ECTN 2024 Conference

The Call for presenters at the European Cultural Tourism Network conference 2024 is now open.

​​The 17th ECTN conference with main theme “European Collaboration for Smart and Sustainable Cultural Tourism Destinations” will discuss the latest trends in the field of culture, heritage, smart and sustainable tourism; including innovation, ​accessibility (for the first time) and cultural tourism product development. The emphasis will be on the important role of cultural heritage, accessibility, digitalisation and sustainability in smart tourism and smart destinations, through collaboration.

The conference will be held in Dublin, European Capital of Smart Tourism 2024, on 23-26 October.

The submitted abstracts should address at least one of the following topics linked to smart and sustainable cultural and heritage tourism:

• Accessibility to Heritage, both physical and intellectual, as a component of Smart Tourism and Smart Destinations, at museums, cultural and heritage sites; Accessible Cultural Tourism (in partnership with ENAT – European Network for Accessible Tourism).
• Intangible Heritage, including Festivals, performing arts, music, dance, theatre, opera, visual arts, handicrafts, traditional trades, for Sustainable Cultural Tourism.
• Digitalisation advances and digital transition in Smart and Sustainable Cultural Tourism, Smart Tourism and Smart Destinations initiatives closely involving culture and heritage, enhancing the visitor experience, including AI, VR/AR, big data, gamification, Metaverse.
• Transnational Thematic Tourism Products, on culture and heritage, including those related to European Cultural Routes, European Heritage Label networks and/or cross-border cultural tourism initiatives (involving at least two European countries, not necessarily neighbouring).
• Coastal and Maritime Heritage for Sustainable Cultural Tourism, including underwater heritage, maritime museums, historic ships, shipwrecks, old ports, equipment, lighthouses, traditional boat and repair yards, as well as maritime cultural landscapes.
• Transition Pathway for Tourism (TPT): co-implementation synergies related to Culture, Heritage, Innovation and Smart Tourism.
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): activities related to Sustainable Cultural Tourism.

Submission of abstracts (300 words) here.

Closing date: 15 June 2024.

This year a special awards will be introduced for the best papers related to a Doctoral thesis (1000 EUR) and to a Master dissertation (500 EUR).

More information here.

The ECTN Awards

There is also a related Call for entries for the ECTN Awards “Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism 2024”.

Deadline is extended to 15 June.

Entry submission here.

The annual ECTN Awards are in partnership with Europa Nostra, ETC and NECStouR, since 2018 EYCH.