Winners Of The 2025 Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards Revealed In Sibiu, Romania: A New Era Of Innovation And Sustainability In Europe

Published on October 8, 2025

The 2025 Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards took spot connected October 2, 2025, successful Sibiu, Romania, which has been named nan European Capital of Smart Tourism 2025. These prestigious awards are organized annually by nan European Travel Commission (ETC), nan European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN), Europa Nostra, and nan Network of European Regions for Competitive and Sustainable Tourism (NECSTouR). The purpose is to showcase nan champion practices successful sustainable taste tourism, supply a level for sharing experiences, and foster networking among tourism destinations crossed Europe.

This year, nan attraction was connected Visitor Experiences and Authenticity for Sustainable, Smart and Resilient Cultural Tourism Destinations. The title opened to tourer destinations crossed Europe, pinch nan extremity of recognizing those that person made important contributions to sustainable taste tourism successful various categories.

Key Details of nan Awards

The 2025 edition of nan awards received 48 applications from 14 countries. The winners and runners-up were selected by an master assemblage comprising representatives from nan ETC, ECTN, Europa Nostra, Sibiu County Tourism Association, Iter Vitis Cultural Route of nan Council of Europe, and nan INSPIRES SMP Project coordination. The awards were divided into 5 categories, and nan winners were revealed during nan ceremonial held successful nan historical metropolis of Sibiu.

Resilience successful Sustainable Cultural Tourism Destinations

In nan Resilience successful Sustainable Cultural Tourism Destinations category, nan awards focused connected really destinations person utilized sustainable taste tourism to beforehand resilience and organization development.

• 1st Prize: Transylvanian Highlands – Responsible Tourism successful nan Saxon Cultural Landscape: A Path to Community Resilience by Asociația Colinele Transilvaniei, Romania. This inaugural highlights nan value of preserving nan Saxon taste scenery while promoting responsible tourism that benefits section communities.
• 2nd Prize: DescOpera Festival: A Model of Sustainable Cultural Tourism successful Moldova by The National Inbound and Domestic Tourism Association of Moldova (ANTRIM). This show has go a sparkling illustration of sustainable tourism successful Moldova by combining culture, music, and sustainability.
• 3rd Prize: Cultural Heritage arsenic a Key Component of Sustainable Development astatine Krka National Park by nan Public Institute of Krka National Park, Croatia. The task emphasizes nan domiciled of taste practice successful preserving earthy environments while promoting sustainable tourism.

Wine and Gastronomy Tourism Based connected Eno-Culinary Heritage Preservation

The Wine and Gastronomy Tourism class celebrated destinations that utilized their eno-culinary practice to sphere traditions while offering authentic visitant experiences.

• 1st Prize: Tasty Tartu – A Month Full of Flavours, Invigorating nan Low Season by Visit Tartu / Tartu County Tourism Foundation, Estonia. This inaugural revitalizes nan debased play pinch culinary events celebrating section flavors and seasonal produce.
• 2nd Prize: Tiramisù World Cup by Tiramisù Academy APS, Treviso, Region of Veneto, Italy. The Tiramisù World Cup has grown into a awesome arena celebrating Italy’s rich | culinary practice while promoting sustainable tourism practices.
• 3rd Prize: Vrsar Amareti – A Traditional Hazelnut Delicacy Inspired by Local Heritage by Vrsar Tourist Board, Croatia. This task celebrates nan section practice by preserving accepted recipes and promoting gastronomic tourism successful nan region.
• Special Prize: Vipava Valley Wine Train – The Amazing Way to Taste nan Paradise Valley by Javni Zavod za Turizem Nova Gorica successful Vipavska Dolina (Tourism Board), Slovenia. The Wine Train offers a unsocial and sustainable measurement to research Slovenia’s vino region while enjoying its rich | taste and culinary heritage.

Digitalization successful Smart Tourism, Cultural Heritage, and Creativity Enhancing Visitor Experiences

The Digitalization successful Smart Tourism class focused connected nan domiciled of exertion successful enhancing taste tourism and preserving heritage.

• 1st Prize: Time Travel Was Once nan Stuff of Science Fiction by Associação Rota Histórica das Linhas de Torres, Portugal. This innovative task uses integer devices to bring history to life, allowing visitors to acquisition Portugal’s humanities sites successful a caller and interactive way.
• 2nd Prize: Biertan Audio Quest by nan Designers, Thinkers, Makers Association, Biertan, Sibiu, Romania. This audio circuit combines exertion pinch taste heritage, providing visitors pinch an immersive acquisition while exploring nan UNESCO-listed colony of Biertan.
• 3rd Prize: Digitally Preserving nan Past: Resilient Heritage Experiences successful Sibiu for a Smart Tourism Future by City Hall of Sibiu, Romania. This task integrates integer solutions to sphere Sibiu’s taste practice while creating new, smart tourism experiences for visitors.

Transnational Thematic Tourism Products Involving Culture and Heritage

The Transnational Thematic Tourism Products class recognized projects that link cultures and practice crossed borders.

• 1st Prize: European Route of Historic Gardens – A Cultural Route of nan Council of Europe by nan European Route of Historic Gardens (ERHG) non-profit association, based successful Catalonia, Spain. This task connects historic gardens crossed respective European countries, promoting taste speech and sustainable tourism.
• 2nd Prize: The People’s Portal Dublin, Connecting People and Cultures Above Borders by Dublin City Council Culture Company, Ireland. This inaugural highlights nan domiciled of Dublin arsenic a hub for taste exchange, bringing group from different backgrounds together.
• 3rd Prize: Via Dinarica: Green Trail Above Borders by Regional Development Agency “Zlatibor” Uzice, Serbia. This greenish way connects countries successful nan Balkans, offering a sustainable measurement to acquisition nan region’s earthy and taste heritage.

Cultural Tourism Services for All, Visitors and Residents Alike

This class celebrated initiatives that make taste tourism accessible to everyone, some residents and visitors.

• 1st Prize: Living Heritage for All: Revitalizing Rural Museums Through Inclusive, Authentic, and Sustainable Cultural Tourism successful nan Laona Plateau by Kathikas, Ineia, Droushia, and Arodes Synergy, Pafos region, Cyprus. This task revitalizes agrarian museums and makes them accessible to each visitors, promoting section heritage.
• 2nd Prize: Via Transilvanica: The Road That Unites by Tasuleasa Social Association, Romania. This taste way unites communities crossed Romania and helps sphere taste traditions while fostering sustainable tourism.
• 3rd Prize: LUV FEST, Winter Festival of Love, Art, and Wanderings successful Ljubljana by Ljubljana Tourism, Slovenia. This wintertime show celebrates section civilization and creation while welcoming visitors and residents alike, creating an inclusive taste experience.

Conclusion

The 2025 Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards highlighted nan champion successful cultural tourism crossed Europe, recognizing destinations that person embraced sustainability, innovation, and authentic experiences. These awards not only showcase nan achievements of nan winners but besides service arsenic inspiration for different destinations to travel suit successful promoting responsible and sustainable tourism practices.

As Europe moves toward a much sustainable future, these awards punctual america of nan value of preserving taste practice while ensuring that tourism continues to use some local communities and travelers.

[Image Credit: European Travel Commission]