Published on
October 6, 2025
The Vatican has unveiled its official message for World Tourism Day 2025, underscoring a call for sustainable transformation, environmental protection, and Christian hope in the tourism industry. Through the Dicastery for Evangelization, the message advocates for a new understanding of travel that harmonizes respect for Creation, fair treatment of tourism workers, and responsible enjoyment of the planet’s natural and cultural treasures.
In this year’s observance, celebrated annually on September 27, the Vatican has urged travelers, communities, and industry leaders to view tourism as a moral and ecological responsibility. As the Jubilee Year 2025 approaches, this message resonates not only with pilgrims visiting Italy but also with travelers worldwide who seek meaningful, sustainable, and faith-driven journeys. The call invites reflection on how tourism can evolve into a tool for both human advancement and spiritual renewal, encouraging practices that foster peace, justice, and harmony between people and the environment.
The Theme: Tourism and Sustainable Transformation
The Vatican’s message for the 46th World Tourism Day centers on the theme Tourism and Sustainable Transformation, a topic that aligns with global efforts to balance tourism growth with environmental care. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, emphasized that tourism must now be guided by a renewed consciousness toward justice, sustainability, and spiritual purpose.
In the context of today’s increasing global mobility, the Archbishop highlighted that the use of natural and cultural resources affects both human health and environmental stability. The tourism industry, therefore, bears a vital responsibility in ensuring that the natural beauty and cultural heritage attracting travelers are preserved rather than exploited.
Tourism, when shaped by sustainability, becomes a force for good — an opportunity to celebrate creation without diminishing it. This transformation requires thoughtful policies, ethical investments, and the participation of both travelers and communities.
Justice and Fairness at the Heart of Travel
A central element of the Vatican’s message revolves around justice within the tourism sector. The Archbishop’s reflections pointed out that justice involves not only fair wages and working conditions for tourism professionals but also equitable opportunities for communities impacted by tourism. The global tourism industry, while a major source of employment, often struggles with inequalities that affect local workers and small enterprises.
By promoting fair wages, responsible employment, and community involvement, the Vatican’s message aligns with international efforts to make tourism a truly inclusive industry. The Archbishop cautioned against viewing tourism purely through an economic lens focused on profit, calling instead for practices that uphold human dignity.
He observed that in many destinations, rapid growth in tourist arrivals has led to overcrowding, strained local infrastructure, and social imbalances. Yet, with strategic management, timely interventions, and the use of technology, these challenges can be mitigated. The Vatican’s stance encourages governments and industry stakeholders to adopt sustainable policies that protect both people and places.
Protecting Creation and Embracing Responsibility
Environmental preservation stood as another cornerstone of the Vatican’s message. The Dicastery urged all those involved in tourism to cultivate a deep respect for Creation, recognizing that the natural world is not merely a backdrop for leisure but a sacred gift that sustains life.
This perspective resonates deeply within Italy, where sacred sites, natural landscapes, and historical cities coexist with immense tourist activity. The Vatican’s guidance serves as a reminder that destinations like Rome, Assisi, and Venice — central to both faith and heritage — must be protected through sustainable practices that balance tourism with conservation.
Through the Jubilee Year 2025, the Vatican envisions a collective renewal where pilgrims and tourists alike experience the harmony of faith, nature, and humanity. Sustainable tourism, according to this vision, is not a restrictive measure but a celebration of responsibility and gratitude for the world’s resources.
The Christian Dimension of Hospitality
The Vatican also emphasized the role of the Christian community in shaping tourism that nurtures the human spirit. Across Italy and around the world, pilgrimage routes, shrines, and religious heritage sites have long welcomed travelers seeking reflection and renewal. The Church continues to view these sacred spaces as vital to spiritual tourism, encouraging them to remain sanctuaries of silence, prayer, and contemplation.
The message encouraged shrines and pilgrimage centers to maintain their role as places where individuals can pause from the rush of modern life and reconnect with deeper values. Hospitality, in this context, is not limited to physical comfort but extends to spiritual care and compassion.
By fostering such environments, the Vatican seeks to ensure that religious tourism — especially during the Jubilee — remains authentic, inclusive, and centered on the values of peace and understanding.
Tourism as a Path to Hope and Renewal
Archbishop Rino Fisichella expressed hope that the Jubilee of 2025 will serve as a moment of profound renewal for tourism worldwide. The Jubilee, deeply rooted in the Christian tradition, has historically been a time for reflection, forgiveness, and rebirth. The Vatican envisions that this holy year will inspire new signs of hope, motivating travelers, industry leaders, and communities to commit to sustainable and humane tourism practices.
The Archbishop reaffirmed that the Vatican’s mission is to guide tourism toward becoming an instrument of evangelization, cultural exchange, and human growth. Tourism, when aligned with values of faith and responsibility, can transform from mere recreation into a journey of meaning and solidarity.
Looking Ahead: Global Reflection in Rome
To advance this vision, the Vatican announced the Nineth World Congress on the Pastoral Care of Tourism, which will be held in Rome from 16 to 19 October 2025. The Congress is expected to gather experts, clergy, and industry professionals from around the world to discuss sustainable tourism strategies and the Church’s pastoral engagement in the sector.
This upcoming global event will provide a platform for reflection on how tourism can further evolve as a force for unity, cultural dialogue, and ecological care. Rome, a city that has long symbolized both pilgrimage and global hospitality, will thus become a fitting meeting point for shaping the future of responsible travel.
A Global Call for Transformative Travel
The Vatican’s message for World Tourism Day 2025 extends beyond religious boundaries. It invites all travelers, policymakers, and tourism stakeholders to participate in building a world where tourism nurtures the planet and uplifts the human spirit.
The Church’s appeal highlights that sustainable transformation in tourism is not merely an environmental necessity but a moral obligation. As millions prepare to visit Italy during the Jubilee, the Vatican’s reflections serve as both a guide and a reminder — that travel, when grounded in justice, care, and hope, can become a transformative act that connects humanity with Creation and faith.
