Future-proofing sustainable cultural tourism

¿De qué trata esta convocatoria?

The topic funds research on sustainable cultural tourism, either through ethical AI and strategic foresight or through community-centred models for less-developed destinations. Under Focus 2, partnerships among local communities, creative industries, local businesses and cultural heritage organisations should be prioritised.

¿Qué financia esta convocatoria?

Scope

The topic funds research on making cultural tourism resilient and sustainable amid technological, social and environmental change in the EU and beyond. Proposals should select either Focus 1 or Focus 2 and state their choice clearly.

Focus 1: AI integration and strategic foresight

Proposals should explore how AI-powered and other emerging technologies can make cultural tourism more resilient, inclusive and sustainable while keeping experiences authentic. Examples include AI-supported virtual and augmented reality, inclusive personalisation, multilingual interpretation, and tools for visitor flow management and real-time heritage monitoring. Proposals are also expected to develop methods for AI-assisted foresight, such as scenario planning and horizon scanning, combined with participatory workshops with local communities, authorities and cultural organisations.

Focus 2: Cultural tourism for local development

Proposals should develop sustainable cultural tourism frameworks for emerging and less-developed destinations, including low-income and lesser-known regions, addressing depopulation and preventing overtourism. They should study cross-border cooperation between EU and non-EU partners, adapt proven models to urban, peri-urban and rural settings with fair benefit-sharing, analyse case studies of community involvement, and set up collaborative networks for small businesses and civil society. Living labs and pilot demonstrations may be used.

For all proposals

Proposals should build on past and ongoing EU-funded research on cultural tourism, integrate tourism with sustainability, digital and social inclusion goals, co-create policy with diverse stakeholders, and set up continuous knowledge exchange between researchers, practitioners and policymakers.

Expected outcomes

Evidence-based recommendations for integrating cultural tourism into sustainability, digital and inclusion strategies at all levels of government, more and better-skilled workers with better working conditions, plus the outcomes specific to the chosen focus.

¿Cuándo termina el plazo?

23 de septiembre de 2027 (321 días)

23 September 2027 (single-stage). The planned opening date is 13 May 2027.