The ‘Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism’ Awards aim to enhance the visibility of European cultural tourism destinations, provide a platform for sharing experiences and knowledge, and foster networking among destinations.
For the ninth consecutive year, the European Travel Commission (ETC), the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN), Europa Nostra, and the Network of European Regions for Competitive and Sustainable Tourism (NECSTouR) have jointly organised these awards to promote best practices in sustainable cultural tourism.
This year’s edition, focusing on “Sustainable Tourism Strategy and Culture Compass for Europe: Synergies for Regenerative, Smart and Resilient Cultural Tourism”, was supported by the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), Europeana and the Creative Tourism Network. The contest was open to destinations across Europe to showcase their achievements and contributions in sustainable cultural tourism across six categories.
The 2026 Awards received a total of 72 entries. The winners and runners-up were selected by an expert jury, composed of representatives from ETC, Europa Nostra, NECSTouR, ENAT, ECF, Europeana, the Creative Tourism Network, and INSPIRES.
