Macau celebrates "World Tourism Day" Theme of World Tourism Day 2008 – “Tourism Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change”

Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) organized an exciting Tray Race and the World Tourism Day banquet to celebrate "World Tourism Day 2008" today (September 27).
Earlier in the day, Director of MGTO, João Manuel Costa Antunes and Deputy Directors Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and Manuel Pires presented welcome gifts to lucky tourist William Hilder and his wife Katherine from Australia at the Macau Ferry Terminal. Souvenirs were also distributed to visitors at MGTO Information Counters throughout the day. William Hilder told that today is the birthday of his wife. He purposely arranged this trip to Hong Kong and Macau as her birthday gift. They are going to visit the Macau World Heritage and experience the nightlife entertainment of Macau. The traditional Tray Race was held in the afternoon, where waiters and waitresses ran down the stoned-path from the Ruins of St Paul's to Senado Square carrying a tray with a bottle of beer on it. The race attracted a record number of participants this year, totaling 185 waiters and waitresses from 29 hotels and restaurants in Macau. Crowds of visitors and locals cheered for the participants. The winner of the men's division was Tyrone Manlapaz Chan from Venetian Macao and the winner of the women's division was Hu Xiao Qing from Grand Lisboa. The Best Costume Awards went toYu Hong Liang of Holiday Inn and Annabelle Aquino Numata of Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16. In the evening, MGTO held a dinner banquet, attended by Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Dr Chui Sai On, to celebrate "World Tourism Day". "The theme of World Tourism Day this year is “Tourism Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change”. Climate Change is a universal challenge and tourism is one of the few sectors that cut across a whole range of economic and social activities. It is furthermore a key economic and job driver in the developing world and therefore we can and must play an active role to tackle the challenge of climate response," said João Manuel Costa Antunes.
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in the third session of its General Assembly in Spain (September 1979), decided to commemorate September 27 as "World Tourism Day" each year. This is the 29th year since the celebrations commenced in 1980. The main purpose of "World Tourism Day" is to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic values. Each year, World Tourism Organization selects a different theme for "World Tourism Day". This year's theme is “Tourism Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change”. The host country for "World Tourism Day 2008" is Peru and official celebrations were held on September 27. Many other countries and regions also carried out activities to celebrate the day. This press release is available on http://industry.macautourism.gov.mo/en/pressroom/index.php?page_id=172