Bordeaux and València start the year as 2022 European Capitals of Smart Tourism

Bordeaux and València welcome their hashtag sculptures and start the year as the 2022 European Capitals of Smart Tourism with launching events

BRUSSELS, Feb. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bordeaux (France) and València (Spain) launched their European Capital of Smart Tourism 2022 titles and respective programmes with the presence of the cities' Mayors, academia, stakeholders and representatives of the European Commission. 

The European Capital of Smart Tourism is an EU initiative, currently financed under the COSME Programme. It promotes smart tourism in the EU, fosters innovative, sustainable, and inclusive tourism development and the exchange of best practices. The initiative recognises outstanding achievements by European cities as tourism destinations in four categories: Accessibility, Sustainability, Digitalisation as well as Cultural heritage and creativity.

During the launching events, the 2022 Capitals received their trophies from Marie-Hélène Pradines, representative of the European Commission, and their 3-meter-high hashtag sculptures were unveiled. The sculptures, awarded to celebrate the cities' success as European Capitals of Smart Tourism, are located in the City of Arts and Sciences of València and the Exhibition Centre of Bordeaux. The sculptures are an enduring landmark to the four categories of the initiative and a visual representation of the EU's commitment to smart tourism.

During the festivities, Bordeaux's Mayor Pierre Hurmic said, "I am very pleased to receive today the European Union's European Capital of Smart Tourism Award, which rewards our commitment to the inclusion of all, to sustainable digital technology, to ecology and to the participation of residents and stakeholders."

València's Mayor Joan Ribó said, "Six years ago we decided to change the city's tourism model and transform it into a sustainable, integrated, competitive model that respects its citizens and its natural and cultural heritage."

On behalf of the 2020 European Capitals of Smart Tourism, Eva Flyborg, Vice President of Göteborg & Co, and Francisco de la Torre, Mayor of Málaga sent their digital greetings and congratulations to the new Capitals.

During 2022, the two European Capitals of Smart Tourism will benefit from communication and branding support. Both Bordeaux and València are planning extensive programmes to showcase their outstanding initiatives and inspire other European cities to develop tourism in a smarter and more sustainable way.

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For further press information, contact:

European Capital of Smart Tourism Secretariat:
Antigoni Avgeropoulou, info@SmartTourismCapital.eu, +49 (0) 30 70 01 86 390

Notes to Editors:

1. The 2022 European Capital of Smart Tourism competition was open to submissions from 22 April 2021 to 16 June 2021. Terms and conditions are available at www.SmartTourismCapital.eu
2. In the first stage of the competition, a panel of independent experts evaluated the applications. As the result of the evaluation, a shortlist of 7 finalist cities was established. All finalist cities demonstrated excellence across the four competition categories combined.
3. In the second stage, representatives of the 7 finalist cities presented their candidatures and the programme of activities planned for 2022 in front of the European Jury. The European Jury met on 26 October 2021 in Brussels and selected two cities to hold the title of the European Capitals of Smart Tourism in 2022.
4. Helsinki and Lyon won the inaugural competition in 2019, and the following year Gothenburg and Málaga jointly held the titles of 2020 European Capitals of Smart Tourism. No competition was launched for 2021.
5. Bordeaux and València were selected as the winners of the 2022 European Capital of Smart Tourism competition, following a European Jury meeting in Brussels on 26 October 2021.
6. A selection of the most innovative projects, ideas and initiatives, submitted by cities competing for the 2019 and 2020 European Capital of Smart Tourism competitions can be found in the Compendium of Best Practices, the go-to guide to smart tourism in the EU.