Braga Joins Bruges, Brussels, Genoa, Leipzig, Dubrovnik And More Shortlisted For 2026 European Capital And Green Pioneer Of Smart Tourism Awards

Published on September 6, 2025

By: Paramita Sarkar

The European Commission has officially revealed nan shortlisted cities for nan 2026 European Capital and Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism awards. The announcement positions cities from crossed Europe and participating non-EU Single Market Programme countries arsenic leaders successful smart, sustainable, and innovative tourism. The finalists see Braga (Portugal), Bruges and Brussels (Belgium), Genoa (Italy), Leipzig and Regensburg (Germany), Tampere (Finland), Dubrovnik (Croatia), Geestland (Germany), Ibiza (Spain), Laois (Ireland), Mariagerfjord and Rebild (Denmark), Marmaris (Türkiye), and Tartu (Estonia).

Who are nan finalists?

The European Capital of Smart Tourism title has shortlisted 7 cities from 12 countries based connected their excellence successful promoting smart tourism practices. Braga, Bruges, Brussels, Genoa, Leipzig, Regensburg, and Tampere are competing for nan title, reflecting a committedness to integer innovation, visitant experience, and tourism management.

In parallel, nan European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism title recognises destinations pinch exceptional sustainable tourism practices. The 8 shortlisted cities—Dubrovnik, Geestland, Ibiza, Laois, Mariagerfjord, Marmaris, Rebild, and Tartu—demonstrate high-impact strategies successful biology sustainability, power efficiency, and community-driven tourism initiatives.

What is happening?

The European Commission’s awards programmes purpose to place cities that group benchmarks for innovation, digitalisation, and sustainability successful tourism. Selected finalists person excelled successful integrating exertion into visitant services, improving municipality mobility, fostering smart metropolis solutions, and processing environmentally responsible tourism practices.

All shortlisted cities will coming their strategies and initiatives to an master European assemblage successful Brussels connected 18 and 19 November 2025. The assemblage information will find nan winners of nan European Capital of Smart Tourism 2026 and nan European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2026 awards. Winning cities will summation visibility crossed nan European Union and internationally, benefiting from tailored connection campaigns, promotional videos, and installation of symbolic hashtag sculptures to item their achievements.

When is it happening?

The finalists’ presentations to nan European assemblage will return spot connected 18 and 19 November 2025 successful Brussels. Winners will beryllium officially announced soon aft nan jury’s deliberation, marking a high-profile arena connected nan European tourism almanac for 2026. These dates besides coincide pinch wider EU initiatives to fortify cross-border collaboration and speech of champion practices successful smart tourism.

Where is it happening?

The awards screen cities crossed Europe and participating Single Market Programme countries. Shortlisted cities see locations successful Western Europe specified arsenic Braga, Bruges, Brussels, and Genoa; Northern Europe pinch Tampere; Central Europe represented by Leipzig and Regensburg; Southern Europe pinch Dubrovnik and Ibiza; and Marmaris successful Türkiye. The assemblage information and grant announcements will return spot successful Brussels, nan European Union’s administrative hub, underlining nan continent-wide value of nan awards.

Why is it important?

The European Capital and Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism awards recognise cities that lead successful tourism innovation, sustainability, and integer transformation. Winning cities are showcased arsenic benchmarks for integrating smart solutions into visitant experiences while advancing sustainable municipality development. These awards support cities successful attracting world travellers, enhancing tourism competitiveness, and strengthening organization engagement successful tourism activities.

By highlighting exemplary cities, nan awards promote cross-national learning, animate caller initiatives, and beforehand Europe arsenic a world leader successful sustainable, technologically precocious tourism. They besides promote non-EU cities participating successful nan Single Market Programme to align pinch EU standards, creating opportunities for world collaboration and accrued marketplace visibility.

How will nan awards effect tourism?

Winning cities will person extended branding and connection support, including promotional campaigns designed to summation visibility astatine European and world levels. The awards alteration cities to leverage champion practices successful sustainable tourism and smart management, boosting their entreaty among world visitors. Innovative measures specified arsenic integer apps, mobility solutions, eco-certifications, and visitor-friendly technologies are recognised, promoting cities arsenic modern, responsible, and charismatic destinations.

Shortlisted cities summation an further opportunity to fortify their tourism networks, link pinch European counterparts, and showcase their achievements successful smart and greenish tourism to a wider audience. Enhanced visibility done videos, media coverage, and nationalist installations creates lasting awareness, encouraging accrued tourer arrivals and investments successful municipality tourism infrastructure.

Conclusion

The European Commission’s announcement of nan 2026 European Capital and Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism grant finalists underscores nan committedness of cities crossed Europe and neighbouring countries to beforehand smart, sustainable, and innovative tourism. Braga, Bruges, Brussels, Genoa, Leipzig, Regensburg, Tampere, Dubrovnik, Geestland, Ibiza, Laois, Mariagerfjord, Marmaris, Rebild, and Tartu exemplify excellence successful digitalisation, sustainable practices, and visitant engagement. The upcoming presentations successful Brussels will find nan winners, positioning them arsenic domiciled models for tourism invention successful Europe and beyond, while inspiring cities worldwide to adopt sustainable and intelligent tourism strategies.