Message by the Secretary-General on the occasion of World Tourism Day 2026

World Tourism Day celebrates the many ways tourism connects cultures and enriches lives. 

This year, it also asks what kind of future we want for tourism.  The theme, “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” reflects one of the defining transformations of our time.

AI is changing how travellers choose destinations, how the industry operates, and how travel experiences are designed.  It can strengthen small businesses, improve services and create new opportunities.  Yet left unchecked, it can funnel tourists to the same few places and platforms, leaving many worthwhile destinations behind.

Technology must serve humanity.  Tourism workers, local communities and emerging destinations must help shape what comes next.  This requires investing in digital skills, widening access to technology, and ensuring innovation benefits the people and places that make tourism possible.

Let us build a digital future for tourism that is open, inclusive and human – and harness these new tools to drive sustainable development for all.