Photo: Smart Tourism Capital - European Union The European Commission has announced the opening of the European Capitals of Tourism competition for 2027, inviting cities and tourist destinations across Europe to present innovative initiatives in smart and sustainable tourism.
According to the official announcement, the tourism sector, considered one of the most important in the European Union, continues to play a significant role in economic growth and job creation. The competition will focus on cities that implement solutions in areas such as digitization, accessibility, sustainability, as well as support for cultural heritage, creativity and local talent.
Photo: ShutterstockSimilar to the parallel project "European Capitals of Culture" , participating cities will submit their applications online, and the applications will be reviewed by an independent panel of experts. The cities that reach the final stage will present their applications to a European jury, which will select two winners to be awarded the title of "European Capitals of Tourism 2027". The announcement of the winners is expected to take place in November 2026.
The competition is divided into two main categories: the first is intended for cities with over 100,000 residents and focuses on achievements in sustainability, accessibility, digitization, and cultural and creative heritage.
The second category is intended for smaller cities, with a population of between 25,000 and 100,000 residents, and focuses on leading sustainable tourism processes and the transition to a green economy.
The winning cities will benefit from broad exposure at the European Union level, including, among other things, a promotional video, a dedicated exhibition, and international promotion.
The competition is open to cities from all 27 EU countries, as well as other countries participating in the Single Market program, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine.
The deadline for submitting applications is June 12, 2026, 5:00 PM (Central European Time).
The European Union building in Brussels. Photo: shutterstock