World Tourism Day
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About
World Tourism Day, observed on September 27, celebrates the many ways travel connects people, cultures, and communities around the world. It highlights tourism’s role in encouraging cultural exchange, supporting local economies, and helping people discover the history, landscapes, traditions, and everyday life of destinations near and far.
The day also invites travelers to think thoughtfully about how they explore. By respecting local customs, supporting small businesses, protecting natural and historic places, and choosing more sustainable options, visitors can help ensure that the joys of travel benefit communities and remain available for generations to come.
History
World Tourism Day is observed annually on **September 27**. It was established by the World Tourism Organization (now known as UN Tourism) to draw attention to tourism’s economic, social, cultural, and environmental importance. The date was selected because September 27 marks the anniversary of the adoption of the organization’s statutes in 1970, a milestone in the development of international cooperation on tourism.
The first World Tourism Day was celebrated on **September 27, 1980**, following a decision by the UNWTO General Assembly in 1979. Its creation reflected the rapid expansion of international travel during the second half of the twentieth century and the growing recognition that tourism affected far more than leisure. It influenced employment, transportation, cultural exchange, urban development, heritage protection, and relations among countries.
Over time, the observance evolved into a worldwide program built around an annual theme and hosted in different regions. These themes have addressed issues such as sustainable tourism, accessible travel, rural development, innovation, education, and tourism’s contribution to inclusive economic growth. This progression mirrors a broader shift in the tourism industry: from emphasizing visitor numbers and financial growth alone to considering environmental responsibility, local participation, cultural preservation, and the long-term well-being of destinations.
Culturally, World Tourism Day highlights travel as a means of encountering different languages, traditions, landscapes, and historical experiences. It also encourages reflection on tourism’s potential benefits and risks, including overcrowding, unequal economic gains, pressure on natural resources, and the commercialization of cultural practices. Governments, tourism organizations, businesses, museums, schools, and communities mark **September 27** through conferences, exhibitions, cultural events, public discussions, and campaigns promoting more responsible forms of travel. In this way, the observance presents tourism not merely as an industry, but as a force that can support dialogue and understanding when managed sustainably.