Maldives tourism ministry has announced plans to organise an exposure trip for students to mark the World Tourism Day.

In a circular, the ministry said students in grades 8-10 and tertiary education institutes will participate in the familiarisation trip scheduled to be held on September 30.

“We believe that such exposure/familiarisation trips will create awareness amongst students and graduates with regard to career development and enhancing career perspective within the tourism industry of the Maldives,” the circular read.

The ministry invited tourist establishments across the country to participate in the programme.

World Tourism Day has been celebrated since 1980 on September 27, the day on which the statutes of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) entered into force. Peace and dialogue, energy, accessibility, and world heritage have been some of the topics tackled as part of the 37 previous editions of the day.

The theme of this year’s World Tourism Day is ‘Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development’. Celebrated in line with the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the day will be dedicated to exploring the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).