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The results are in! Turin is named the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2025, and Benidorm is the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025. What do these prestigious awards mean, and how are they chosen? And what does sustainability look like in both destinations?

Cities embracing sustainability is always a win—but it’s even better when that effort comes with recognition. With sustainability taking centre stage in the tourism industry, institutions around the world have created prizes and initiatives to spotlight trailblazing destinations—celebrating their innovation while inspiring others to embrace sustainable tourism practices.

The European Commission is among these institutions. As part of the Smart Tourism initiative, the EU’s executive body has introduced two competitions aimed at fostering smart and sustainable tourism across the EU—The European Capital of Smart Tourism and the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism, designed to connect and strengthen destinations while promoting the sharing of best practices.

This year, Turin (Italy) was named European Capital of Smart Tourism 2025, and Benidorm (Spain) earned the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025.

But what do these awards mean? How are they given? What does sustainability look like in both cities?

We’ll answer all these questions in this article, while also diving into some data from Data Appeal’s D / AI Destinations (Turin) and Mabrian (a Data Appeal company) for Benidorm to uncover their progress in smart tourism and sustainability.

In this blog we’ll cover:

European Capital of Smart Tourism– what is it, how is it chosen?

The European Capital of Smart Tourism is an initiative by the European Commission that recognises cities for their innovative approaches in tourism, focusing on areas such as accessibility, digitalisation, sustainability, and cultural heritage and creativity.

The selection process involves two main evaluation steps: evaluation by independent experts and the presentation to the European Jury. Following these presentations, the Jury selects the European Capital of Smart Tourism for the upcoming year.

In 2025, the shortlisted cities were:

  • Brussels (Belgium)
  • Genoa (Italy)
  • Konya (Türkiye)
  • Lahti (Finland)
  • Lviv (Ukraine)
  • Porto (Portugal)
  • Torino (Italy)

The winning city—Turin— will receive extensive communication and branding support, including the creation of a promotional video, the installation of a hashtag sculpture in the city, and tailored promotional campaigns aimed at increasing visibility at both the EU and global levels. (Source)

Turin as European Capital of Smart Tourism 2025

Why did Turin win?

Turin won the 2025 European Capital of Smart Tourism for its innovative approach that combines sustainability, cultural heritage, and digital transformation. The city integrates AI, smart mobility solutions, and accessible tourism practices while aiming for carbon neutrality by 2030  through its Climate City Contract. Turin’s urban regeneration projects (such as the transformation of the Lingotto car factory and OGR-Officine Grandi Riparazioni into vibrant cultural venues), along with its rich cultural offerings, from museums to festivals, showcase a forward-thinking, inclusive model of tourism—making it a perfect example of a city harnessing technology to enhance the visitor experience and contribute to a sustainable future.

More information: here.

Turin’s victory in data

Turin’s selection as the 2025 European Capital of Smart Tourism is backed by its outstanding performance in key tourism metrics. Below are some of the insights we’ve gathered from our comprehensive destination marketing platform, D / AI Destinations, that highlight this achievement.

A culture lover’s dream destination with an impressive 92.5/100 Sentiment Score

Data from D / AI Destinations, which analysed over 550,000 online reviews of 10,000 points of interest over the last 12 months, reveals Turin’s strong performance as a travel destination.

The city achieved an overall Sentiment Score of 89/100, marking a slight 0.3-point improvement from the previous year.

Cultural attractions earned an impressive 92.5/100, with the Egyptian Museum (93/100) and Mole Antonelliana (94/100) standing out for their visitor experiences and accessibility, with the latter earning a high Sentiment Score of 89/100 at Mole Antonelliana.

A cultural epicentre fuelling economic growth

Turin continues to gain global recognition with its key cultural events.

  • In 2024, the Turin International Book Fair attracted over 200,000 attendees, generating €27 million in spending.
  • Similarly, the Artissima Art Fair drew 34,000 visitors, contributing €5 million to the economy.

These impressive figures highlight Turin’s pivotal role as a cultural and artistic hub on the international stage.

Commitment to sustainability

Turin’s commitment to sustainability is evident through the performance highlighted by the proprietary Destination Sustainability Index (DSI), developed by D / AI Destinations.

This innovative index evaluates a destination’s sustainability across socio-cultural, destination management, overtourism, and environmental dimensions. With an average score of 70/100 over the past six months, Turin demonstrates a strong dedication to sustainable tourism practices.

This result reflects the city’s success in responsibly managing tourism flows while preserving its cultural and natural heritage.

Key factors contributing to this score include:

  • Urban green spaces: Turin’s parks, notably the iconic Parco del Valentino, have earned Sentiment Scores matching those of the city’s top museums (93/100). These green spaces make up 10% of all online reviews, underscoring their significance to both visitors and locals.
  • Overtourism management: Despite substantial tourist traffic, Turin maintains a well-balanced approach, preventing overtourism and ensuring a high-quality experience for all.
  • The Overtourism Pillar achieved an impressive score of 81/100 in October, reflecting the city’s effective management of visitor numbers. This result confirms that tourism pressure has been successfully controlled, ensuring that local residents’ quality of life remains unaffected.

2025 European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism – what is it, how is it chosen?

The 2025 European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism is chosen through a rigorous selection process led by the European Commission, recognising cities that excel in integrating sustainability with innovative tourism practices.

The award assesses how well a city balances environmental conservation, economic stability, and social enrichment within its tourism sector.

Key factors include the implementation of green initiatives, such as renewable energy use, resource efficiency, and sustainable infrastructure, as well as the city’s commitment to climate adaptation, resilience strategies, and the use of smart technologies to enhance the visitor experience.

Successful candidates must demonstrate long-term sustainability plans and the ability to diversify their tourism offerings beyond traditional models, ensuring year-round economic benefits.

