World Tourism Day is commemorated each year on 27 September to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value.

World Tourism Day was designated by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in September 1979, with the commemoration to commence in 1980. This date was chosen to coincide with an important milestone in world tourism: the anniversary of the adoption of the UNWTO Statutes on 27 September 1970.