The European Travel Commission (ETC), in collaboration with prominent organizations including the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN), Europa Nostra, and NECSTouR, has announced the opening of applications for the 2026 Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards. This esteemed initiative, now in its ninth year, is designed to showcase groundbreaking efforts in sustainable cultural tourism throughout Europe.

With this year's theme, "Sustainable Tourism Strategy and Culture Compass for Europe: Synergies for Regenerative, Smart and Resilient Cultural Tourism," the focus is on creating destinations that are sustainable, adaptive, and visionary. Applications are welcomed from a diverse array of stakeholders, such as national and regional authorities, tourism boards, museums, cultural NGOs, and more. Participants are encouraged to demonstrate tangible accomplishments within six specialized categories, ranging from resilience in cultural tourism destinations to digitalisation enhancing visitor experiences.

Winners will be celebrated at the Awards Ceremony during the 19th International Conference for Cultural Tourism, held from September 23 to 26, 2026, on Skiathos island in Greece's Thessalia Region. The deadline for applications is May 15, 2026. Discover more about the awards and application details here.

By championing innovative solutions and fostering collaboration, this initiative signifies a pivotal step towards redefining European cultural tourism for resilience and regeneration.

#Destination management #Cultural preservation #Sustainable destinations #Smart destinations #Resilience planning