Two Belgian cities have been nominated as finalists for the 2026 European Capital of Smart Tourism Award, which is presented to a city that has demonstrated exceptional commitment to shaping the future of sustainable and innovative tourism.
A total of 32 candidate cities from 12 countries submitted qualification dossiers to claim the award of European Capital of Smart Tourism. While usually only four cities make it to the final, the European Commission expanded the list of finalists to seven this time: several candidates achieved equally high scores in the evaluation process.
Two Belgian cities were selected: Brussels and Bruges. The other five cities were Braga (Portugal), Genoa (Italy), Leipzig (Germany), Regensburg (Germany), and Tampere (Finland). One of these seven candidates will follow Turin (Italy), which was selected as the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2025.
The EU initiative "rewards cities for their innovative approaches, including in the areas of accessibility, digitalisation, sustainability, cultural heritage, and creativity," while simultaneously aiming to develop sustainable and inclusive tourism and exchange best practices.
The finalists will be invited to present their proposals to a European jury on 18 and 19 November 2025, which will select the European Capital of Smart Tourism for 2026.
The winner will receive a comprehensive communication and branding support package, including the production of a promotional video, the installation of a hashtag sculpture in the city, and the implementation of tailored campaigns to increase visibility at the EU and global level.
Being 'smart' pays off
Since 2018, the European Capital of Smart Tourism competition has provided a platform to showcase outstanding tourism practices and achievements.
Before Turin, winners included Dublin (2024), Seville and Paphos (2023), Valencia and Bordeaux (2022), Malaga and Gothenburg (2020), and Helsinki and Lyon (2019).
"These cities have become exemplary models of smart tourism in Europe, scoring highly in international rankings for sustainability, innovation, quality of life, and the effective integration of smart strategies."
