Helsinki and Lyon 2019 European Capitals of Smart Tourism
First edition of the EU’s European Capital of Smart Tourism competition names winners.
Award Ceremony will take place at European Tourism Day conference on 7 November 2018 in Brussels.
The initiative supports tourism-generated innovative development in EU cities and their surroundings.
The European Capital of Smart Tourism recognises outstanding achievements in four categories: in sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation as well as cultural heritage and creativity by European city destinations.
4 other cities were announced as the winners in the individual categories of
- Accessibility (Mlaga)
- Sustainability (Ljubljana)
- Digitalisation (Copenhagen)
- Cultural Heritage & Creativity (Linz)
38 Cities from 19 EU countries applied to compete for the title but both Helsinki and Lyon stood out because of
- their innovative tourism measures in all 4 competition categories
- their programme of activities to celebrate their achievements
- their suitability as role models for other upcoming smart tourism destinations
A 7-member jury chose the 2 European Capitals of Smart Tourism 2019. The jury was made up of representatives from the Commission, Parliament, European Committee of Regions, and Bulgaria and Austria (holders of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union during 2018).
These 4 cities will be recognised with European Smart Tourism Awards for their achievements in these 4 categories.
Throughout 2019, Helsinki and Lyon will get EU wide visibility. Both cities will receive expert communication and branding support, which will include the production of promotional videos, the installation of a purpose-built sculpture and bespoke promotional activities.
All of the winning cities will be awarded during European Tourism Day on 7 November 2018, a major EU tourism event. They will be featured at the exhibition where several hundred participants from all over Europe can discover their best practices in smart tourism.
https://smarttourismcapital.eu/
Valere Tjolle
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