At a glance
-
What
A global day for tourism that creates lasting value, observed every 23 May.
Discover the Day -
Why
Reducing harm is no longer enough. Tourism must leave places stronger than it found them.
Why it matters -
How
Sign the Global Manifesto for free, then plan and document one real action for your destination.
How to join -
When
Every 23 May. The first global celebration takes place on 23 May 2027.
Key dates -
Who
Hotels, destinations, NGOs, universities, associations and individuals, large or small.
Who can join
What becomes stronger because tourism is here?
Sustainability asks tourism to reduce its negative footprint. Regeneration asks a more demanding question.
Tourism is one of the world’s most powerful forces for exchange, prosperity and human connection. World Regenerative Tourism Day asks every hotel, destination and institution to answer that question in its own place, with deliberate action and evidence instead of claims.
- Stronger ecosystems Biodiversity, soils, forests, waters and coasts recovering, where context allows.
- Living cultures Languages, crafts, gastronomy and knowledge sustained as living systems, not props.
- Local prosperity More of tourism’s value retained through local jobs, ownership, sourcing and reinvestment.
- Community agency Local and Indigenous communities shaping the decisions that affect them.
- Wellbeing Guests and hosts who leave with deeper understanding, connection and responsibility.
- Legacy Places that future generations inherit healthier, stronger and more resilient.
No organisation becomes regenerative by declaring it. The initiative asks for a direction of travel that is deliberate, evidenced, transparent and keeps improving.
Reducing harm is no longer sufficient.
Tourism can protect extraordinary places. It can also wear down the ecological, cultural, social and economic systems those places depend on. Sustainability standards, regulation and destination governance still matter. What the sector lacks is a bigger shared ambition: to judge tourism by what grows stronger because it is there, as well as by the damage it avoids.
World Regenerative Tourism Day gives the sector that common commitment: one shared definition, ten commitments and an annual day of documented action. It is also a platform where hotels, destinations, universities, NGOs and communities can act on it together. It works alongside existing standards and replaces none of them.
“Regenerative tourism is a place-based model of tourism that goes beyond reducing harm to intentionally strengthen the ecological, cultural, social and economic systems that sustain a destination, while creating meaningful experiences and enduring value for visitors, host communities and future generations.”
What the initiative is
- A shared definition of regenerative tourism
- Ten public commitments for action
- An annual day of documented action, every 23 May
- A free, open founding community
What it is not
- A certification, accreditation or verification
- A legal regulation or standard
- A substitute for local governance
- An official United Nations observance
Ten commitments. One shared direction.
The Global Manifesto organises its ten commitments in three groups: the foundations every action rests on, the domains where regeneration happens, and the relationships and integrity that make it credible.
I · Foundations
- 01Place before product
- 02Community consent and agency
- 03Do no harm first
II · Domains of regeneration
- 04Living ecosystems and climate resilience
- 05Living cultures and heritage
- 06Shared local prosperity
- 07Regenerative food systems
- 08Animal welfare and coexistence
III · Relationships and integrity
- 09Guest reciprocity and transformation
- 10Evidence, transparency and legacy
Free to join, and worth belonging to.
Signing costs nothing and needs no certification. Your organisation gets recognition, credibility and a place in a global community, starting with the first global celebration.
Available only until 23 May 2027
Become a Founding Partner
Organisations that adhere before the first global celebration are recognised as Founding Partners of World Regenerative Tourism Day. The status is open only until 23 May 2027, and it will mark the organisations that were there from the start.
Sign the Global ManifestoNo fee, no certification and nothing to buy.
Discover all benefits and participation tiers →Open to every part of tourism, at every scale.
The initiative started in the regenerative hospitality community, but it is open well beyond luxury. Any organisation whose work touches tourism and place can join.
- Hotels & hospitality groups
- Destinations & public institutions
- NGOs & community organisations
- Universities & research institutions
- Associations & industry organisations
- Other aligned organisations
Professionals, researchers, travellers: add your personal support.
The Manifesto is a shared commitment for organisations and individuals. If you aren’t signing for an organisation, register your personal support and help bring your employer, university or destination on board.
Move beyond symbolism. Do one real thing.
Each 23 May, participating organisations are invited to choose, carry out and document at least one action, suited to their context, that creates measurable value for their destination. The right action depends on the organisation and the place.
A single action does not prove that an organisation or destination is regenerative. It is a documented step on a longer path.
How to celebrate 23 MayThe official postcard
Send your official World Regenerative Tourism Day postcard.
Celebrate 23 May with a colleague, partner or friend, and invite them to back tourism that leaves places stronger. The postcard goes out from your own email.
worldregenerativetourismday.com
Official postcard · 23 May
World Regenerative Tourism Day
Wishing you a meaningful 23 May, and inviting you to help tourism leave places stronger.
To: Recipient
From: Your name
A public, citable record.
