Every year, World Tourism Day, initiated by UN Tourism, serves as a global reminder to reflect on the direction and future of the tourism industry. For Eco Tourism Bali, it has become much more than an annual celebration, it is a growing movement that brings together ideas, partnerships, and practical solutions to address the evolving challenges of tourism in Bali and across Indonesia.
Since its first edition in 2023, each World Tourism Day organized by Eco Tourism Bali has explored a theme that reflects the island’s most pressing sustainability challenges. From promoting sustainable food systems to strengthening climate resilience, the event has continued to evolve alongside the needs of the tourism industry.
World Tourism Day 2023: Where the Journey Began with Sustainable Food
The journey started with the World Tourism Day Roadshow 2023, carrying the theme “Taste of Sustainability.” The event encouraged restaurants, cafés, and food businesses to recognize that simple operational changes such as reducing food waste, sourcing ingredients locally, and improving waste management can create meaningful environmental and social impact.
This milestone also marked the launch of the Guidelines and Indicators for Sustainable Restaurants, a practical resource developed by Eco Tourism Bali to help food and beverage businesses gradually adopt more sustainable practices while improving their long-term resilience.
It was the first step toward demonstrating that sustainability is not only achievable but also beneficial for businesses, local communities, and the environment.
World Tourism Day 2024: Connecting Tourism with Climate Action
In 2024, the conversation expanded through the theme “Bali Tourism: Climate Change and Tri Hita Karana.”
As Bali faced growing environmental challenges including climate change, coastal erosion, biodiversity loss, and increasing waste generation, Eco Tourism Bali invited tourism stakeholders to revisit Tri Hita Karana, Bali’s traditional philosophy of harmony between people, nature, and spirituality, as a guiding framework for sustainable tourism development.
The event also marked another important milestone with the introduction of the Eco Climate Badge, a sustainability verification program designed to help hotels and restaurants measure, improve, and communicate their sustainability performance with credibility and transparency.
By moving beyond awareness into measurable action, Eco Climate Badge became a practical tool for hospitality businesses committed to responsible tourism.
World Tourism Day 2025: Turning Commitment into Action
By 2025, the conversation had shifted from inspiration to implementation under the global theme “Tourism and Climate Action.”
This edition introduced several major initiatives, including the launch of Eco Climate Badge 2.0, the Sustainable Procurement Guideline, and a Business Matching Session connecting hotels, restaurants, and sustainability solution providers.
The focus was no longer simply discussing sustainability, it was about creating tangible collaborations that reduce environmental impact, strengthen responsible supply chains, and accelerate climate action across Bali’s tourism sector.
The event demonstrated that meaningful transformation happens when businesses, governments, innovators, and communities work together toward shared goals.
World Tourism Day 2026: Building a More Resilient Tourism Ecosystem
The journey continues with World Tourism Day 2026, which will be held on 30 September 2026 under the theme:
“Advancing a Resilient Sustainable Tourism Ecosystem through Tourism Intelligence.”
This year’s theme reflects a growing understanding that the future of tourism depends not only on beautiful destinations, but also on the industry’s ability to adapt through data-driven decision-making, innovation, technology, collaboration, and resilience.
Through panel discussions, networking sessions, business matching opportunities, and cross-sector collaboration, Eco Tourism Bali aims to bring together tourism leaders, policymakers, academics, businesses, and innovators to co-create solutions that generate long-term environmental, social, and economic impact for Bali and Indonesia.
A Growing Movement for the Future of Tourism
Over the past four years, World Tourism Day by Eco Tourism Bali has grown from a regional roadshow into a collaborative platform that connects government institutions, hospitality businesses, universities, communities, sustainability experts, and innovators who share a common vision for the future of tourism.
This journey demonstrates that sustainability is no longer a trend it has become an essential foundation for building a resilient, competitive, and future-ready tourism industry.
We extend our sincere gratitude to every partner, speaker, sponsor, participant, volunteer, and collaborator who has been part of this journey. Your commitment has helped transform World Tourism Day into more than an annual event, it has become a movement that continues to inspire positive change.
We look forward to welcoming you again at World Tourism Day 2026 as we continue working together to shape a more resilient, regenerative, and sustainable future for Bali and beyond!