World Leisure Organization, Inc.

Name

World Leisure Organization, Inc.

Legal name

World Leisure Organization

Website

https://worldleisure.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bilbao

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual subscription-based membership fees ranging from free tier to premium institutional memberships at $750/year. Provides recurring revenue and access to publications, events, and networking.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from organizing World Leisure Congresses, Expos, Festivals, and other events. Registration fees for participants and sponsors.
3. Publication Sales: Sales of World Leisure Journal subscriptions and publications through partners like Routledge/Taylor & Francis. Members receive discounts on academic books.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

World Leisure Organization is a non-profit, membership-based association that advances leisure studies worldwide through a tiered membership program, the Scopus-indexed World Leisure Journal published with Routledge/Taylor & Francis, and a portfolio of international events including the biennial World Leisure Congress, Expo, Games, Festival, and Study Tours. It supplements these with educational programs (World Leisure Centers of Excellence, Field School, LERO), the WL Innovation Prize, Strategic Priorities Grants, monthly WL News, and advocacy initiatives coordinated through UN ECOSOC consultative status.

Product overview

World Leisure Organization (WLO) is a worldwide non-governmental association founded in 1952, offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services centered on advancing leisure as a force for human growth, development, and well-being. The organization operates a membership-based model with tiered subscriptions (Free, Premium Individual at $100/year, Premium Student at $40/year, Premium Retired at $50/year, and Premium Institution/Organization at $750/year). Core offerings include the World Leisure Journal (peer-reviewed publication in partnership with Routledge/Taylor & Francis), major international events (World Leisure Congress, Expo, Games, Festival), educational programs (World Leisure Centers of Excellence with Field School and LERO research opportunities), and professional development (Special Interest Groups across 11 topic areas, Strategic Priorities Grants, and the WL Innovation Prize). The organization also provides publications including a Book Series and monthly WL News newsletter, maintains the WL Charter for Leisure, organizes annual World Leisure Day celebrations, and supports Youth Ambassadors programs. All offerings are designed to connect academics, professionals, and citizens engaged in leisure research and practice worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• World Leisure Journal (WLJ): The official journal of the World Leisure Organization, an international forum dedicated to advancing critical research on leisure and its contribution to quality of life, health, well-being, and social inclusion.
• World Leisure Congress
• World Leisure Expo
• World Leisure Games
• World Leisure Day
• World Leisure Centers of Excellence (WLCE)
• WL Field School
• Strategic Priorities Grants (SPGs)
• World Leisure International Innovation Prize
• WL Communities of Excellence

Products and services

• World Leisure Journal (WLJ)
• World Leisure Congress
• World Leisure Expo
• World Leisure Games
• WL Festival
• Study Tours
• Global Leisure Debates
• World Leisure Centers of Excellence (WLCE)
• Field School
• Leisure Experience Research Opportunity (LERO)
• World Leisure Day
• Free Membership
• Premium Individual Membership
• Premium Student Membership
• Premium Retired Membership
• Premium Institution/Organization/Communities Membership
• WL Newsletter (WL News)
• Book Series

Quantifiable outcome

• World Leisure Journal downloads increased 29% from 18,897 in 2024 to 24,460 in 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered regional, flagship, core and minor.

• FIEXPO Latin AmericaregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026WLO attended FIEXPO Latin America held in San José, Costa Rica (June 9-11). The event brought together destinations, institutions, and professionals from the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions sector.
• Qatar Travel Mart (QTM)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2024WLO partnered with Qatar Travel Mart 2024 organized by NeXTfairs. The event themed 'Discover Places, People, and Cultures' showcases global tourism offerings and Qatar's unique positioning.
• ENCATCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2017WLO brought leisure perspective to ENCATC's 6th International Study Tour to the United Arab Emirates. Session 'Talks on the Leisure Culture in the Emirates' explored leisure culture in the Gulf region.
• China Tourism GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2016China Tourism Group, the biggest tourism and leisure company in China, signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with the 2020 Beijing-Pinggu World Leisure Congress organizing team.
• ENCATC (European Network for Cultural Management and Cultural Policy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWLO is a strategic partner of the ENCATC Academy 2026 program on Sustainable Cultural Management and Policy held in Bilbao, Spain. This partnership enables cultural professionals, educators, researchers, and policymakers to integrate sustainability into cultural and creative sectors.
• Routledge/Taylor & Francis GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWLO partners with Routledge, Taylor & Francis for the World Leisure Journal, the official peer-reviewed journal indexed in Scopus. Joint work on increased membership benefits including discounts on academic books.
• Sesc São PauloflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSesc São Paulo is the local partner for organizing the 2018 World Leisure Congress in São Paulo. Sesc provides venues including Sesc Pompeia and Sesc Pinheiros.
• University of São PauloflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of São Paulo leads the Scientific Committee for the 2018 WL Congress, contributing academic rigor and hosting the Field School program.
• United Nations ECOSOCflagshipOthersWLO holds NGO consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, enabling participation in UN programs and advocacy for leisure at the international level.
• Young People's Leisure Network (YPLN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYPLN was created by participant universities and students from WLO Future Leaders programme to involve youth coordinators in organizing international exchange activities in the leisure field.
• Vancouver Island University (VIU) World Leisure Centre of ExcellenceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIU WLCE hosts the Canadian Congress on Leisure Research 2026 and coordinates the WLCE network providing graduate/postgraduate education and research in leisure studies.
• Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in TourismregionalOthersWLO is a supporting organization signatory party of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, demonstrating commitment to sustainability.
• Sound Diplomacy and Music Cities EventsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWLO members receive discounted registration fees for the Music Tourism Convention and Music Cities Convention events.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI): Both are international associations promoting sport, leisure, and recreation through advocacy, research, and global events.
• Global Wellness Institute: Both conduct research and advocacy at the intersection of wellness, leisure, and quality of life, with overlapping thematic Special Interest Groups.

Direct peers

• International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS): Both focus on leisure facilities, sports infrastructure, and best practices for the global leisure industry through advocacy and knowledge-sharing.
• UN Tourism (UNWTO): Both are global organizations focused on advancing tourism and leisure research, advocacy, and policy at the international level.
• World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC): Both are global advocacy and research organizations for the travel and leisure industry, with similar member-driven structures.
• International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA): Both organize and represent the international meetings and congress industry, serving associations that host global events with academic and professional audiences.
• National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA): Both are membership-based organizations serving parks, recreation, and leisure professionals with conferences, certifications, and publications.

Regional players

• Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA): Both serve as national/regional membership organizations for recreation professionals; CPRA is a WLO partner that co-hosted the 2026 Canadian Congress on Leisure Research.
• Recreation New Zealand: Both are membership-driven leisure advocacy organizations; Recreation NZ hosted the 17th World Leisure Congress in Dunedin in 2023.

Others

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Both hold UN-level consultative status and operate globally as NGO advocacy bodies, though IUCN focuses on nature conservation vs. leisure research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/about/privacy/update?ref=old_policy
• Xtwitter.com/en/privacy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/world-leisure-organization

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about World Leisure Organization, Inc.