To celebrate "World Tourism Day" today (September 27), Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) organized an exciting tray race and World Tourism Day banquet.

Director of MGTO, João Manuel Costa Antunes, Deputy Directors Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and Manuel Gonçalves Pires Júnior presented welcome gifts to a four-member family from New Zealand at the Macau Ferry Terminal. The Johnson family, who were first time visitors to Macau, would continue their trip to Mainland China after their stay in Hong Kong and Macau. Souvenirs were also distributed to visitors at the information counters of MGTO.

The traditional tray race was held in the afternoon, where waiters and waitresses run down the stoned-path from the Ruins of St Paul's to Senado Square carrying a tray with a bottle of beer on it. Over 80 participants, a record number, from 20 hotels and restaurants in Macau took part in the race. Crowds of visitors and local people were attracted and they cheered for the participants.

The winner of the men's division was Christopher Llanez from Holiday Inn Macau and the winner of the women's division was Wu Shunzhen from The Relic Inn. The Best Costume Awards went to Villavicencio Soniga of Hotel Landmark Macau and Wang Yuan of Holiday Inn Macau.

In the evening, MGTO held a dinner banquet, attended by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Dr Chui Sai On, to celebrate "World Tourism Day".

World Tourism Organization (WTO), in the third session of its General Assembly in Spain (September 1979), has decided to commemorate September 27 as "World Tourism Day" each year. This is the 26th 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 "Travel and Transport: From the Imaginary of Jules Verne to the Reality of the 21st Century". The host country for "World Tourism Day" this year is Qatar, and official celebrations were held on September 27, 2005. Many other countries and regions also carried out activities to celebrate the day.