World Tourism Day 2025 will be celebrated on September 27 under the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation”, the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) announced on Friday.
Held every year since 1980, World Tourism Day highlights the sector’s role in global development and each year carries a different theme. This year’s observance will highlight how tourism can drive inclusive, equitable and environmentally responsible growth.
The official celebrations will take place in Melaka, Malaysia, from September 27 to 29, during the World Tourism Conference organized alongside UN Tourism.
According to UN Tourism, the 2025 theme calls for governments, businesses and communities to ensure that sustainability is placed at the heart of tourism development.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres underlined the urgency of this year’s theme, noting: “Tourism is a powerful engine of opportunity. It creates jobs and strengthens bonds between people and places, reminding us of our shared humanity. Yet, it can also damage the very places and communities it celebrates. As the world faces climate breakdown and rising inequality, we need bold, urgent, and sustainable transformation that puts people and planet first.”
UN Tourism has outlined four priority areas to guide this transformation:
– Investment in education and skills, particularly for youth, women and marginalized groups.
– Support for MSMEs and startups, with a focus on those led by women and young entrepreneurs.
– Promotion of sustainable and climate-aligned investments, in line with UN Tourism principles.
– Responsible stewardship of natural resources, including emissions reduction and biodiversity protection.
UN Tourism underlined that, as international arrivals rebound worldwide, the focus must shift from recovery to long-term sustainability and resilience.
For more information on World Tourism Day 2025, visit UN Tourism’s official page.