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| European Destinations of Excellence | |
|---|---|
| Name | European Destinations of Excellence |
| Type | Award Programme |
| Established | 2006 |
| Region | Europe |
| Administered by | European Commission |
European Destinations of Excellence is a European Union initiative that promotes sustainable, innovative and locally driven tourist destinations through an annual award scheme that highlights lesser-known sites. The programme connects regional authorities, national tourism boards and local communities across the European Union and the European Economic Area, partnering with organisations such as the European Commission Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, the European Parliament committees on culture and tourism, and national ministries of tourism. Winners often gain visibility alongside institutions like the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United Nations World Tourism Organization, and the European Investment Bank.
European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) aims to foster alternative tourist models by awarding thematic prizes to destinations that demonstrate sustainable practices, cultural value, and innovation. The scheme spotlights destinations in conjunction with entities such as the European Capitals of Culture, the European Green Capital Award, the European Heritage Label, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, and regional initiatives like the Baltic Sea Region Programme. EDEN promotes collaboration among supranational bodies including the European Commission, the Committee of the Regions, the European Committee for Standardization, and networks such as the European Travel Commission, the Network of European Regions for a Sustainable and Competitive Tourism (NECSTouR), and the European Cities Marketing association.
Launched in 2006 by the European Commission in cooperation with national administrations, EDEN evolved from EU efforts to diversify tourism beyond traditional capitals like Paris, Rome, Berlin, Madrid and London. Early development involved partnerships with programmes such as the LIFE Programme, the Interreg framework, and the European Regional Development Fund to integrate sustainability objectives featured in treaties like the Treaty of Lisbon and policy agendas from the European Environment Agency. Milestones include thematic cycles aligned with priorities set by the United Nations, including the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and commitments reinforced at events like the UN Climate Change Conference and forums hosted by the European Investment Bank and the World Bank.
EDEN's selection process is administered nationally through ministries and national tourism organisations such as VisitBritain, Atout France, Ente Nazionale Italiano per il Turismo, Turismo de Portugal, German National Tourist Board, and similar bodies in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Criteria include sustainable management practices inspired by standards from ISO, guidance from the European Tourism Manifesto for Growth and Jobs, and cultural preservation principles reflected by the European Cultural Foundation. Evaluation panels often include representatives from the European Commission, national ministries, regional authorities like the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, NGOs such as WWF, Greenpeace, and academic institutions like University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Università di Bologna, University of Barcelona and Charles University.
EDEN has involved EU Member States and partner countries including Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, and candidate countries like Serbia and North Macedonia. Notable awardees have included destinations that intersect with heritage sites like Stonehenge, natural areas like the Plitvice Lakes National Park, cultural landscapes such as Cinque Terre, and emerging rural destinations in regions including Transylvania, Puglia, Galicia, Brittany, The Azores, Madeira, Sicily, Crete, Rhodes, Sardinia, Catalonia, Andalusia, Bavaria, Tyrol, Douro Valley, Loire Valley, Bruges District, Valkenburg, Zagorje, Istria Peninsula, Maramureș, Lviv Region, Tuscany, and Provence. National tourism boards like VisitScotland and Ireland Tourism have promoted EDEN winners alongside festivals such as the Salzburg Festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Glastonbury Festival, and cultural routes managed by the Council of Europe.
Recognition through EDEN can increase visibility from organisations including Airbnb, Tripadvisor, Booking.com, and tour operators such as TUI Group and Thomas Cook Group affiliates, while linking to funding from the European Structural and Investment Funds and technical assistance from the European Investment Bank. The programme encourages destinations to align with international frameworks like the UN World Tourism Organization guidelines and sustainable principles advanced by the Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe (Granada Convention) and the European Landscape Convention. Successful EDEN laureates often see collaboration with research centres such as European Tourism Research Institute and universities including TU Berlin and University of Lisbon, and increased media coverage in outlets like the BBC, The Guardian, Le Monde, El País, and Der Spiegel.
Critiques of EDEN mirror broader debates involving organisations such as European Court of Auditors and watchdog NGOs including Transparency International and Friends of the Earth. Concerns include tokenism similar to debates around the European Capital of Culture and effects noted in cases comparable to controversies over Mass tourism in Barcelona and overtourism at Venice. Academic critiques from scholars affiliated with Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Amsterdam, University of Glasgow and think tanks like Bruegel highlight issues of uneven distribution, metrics comparability with OECD indicators, and the potential commodification discussed in studies from the European Centre for Economic and Policy Research.
EDEN intersects with EU and international schemes, cooperating with the European Capitals of Culture, the European Heritage Label, the European Green Deal initiatives, and funding instruments including Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, Creative Europe, and Erasmus+. Partnerships involve networks like NECSTouR, European Cities Marketing, Europarc Federation, and international organisations such as the UNWTO and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Collaborations extend to regional programmes like Interreg Europe, actor networks including Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, and private stakeholders such as AccorHotels and regional chambers of commerce.
Category:Tourism in Europe