The global tourism sector has officially entered a high-stakes preparation phase following the launch of a new, comprehensive Roadmap for the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism 2027. Announced at the UN Tourism headquarters in Madrid, the document serves as a strategic bridge between current global challenges and the long-term goals of the United Nations post-2030 agenda. This launch marks a decisive move by the organization to shift from high-level dialogue to concrete, measurable delivery on its global mandate.

The Roadmap is the culmination of an intensive collaborative process involving diverse stakeholders and has received the unanimous endorsement of UN Tourism’s Committee on Tourism and Sustainability (CTS). This initiative follows the United Nations General Assembly’s 2024 proclamation, which tasked UN Tourism with facilitating the implementation of the themed year. The 2027 milestone is not just a celebratory marker but a targeted effort to strengthen the environmental, social, and economic pillars of tourism while enhancing its capacity to adapt to future crises, from climate change to geopolitical shifts.

Addressing the committee, UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nowais—the first woman to lead the organization in its 50-year history—highlighted that the initiative reflects a fundamental shift in how the industry views progress. Having assumed office in January 2026, the Secretary-General emphasized that sustainability and resilience are not static end goals but continuous processes. She noted that the International Year will provide the primary platform for Member States to position tourism as a truly transformative sector, ensuring it remains a central driver of inclusive growth as the world looks beyond the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The strategic "Path to 2027" outlined in the Roadmap will be institutionally anchored within the CTS, a subsidiary organ of the Executive Council. To ensure global representation and accountability, the process will be guided by a dedicated Steering Committee of Member States. This governance structure is designed to be highly inclusive, incorporating insights from consultations held during various Regional Commission meetings before final endorsement by the Executive Council. This multi-layered approach aims to align national development priorities with a unified global sustainability framework.

Supporting this vision, William Rodríguez López, Chair of the CTS and Minister of Tourism for Costa Rica, emphasized the urgency of the moment. As leaders of tourism, he noted that the sector consistently highlights its transformative potential and critical role in national and global development agendas, including climate action. He characterized the 2027 International Year as a unique opportunity to translate the industry’s shared values into coordinated action that impacts climate policy and economic resilience at the local level.

This latest move by UN Tourism underscores a growing global consensus: for tourism to remain a viable economic engine, it must evolve. The newly launched Roadmap provides the first formal toolkit for governments and private sector actors to begin that evolution, setting a clear trajectory for the next three years of global tourism policy.

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UN Tourism Unveils Roadmap for 2027 Milestone