Liepāja Shortlisted as European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025

On Monday, 23 September, the European Commission unveiled the seven cities that have been shortlisted for the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025 award. This prestigious title is aimed at recognizing cities that show an exceptional commitment to creating sustainable and innovative tourism solutions for the future. As part of the Smart Tourism initiative, the European Commission launched two competitions – European Capital of Smart Tourism and European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism – with the goal of promoting smart and sustainable tourism within the EU, strengthening destination networks, and encouraging the exchange of best practices.

The cities shortlisted for the title are listed alphabetically: Aveiro (Portugal), Benidorm (Spain), Jūrmala (Latvia), Liepāja (Latvia), Nea Propropontida (Greece), Panevėžys (Lithuania), and Sliven (Bulgaria). These destinations stood out from 16 candidate cities and were selected by an independent panel of sustainability experts.

The European Commission decided to extend the list of  the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism candidates from four to seven, as several cities received equally high scores for their impressive hign quality-made applications. Find out more about each of the selected destinations here.

The next stage of the competition will take place on 26-27 November 2024, when the finalists will present their proposals to the European jury. The jury will then select the city that will hold the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025 title. The winning destination will be recognized as a leader in tourism sustainability, aligning with the goals of the European Green Deal. Throughout 2025, the selected city will receive expert support in communication and branding at the EU level, boosting its visibility and influence.

The competition was open to cities across the European Union and those from non-EU countries that participate in the Single Market Programme. The assessment was carried out by the panel of sustainability experts, and the cities with the highest overall scores were shortlisted. Terms and conditions for the competition can be accessed online for further details.

European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism — Green leads the way

The European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism follows in the footsteps of the European Commission’s European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) competition, first launched in 2007 to recognize non-traditional and emerging destinations that exemplify sustainable tourism. Grosseto (Italy) currently holds the title of European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2024, acting as a model for green and sustainable tourism across Europe.

Securing the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025 title could greatly enhance the city’s profile, positioning it as a top destination for sustainable tourism and innovation. The award could also attract more visitors and contribute to sustainable economic growth, serving as an inspiration to other European cities striving for environmental excellence in tourism.

For more information on the Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism initiative and the latest updates, please visit: Official Site.

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