European sustainable and smart tourism initiatives

In early September 2026, the Dubrovnik Pass was named a finalist for the European Sustainable Cultural Tourism Destination Awards. The system was recognized for its use of digitalisation to manage cultural heritage and visitor experiences through real-time tracking and crowd prediction tools. In August, the pass reported a 15 percent revenue increase compared to the previous year.

Later in the month, Marmaris, a finalist for the European Green Pioneer 2026 award, participated in a Smart Tourism Workshop held in Dubrovnik from September 8 to 10. Organized under a European Commission program, the workshop allowed delegations to study sustainable practices such as managing visitor density, climate change adaptation, and circular economy applications to protect local natural values and identity. Representing the Marmaris municipality, Doç. Dr. Didem Gamze Işıksal noted the intent to integrate these international experiences into the city’s tourism vision.

Following these developments, the Dubrovnik Pass project won first prize from the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN) in the ‘Digitalization in Smart Tourism’ category. The award was presented at a conference on the Greek island of Skiathos to Julijana Antić Brautović, head of the Department for Culture of the City of Dubrovnik. This marks the first time Dubrovnik has received an award from the ECTN. The project was honored for its approach to integrating cultural heritage, public transport, and smart visitor management to support heritage preservation and fund restoration projects.

Recent financial data highlights the project’s growth, noting that August revenues reached 3,492,280 euros, a 15 percent increase over the previous year. From the start of 2026 through August, a total of 389,752 passes were sold, generating 16,721,725 euros in revenue, which represents a 16.5 percent year-on-year increase.