European Capitals of Tourism at Sorbonne University: Students and tourism leaders explore the tourism of tomorrow

The Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris hosted a European Capitals of Tourism university session, organised within the framework of the competition and in cooperation with IREST (Institut de recherche et d'études supérieures du tourisme).

The event brought together representatives of the European Commission, Tampere, the 2026 European Capital of Smart Tourism, and Dubrovnik, the 2026 European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism, alongside students and faculty. The session highlighted the importance of linking academic research with the practical challenges of tourism governance and introduced the students to the European Commission's tourism policy and real-world innovative practices showcased by the 2026 competition winners.

Tampere explained how it prepared for and won the European Capital of Smart Tourism title, outlining its main policies and flagship projects, while Dubrovnik shared its approach to managing overtourism and destination governance. A roundtable discussion moderated between Tampere, Dubrovnik and the students addressed the question: what makes a convincing tourism strategy today – competitiveness, sustainability, governance or innovation?

The workshop demonstrated how the European Capitals of Tourism competition can serve as a bridge between European policy, winning cities and the next generation of tourism managers.