Applications now open for the Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards 2023

For the sixth year in a row, ETC strengthens its partnership with the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN), Europa Nostra and the Network of European Regions for Competitive and Sustainable Tourism (NECSTouR) to encourage the development of sustainable cultural tourism practices in European destinations.

The theme of this year’s edition of Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards is “Smart Tourism – Smart Destinations: Cultural Heritage & Creativity, Digitalisation, Sustainability”. The Awards will be given to cultural tourist destinations which have produced significant results such as enhancing the visitor experience, respecting traditions and involving local communities.

Applications are open to all tourist destinations across Europe, national, regional and local authorities, tourism boards and associations, destination management organizations, museums, interpretation centers, cultural routes, festivals and cultural NGOs.

The candidates are invited to showcase results concerning sustainable cultural tourism, under one of the following 6 categories:

1. Digitalisation advances and digital transition in Sustainable Cultural Tourism
2. History and Heritage
3. Riverside heritage
4. Transnational Thematic Tourism Products, including European Cultural Routes (involving at least 2 European countries, not necessarily neighbouring)
5. Religious, Pilgrimage and Spiritual Tourism
6. Traditional Skills, Crafts and Creativity (on the occasion of the European Year of Skills 2023)

The winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony, which will take place during the 16th International Conference for Cultural Tourism. The event will be organized by ECTN on 18^th-21^st October 2023 in Pafos (Cyprus), as an acknowledgement of the award as “European Capital of Smart Tourism 2023”. 

More information about the requirements can be found at: Download Call for Entries, Download Application Form, Download Declaration Form.

The deadline for applications is extended to 16^th June 2023 at 17:00 CEST and the applicants must submit their application by filling in the form  on the online platform.