FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Announce Co-Strategic Partnership for the Global Roundtable on Tourism, Social Responsibility, and Sustainable Development

Toronto, Canada – August 31 2026 – Urban Economy Forum, World Urban Pavilion, and Thrive Tours Announce Co-Strategic Partnership for the Global Roundtable on Tourism, Social Responsibility, and Sustainable Development

Toronto, Canada — The Urban Economy Forum (UEF), the World Urban Pavilion (WUP), and Thrive Tours are pleased to announce a Co-Strategic Partnership to advance sustainable urban tourism, community-led economic development, and the meaningful integration of Indigenous knowledge into how cities and destinations are imagined, governed, and delivered.

The partnership will convene the Global Roundtable on Tourism, Social Responsibility, and Sustainable Development, to be hosted at the World Urban Pavilion in Toronto. The Roundtable will bring together United Nations partners, city leaders, tourism professionals, Indigenous communities, destination organizations, and civil society leaders in a global dialogue on how tourism can serve cities, cultures, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Thrive Tours is an award-winning Indigenous-led tourism and experiential education company headquartered at Batchewana First Nation in Baawaating (Sault Ste. Marie), Ontario. The company operates at the intersection of Indigenous knowledge, land-based education, cultural continuity, and sustainable tourism development, and brings to this partnership more than five years of institutional collaboration with federal, provincial, and municipal partners across Canada, as well as an active network of Indigenous nations, knowledge holders, and tourism operators.

The partnership will focus on the delivery of the Global Roundtable and the ongoing platform that follows, including educational programs, international study opportunities, city-to-city engagement, Indigenous Destination Stewardship pilots, and joint initiatives that connect global urban innovation with community-grounded practice. The work will advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities, SDG 8 on decent work, SDG 10 on reduced inequalities, SDG 4 on quality education, and SDG 13 on climate action.

Reza Pourvaziry, Chair of the Urban Economy Forum, stated:

"Cities are at the heart of the global sustainable development agenda. This partnership demonstrates how tourism can serve as a powerful catalyst for urban transformation, inclusive economic growth, and improved quality of life for communities around the world."

Eduardo Moreno, Co-Director of the World Urban Pavilion, said:

"The World Urban Pavilion serves as a platform for dialogue, innovation, and collective action. Our collaboration with Thrive Tours and the Urban Economy Forum creates a valuable opportunity to connect global knowledge with real-world experiences, allowing participants to see, understand, and engage directly with the urban solutions shaping more inclusive and sustainable cities."

Brad Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of Thrive Tours, added:

"Thrive Tours enters this partnership guided by the Guswentha, the Two Row Wampum, which teaches that peoples can travel the same river in separate vessels, neither steering the other, both moving forward in mutual respect. Tourism, when developed with intention, can build cities up rather than wear them down. We are honoured to work alongside the Urban Economy Forum, the World Urban Pavilion, and partners around the world to move the conversation from arrivals-based thinking toward shared value, and to bring Indigenous knowledge to the foundation of how sustainable urban tourism is understood."

The partners look forward to launching the Global Roundtable and to engaging stakeholders from Canada and around the world in advancing practical solutions, new forms of collaboration, and more resilient, inclusive, and prosperous cities. Further announcements regarding the date, program, and participating organizations will follow in the coming weeks.

Media Contact: media@ueforum.org

Thrive Tours Contact: info@thrivetours.ca