ECTN Awards 'Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism 2026' 13th edition
Island of Skiathos. View of the Bourtzi Maritime and Cultural Tradition Museum and Skiathos Port
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Awards for the 2026 Edition will address "Sustainable Tourism Strategy and Culture Compass for Europe: Synergies for Regenerative, Smart and Resilient Cultural Tourism".
Applications must be submitted by 15th May 2026.
The Awards will be given for achievements by cultural tourist destinations which have produced significant results related to enhancing visitor experience while respecting traditions and involving local host communities.
The 2026 Awards address both tangible and intangible heritage-related aspects of resilient, smart and sustainable cultural tourism development and promotion under the following main headings:
- Resilience in Sustainable Cultural Tourism (linked to the INSPIRES SMP-COSME project), including natural heritage, green transition, and climate action.
- Creative Tourism and Co-Created Cultural Tourism Experiences. Supported by the Creative Tourism Network.
- Digitalisation in Smart Tourism - Cultural Heritage and Creativity aspects, enhancing visitor experiences (linked to the ‘Smart Tour’ Interreg Europe project). Supported by Europeana.
- Transnational Thematic Tourism products involving Culture and Heritage, including European Cultural Routes and European Heritage Label networks, cross-border and multi-destination tourism initiatives involving at least 2 countries.
- Active, Slow and Accessible Cultural Tourism - Walking, Cycling and Hiking Tourism around Culture and Heritage. Supported by ENAT.
- Regenerative Cultural Tourism & Heritage Led Destination Regeneration - Regenerative Tourism Synergies with Culture and Heritage.
The applicants must address one of the above themes and present projects, initiatives or activities that have been completed during the past 3 years. Award winners will be recognised as examples of excellence inspiring other tourist destinations and stimulating further development of resilient, smart and sustainable cultural tourism initiatives.
Awards Ceremony on the island of Skiathos, Greece
Award winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony to be held during the 19th International Conference for Cultural Tourism on the theme of "Sustainable Tourism Strategy and Culture Compass for Europe: Synergies for Regenerative, Smart and Resilient Cultural Tourism", organised by ECTN on 23-26 September 2026 on Skiathos island, Thessalia Region, Greece.
The selected finalists will be invited to the ECTN Conference 2026 and to the Awards Ceremony on 24 September. The organiser and partners will not reimburse any costs for attending the Awards Ceremony, but the conference fee will be waived for up to two persons per finalist.
Who can apply?
The ECTN Awards are open to all tourist destinations across Europe, national, regional and local authorities, tourism boards and associations, destination management organisations, museums, heritage sites, interpretation centres, cultural routes, festivals and cultural NGOs.
Applications
Applications must be submitted online at the dedicated platform:
https://culturaltourism.awardstage.com
For full details about the Awards Jury and Award Criteria and general conditions, visit the ECTN Awards 2026 Webpage
About the Awards
Cultural tourism is the fastest growing sector of European tourism and can contribute both to the sustainability and competitiveness of tourism in the European Union and beyond, as well as to the sustainable future of cultural assets, heritage sites and local communities.
Cultural Tourism products and services are important factors in sustainable development, contributing to the protection and promotion of cultural heritage, the extension of the tourism period, as well as increasing culture and heritage awareness among tourists and host communities, regional GDP and its multiplier effects.
These Awards enhance the visibility of European cultural tourism destinations, create a platform for sharing experience and knowledge and promotes networking between destinations. The Awards Contest is open to tourist destinations across Europe, to showcase their results and outputs in sustainable cultural tourism under several selected categories each year.
The Awards have been organised since 2014 by ECTN around annual themes, for the benefit of destinations, communities, associations, businesses, citizens and visitors.
The 2026 edition of the Awards for ‘Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism’ is organised by ECTN in partnership with Europa Nostra, the European Travel Commission and NECSTouR, supported by Europeana and in the framework of the INSPIRES SMP project. It follows on from the 2018 edition of the Awards which was held as a contribution to the ‘European Year of Cultural Heritage’ (EYCH2018) and the 2019-2025 editions, by a similar partnership that aims to contribute to the legacy of EYCH2018 through relevant EU initiatives.
Contact ECTN: Email info@culturaltourism-net.eu