A new website dedicated to celebrating and promoting World Tourism Day has launched, bringing together a global events directory, stories from across the travel industry and opportunities for people and organisations to get involved.
Launching to mark World Tourism Day 2026 on 27 September, the World Tourism Day website aims to give the annual celebration a shared online meeting point, helping audiences discover what is happening, understand why tourism matters and share the people and projects making a difference.
The independent initiative is designed for the full breadth of the tourism community, from national tourism boards and international hotel groups to local guides, small businesses, students, community organisations and travellers.
Its purpose is to make World Tourism Day easier to discover, easier to participate in and more visible around the world.
A global directory of World Tourism Day events
At the heart of the website is an events directory designed to become a comprehensive guide to World Tourism Day celebrations worldwide.
By bringing activities together in one place, the platform aims to help visitors find events and give organisers a wider audience for their celebrations. The ambition is to reflect the diversity of the day, from industry discussions and destination showcases to cultural experiences, educational activities and community initiatives.
For tourism organisations, the directory offers an opportunity to connect their own activities with a wider international occasion. For the public, it provides a starting point for discovering how destinations and communities are celebrating tourism and considering its future.
The emphasis is on participation at every scale. A locally organised event can contribute to the global conversation alongside a major industry gathering, helping World Tourism Day reach beyond the conference stage and into the places where tourism happens.
Sharing the stories behind tourism
Alongside events, the World Tourism Day website places storytelling at the centre of its approach, creating a space to share experiences, perspectives and initiatives from across the visitor economy.
Tourism’s impact is often discussed through arrivals, investment and visitor spending. The website aims to bring the human dimension into sharper focus: the livelihoods travel supports, the cultures it connects and the opportunities it can create for communities.
Stories can help explain what those connections mean in practice, whether through a guide introducing visitors to local heritage, a hospitality business supporting nearby producers or a community finding new ways to protect and share its traditions.
By encouraging contributions from across the industry, the platform seeks to widen the range of voices associated with World Tourism Day and give useful ideas a life beyond a single celebration.
A platform for participation
Observed each year on 27 September, World Tourism Day provides an opportunity to recognise tourism’s contribution to communities, cultures and economies, while considering how the sector can deliver greater benefits for the people and places it touches.
The World Tourism Day website aims to support that conversation by connecting awareness with action. Tourism boards, hotels, attractions, travel businesses, educators and community groups are invited to help build the platform through their events and stories, and by sharing it with their own audiences.
The ambition extends beyond the day itself. Bringing celebrations and experiences together creates an opportunity to keep ideas circulating, encourage collaboration and help organisations learn from one another throughout the year.
The World Tourism Day website is an independent website and is not affiliated with UN Tourism or the United Nations.
To explore World Tourism Day events, discover stories and find out how to participate, visit the World Tourism Day website.
