The 16th International Conference for Cultural Tourism in Europe

​​The 16th ECTN conference with main theme ‘Smart Tourism – Smart Destinations: Cultural Heritage & Creativity, Digitalisation, Sustainability’ will discuss the latest trends in the field of culture, heritage, smart and sustainable tourism, including innovation, creativity and cultural tourism product development. The emphasis will be on the important role of cultural heritage and digitalisation in smart tourism and smart destinations.

​The ECTN 2023 Conference is organised in the framework of Pafos 2023 European Capital of Smart Tourism, the European Year of Skills 2023, the ReInHerit Horizon 2020 Coordination and Support Action (CSA) and the ‘Transition Pathway for Tourism’ co-implementation (European Commission DG GROW). 

The conference aims to explore major challenges, risks and opportunities for smart, sustainable and responsible tourism development related to culture and heritage assets, as well as suggest practical steps for the development and promotion of cultural tourism products. The theme encompasses all forms of culture, including contemporary cultural expressions, all forms of cultural heritage and smart solutions.

Presenters are invited to showcase relevant experience, share their best practices, give detailed examples and provide practical recommendations to preserving, restoring, deploying and promoting culture and heritage values, with innovations for smart, sustainable and responsible tourism development. The EU Smart Tourism Capital and the UNWTO Smart Destinations initiatives are of particular interest in the 2023 ECTN Conference.

The conference is organised in close cooperation with ECTN members.

The submitted Abstracts should address at least one of the following topics linked to smart and sustainable cultural and heritage tourism:
​Digitalisation advances and digital transition in Sustainable Cultural Tourism, including Smart Tourism and Smart Destinations initiatives closely involving culture and heritage.
History and Heritage: ancestry and heritage-related experiences in connection with historic places and events (places of memory, contemplation and commemoration), which exerted an influence in history.
Riverside heritage: sites and territories that have valorised a strong relation with their river through activities and experiences that both take the economic and social role of fluvial culture and heritage in tourism actions.
Transnational Thematic Tourism Products, on culture and heritage, including those related to European Cultural Routes, European Heritage Label and/or cross-border cultural tourism initiatives (involving at least two European countries, not necessarily neighbouring).
Religious, Pilgrimage and Spiritual Tourism: places of worship, travel for religious or spiritual purposes, walking tourism, visiting religious monuments, festivals and artefacts.
Traditional Skills, Crafts and Creativity in Smart and Sustainable Cultural and Creative Tourism activities (add-on to the European Year of Skills 2023).
Smart and Sustainable Tourism at UNESCO World Heritage Sites and UNESCO Geoparks.
​Legacy of European Capitals of Culture for Smart and Sustainable Cultural Tourism advances.
Smart and Sustainable Cultural Tourism Synergies with the EU ‘Transition Pathway for Tourism’ and co-implementation  prospects.

​Submission deadline: 30 June 2023.

Other Information:There will be no delegate fees for selected presenters attending the Conference (one person per selected presentation)
Participants, including selected presenters will have to make their own arrangements for travel and accommodation. ECTN cannot cover travel expenses.
Abstracts and presentations accepted by the Programme Committee of the Conference  may be published online with author’s approval.
A post-conference study tour in Pafos 2023 European Capital of Smart Tourism is planned and selected presenters will be invited.
The Awards ceremony of the ECTN prize for ‘Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism 2023’ will take place in conjunction the Conference. The 2023 ECTN Awards are in partnership with Europa Nostra, the European Travel Commission and NECSTouR, in the framework of European Capital of Smart Tourism 2023, the European Year of Skills 2023 and the ‘Transition Pathway for Tourism’ (European Commission DG GROW).

Contacts

e-mail:  [email protected]
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Programme Committee

Manos Vougioukas, Chair (ECTN Secretary-General)
Nasos Hadjigeorgiou, Pafos Regional Board of Tourism, Cyprus (ECTN President)
Simina Manea, Sibiu County Tourism Association, Executive Director, Romania (ECTN Vice-President)
Raitis Sijats, Vidzeme Tourism Association, Latvia (ECTN Immediate Past President)
Trinidad Manrique De Lara Vilchez, Diputacion de Granada, Spain (ECTN Board member)
Franziska Stenzel, Experience Bremerhaven, Germany (ECTN Board member)
Ema Aničić, City of Krk, Croatia (ECTN Board member)
Jordi Tresserras, LABPATC, University of Barcelona, Spain (ECTN Board member)
Victor Timotin, General Director of NIRDT, Romania
Ivana Golob, University of Rijeka, Centre for Industrial Heritage, Croatia
Bosse Lagerqvist, University of Gothenberg, Sweden
​Agita Livina, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Latvia
Nick Vogiazidis, University of Thessaly, Greece
Prof Sandra Janković, University of Rijeka, Croatia​
Prof Hrvoje Potrebica, University of Zagreb, Croatia, Vice-President of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA)
​Ioanna Hadjicosti, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, ReInHerit Horizon2020 CSA Coordinator, Cyprus