Goal to which the UNWTO is committed.