Have you heard? World Tourism Day is on Friday September 25th, and to celebrate the occasion, Altruvistas has teamed up with a few likeminded groups to organize an event in San Francisco that you won’t want to miss if you’re in the bay area.

For those unfamiliar with World Tourism Day (WTD), it’s been happening every September 25th since 1980. It was created by the United Nation’s World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to raise awareness on the benefits of tourism and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide.

This year’s WTD will be headquartered in Burkina Faso, while complimentary events like the one in San Francisco will be taking place around the world.

To organize the Bay Area event, Altruvistas combined forces with Triple Pundit, the website about ethical, sustainable, and profitable business; Travel Massive, the global community of travel industry professionals; and ECPAT USA (Ending Child Slavery At The Source), the leading anti-child trafficking in tourism organization.

The evening will feature an exciting line-up of speakers, and proceeds from the $20 suggested donation will benefit ECPAT. There will also be ample opportunity to network and mix and mingle over food and drinks.

UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai says, “Every time we travel, we become part of a global movement that has the power to drive positive change for our planet and all people.”

With that in mind, we hope to see some of you Bay Area folks next Friday to celebrate World Tourism Day, and for those around the globe, you can join the WTD conversation on social media #WTD2015 plus visit the official World Tourism Day website to find an event near you and other ways to get involved online.

In the meantime, to get pumped up for World Tourism Day, check out this short video about how tourism is enriching lives:

More About World Tourism Day Event in San Francisco
If you’re interested in joining other California bay area tourism industry professionals to celebrate World Tourism Day at the W Hotel in San Francisco, here are the details:

  • When: Friday, September 25th from 6pm-9pm
  • Where: W Hotel San Francisco, Social Terrace, 4th Floor
  • Tickets: Eventbrite here
  • More details: Visit Facebook event page