The founding documents are registered on Zenodo with persistent DOI identifiers, so a journalist, a ministry, a researcher or anyone else can cite and verify the exact text. A DOI registers a document; it is not an endorsement by Zenodo or any other institution.
- WRTD-D02 · Version 2.0 · 29 Sep 2026 Founding Declaration Read the Declaration ↗
- WRTD-D04 · Version 2.0 · 29 Sep 2026 Global Manifesto Read the Manifesto ↗
- WRTD-D09 · Version 2.0 · 29 Sep 2026 Adherence Instrument Access the Adherence Instrument ↗
Reading the record is not signing. To join, complete the Adherence Instrument and send it to [email protected], or request it below.
Texts licensed CC BY-ND 4.0. The names, logos and identity of World Regenerative Tourism Day are not licensed and remain the property of Regenera Luxury LLC. English is the authoritative language.
What is World Regenerative Tourism Day?
World Regenerative Tourism Day is a global initiative, observed every 23 May, that invites tourism to move beyond reducing harm and to intentionally strengthen the ecological, cultural, social and economic systems of the places where it operates. It was founded by Prof. Héctor de Castro and established as a global initiative of Regenera Luxury LLC, a United States company.
When is it observed?
Every year on 23 May. The first global celebration takes place on 23 May 2027.
Why was 23 May selected?
The date follows the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (21 May) and the International Day for Biological Diversity (22 May). World Regenerative Tourism Day brings these dimensions together by asking how tourism can actively strengthen living cultures, local communities, biodiversity and the places on which hospitality depends.
Who can join?
Hotels, resorts and retreats; hospitality groups; tourism boards, destination management organisations and public institutions; NGOs, conservation and community organisations; universities, hospitality schools and research institutions; tourism associations and networks; tour operators and other aligned businesses. Individuals can also add their personal support.
Is participation limited to luxury hotels?
No. The initiative was founded within the regenerative hospitality community, but the Manifesto speaks to tourism of every type and scale, and to organisations well beyond hospitality.
Is signing the Manifesto free?
Yes. Adherence is free and is not tied to the purchase of any product or service.
Does joining require Regenera Luxury certification?
No. Adherence is not tied to holding any certification. Joining does not require any Regenera Luxury certification, award, membership, consultancy or advertising.
How is the initiative governed?
Regenera Luxury LLC (United States) founded the initiative and administers it. The founding documents are public and registered with DOIs, and signatory data is kept private. See governance and transparency.
Is the initiative a certification or accreditation?
No. The Manifesto is not a certification standard, legal regulation or substitute for local governance. Adherence does not constitute certification, verification or endorsement of all activities of the signatory.
What does signing the Manifesto mean?
It is a public commitment to the ten commitments of the Global Manifesto and to documenting at least one measurable action. Regenera Luxury LLC may withdraw permission to use the initiative’s identity where participation is misleading, unlawful or materially inconsistent with the Manifesto.
What is the Adherence Instrument?
It is the official template, issued by Regenera Luxury LLC and registered with a DOI (WRTD-D09, Version 2.0), through which an organisation formally adheres to the Global Manifesto. Signatories choose a participation tier — Founding Partner (available until 23 May 2027), Supporting Organization or Institutional Ally — commit to the ten commitments and a sustainability baseline, and register at least one measurable regenerative action. Access the Adherence Instrument.
What should participating organisations do on 23 May?
Choose, carry out and document at least one action, suited to their context, that creates measurable value for their destination, and report both the results and the limitations. Talking about the day is welcome, but the action is what counts.
How can a university, NGO, destination or hotel participate?
All follow the same route. Review the Manifesto, complete the Adherence Instrument on behalf of the organisation and send it to [email protected], then plan a 23 May action that fits their role: research or teaching for a university, a community-led project for an NGO, a shared programme with local businesses for a destination, or a restoration, sourcing or guest-learning initiative for a hotel.
Is World Regenerative Tourism Day an official United Nations observance?
No. World Regenerative Tourism Day is not presented as an official observance of the United Nations or any United Nations specialized agency unless and until such recognition is formally granted by a competent intergovernmental body. Regenera Luxury intends to present the collective support of the founding community to UN Tourism; doing so does not imply recognition or endorsement.
How can an organisation contact the initiative?
Write to [email protected], or use the form on this page.
The future of tourism will be measured by what it leaves stronger.
Join the organisations that want tourism to do more than limit harm, and to give back to the places, people and living systems it depends on. Joining is free and you don’t need a certification.
- 1Download the Adherence Instrument from its DOI record, or request it with the form.
- 2Complete and sign it on behalf of your organisation, choosing your participation tier.
- 3Send it to [email protected]. To join as a Founding Partner, send it before 23 May 2027.
- 4Plan and document your 23 May action.
Free · Open to every organisation and individual
208 days left to join as a Founding Partner
Sign the Global Manifesto
You can also send an email to [email protected]