World Tourism Day photo contest deadline on Aug. 31

In celebration of World Tourism Day 2011 on Sept. 27, the Marianas Visitors Authority and Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands are inviting Northern Mariana Islands residents to participate in the celebration by joining the World Tourism Day Photo Contest. The deadline to submit photos is Aug. 31, 2011.

World Tourism Day 2011 is sponsored by the U.N. World Tourism Organization and will be celebrated under the theme “Tourism – Linking Cultures,” an opportunity to highlight tourism’s role in bringing the cultures of the world together and promoting global understanding through travel.

“World Tourism Day 2011 is a celebration of how tourism can link together the cultures of the world through engagement, dialogue and understanding,” said UNTWO on its website. “We are looking for photos which capture how tourism brings people together from different cultures and ways of life around the world. We’d like to see photos that reflect the role of tourism in strengthening ties, promoting peace and conserving and enhancing cultural diversity.”

Contest requirements are:

-Photos can be in color or in black and white.

-Up to 3 photos may be submitted by each individual participant.

-Photos must be the individual work of the named participant and must not have been previously published.

-Photos must be submitted electronically in high resolution jpeg, gif or png format (minimum 800 width x 600 height pixels/no more than 5MB)

-All photos should be accompanied by a title and a short description, no more than 250 characters.

The MVA and HANMI expressed that as the World Tourism Day online photo competition is open to everyone, it is an excellent opportunity for the people of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota to share how tourism affects them. The tourism partners encouraged contestants to be proud to show how tourism fosters intercultural exchange and understanding in the Northern Marianas community, especially as the islands are a multi-cultural destination welcoming visitors from around the world.

Prizes will be awarded and winners will be announced and notified in early September 2011. For more information visit http://wtd.unwto.org.

The World Tourism Organization is a specialized agency of the United ‎Nations and the leading international organization in the field of tourism. It serves as a ‎global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how.‎ UNWTO plays a central and decisive role in promoting the development of responsible, ‎sustainable and universally accessible tourism. [B][I](MVA)[/I][/B]