European Capital & Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism Competition

The European Capital of Smart Tourism recognises outstanding achievements by European cities as tourism destinations in four categories: sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation as well as cultural heritage and creativity.

The European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism, successor of the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) competition, rewards smaller destinations that have implemented successful strategies to boost sustainable tourism through green transition practices.

Smart Tourism is an EU initiative, currently financed under the Single Market Programme (SMP) – former COSME Programme. It is built on the successful experience of the Preparatory Action proposed by the European Parliament and implemented by the European Commission.

• Promote
  • Promote the rich tourism offer of European countries and increase citizens’ sentiment of sharing local tourism-related values.
• Strengthen
  • Strengthen tourism-generated and innovative tourism development in the cities, their surroundings and their neighbour regions.
• Increase
  • Increase the attractiveness of European cities that are awarded the title and strengthen economic growth and job creation.
• Establish
  • Establish framework for the exchange of best practices between the cities and create opportunities for cooperation and new partnerships.
• Inform
  • Inform the travellers of the sustainable and outstanding tourism practices in destinations they are visiting.
• Encourage
  • Encourage sustainable socio-economic development in tourism destinations across Europe.

Eligibility Requirements

• The eligibility criteria for applying to win the title of the “European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025” are as follows:
  • The European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism competition is open to EU Member States, as well as the non-EU countries that take part in the Single Market Programme – former COSME Programme
  • All destinations that are located in an EU Member State or a non-EU country participating in the Single Market Programme, with demographic population between 25 000 – 100 000 inhabitants, can apply.
  • For smaller countries with total population below 1 million, destinations with more than 5 000 inhabitants are eligible to apply.
  • Previous European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism winners (2024 Grosseto, Italy) as well as EDEN winning destinations from previous EU-wide editions of the EDEN competition (2023 Kranj, Slovenia and 2022 Middelfart, Sweden) are not eligible to compete for the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025 competition. Runner-ups of the national and EU-wide former editions are eligible.
• The eligibility criteria for applying to win the title of “European Capital of Smart Tourism 2025” are as follows:
  • The European Capital of Smart Tourism competition is open to EU Member States, as well as the non-EU countries that take part in the Single Market Programme (SMP) – former COSME Programme.
  • All cities that are located in an EU Member State or a non-EU country participating in the Single Market Programme, which have more than 100 000 inhabitants, can apply for the title.
  • In countries where no city has more than 100 000 inhabitants, the largest city is eligible to apply. For small states with the number of inhabitants below 1 million by 31 December 2023, cities with more than 10 000 inhabitants are eligible to apply.

For more information, visit European Commission.