The selection also considers how well the city manages tourism impact on local communities and the environment.

Overall, the award highlights cities that not only attract visitors but also promote responsible, tech-driven, and environmentally conscious tourism.

Benidorm as 2025 European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism

Why did Benidorm win?

Benidorm’s selection as the 2025 European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism is a result of its holistic approach to integrating sustainability with innovation.

The city has for instance introduced a smart water management system that has cut water consumption by 18%, aided by the use of recycled greywater for public areas and irrigation.

The city has prioritised carbon emissions, and renewable energy initiatives, such as solar panels powering public buildings and hotels, contributing to a notable decrease in its carbon emissions. Benidorm’s dedication to sustainability is further demonstrated through initiatives like its ISO 14001 certification, reflecting its long-term focus on resource efficiency.

By diversifying its tourism model beyond traditional sun-and-sea offerings, Benidorm has created year-round stability through eco-friendly golf courses, health, educational, and ecotourism experiences.

Its proactive climate adaptation measures, like sea walls and reforestation, showcase resilience to climate change.

Benidorm has also incorporated smart digital solutions in their sustainability efforts, such as a mobile app offering real-time updates on beach conditions, weather, and local events, which helps managing visitor flow and avoiding overcrowding, benefiting both tourists and locals.

More information: here.

Benidorm’s win in data

Benidorm’s recognition as the 2025 European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism is supported by its strong performance across key tourism metrics. Below are some of the insights we’ve gathered from Mabrian, a Data Appeal company, that demonstrate this success.

Balanced seasonality and improved product offering

Benidorm has successfully addressed seasonality challenges by diversifying its tourism offerings, achieving an impressive Seasonality Balance Index score of 84.6 (out of 100). This indicates a well-distributed flow of tourists throughout the year, helping to alleviate pressure during peak seasons.

Additionally, the Tourist Product Balance Index has improved to 64.7 points (out of a 100), reflecting a more harmonious distribution of tourism products and experiences that cater to a wider range of interests and preferences.

Strengthened air connectivity to beat seasonality

Benidorm has strategically expanded its market acquisition efforts by enhancing air connectivity to Alicante Airport.

Over the past five years, the airport’s air capacity has grown by 21%, with short-haul routes seeing a significant +40% increase and medium-haul routes rising by +15%.

This has bolstered international connectivity, with Alicante now accounting for 85% of available air seats, a remarkable 17% growth since 2019.

This expanded air network ensures better accessibility to the destination, helping to reduce the impact of seasonality.

Diversification of tourism experiences for year-round appeal

To combat seasonality and attract tourists throughout the year, Benidorm has diversified its tourism offer by enhancing active, gastronomy, and wellness experiences. Gastronomy tourism has seen a +5% increase, wellness tourism has grown by +2%, and active tourism, including blue tourism, golf, and outdoor sports, has surged by +59%.

This shift has allowed Benidorm to create a more varied and appealing tourism product, broadening its appeal beyond the traditional sun-and-sea model.

Impactful growth in visitor satisfaction and perception

The strategic diversification and enhancement of tourism experiences have yielded impressive results in visitor satisfaction and overall perception. The average length of stay has increased to 6.2 days, while the Tourist Product Satisfaction Index has grown by +1.2%, reaching 72.3 points. The Global Tourist Perception Index has also surged by +15.5%, now standing at 76.7 points. These metrics reflect an overall improvement in the visitor experience, reinforcing Benidorm’s reputation as a sustainable and attractive destination.

Top 7 smart tourism ideas to borrow from Turin and Benidorm

Both Turin and Benidorm offer inspiring examples of how destinations can blend sustainability, innovation, and technology to redefine tourism.

From combating seasonality and boosting visitor satisfaction to leveraging smart technologies and enhancing local resilience, these cities showcase actionable strategies that other destinations can adapt to their unique contexts.

Here are the top seven smart tourism ideas to borrow from their success stories, for destinations to embrace sustainability and stay ahead in an ever-evolving tourism landscape.

1.      Diversify tourism offerings

Both cities have successfully moved beyond traditional models, broadening their tourism offerings to attract visitors year-round, helping to stabilize their economies.

Benidorm’s diversification into wellness, gastronomy, and active tourism, alongside eco-friendly options, has helped reduce the seasonality of its tourism flow.

Turin, with its focus on cultural heritage and smart mobility, has similarly cultivated a broader tourism model that appeals to a wide range of interests.

2.        Incorporate technology for sustainable management

Both Turin and Benidorm have leveraged technology to enhance sustainability.

Turin uses smart mobility and AI to improve accessibility and reduce environmental impact, while Benidorm’s mobile app aids real-time visitor management, reducing overcrowding and stress on infrastructure.

3.        Focus on environmental conservation

Sustainability is at the heart of both cities’ strategies. Benidorm has implemented green initiatives such as smart water management systems and solar panels, while Turin integrates sustainability into its urban regeneration projects.

4.      Foster local economic stability

Benidorm’s creation of year-round stability through its eco-tourism and diversified offerings has had positive effects on the local economy. Similarly, Turin’s success in hosting large-scale cultural events has boosted the economy while promoting its cultural heritage. Destinations should seek ways to foster stable, year-round tourism that benefits local communities, even beyond the peak seasons.

5.      Promote climate resilience

Developing strategies to reduce the impact of climate change and enhance the resilience of cities is essential for short- and long-term preparation for future environmental challenges.

Benidorm has demonstrated proactive climate adaptation through measures like reforestation and sea wall construction, while Turin has focused on preserving its urban green spaces.

6.      Balance tourism and quality of life

Both cities are implementing strategies that control tourism flows, like capacity management and sustainable infrastructure development, ensuring tourism benefits without straining local resources or communities.

7.      Measure and adapt

Both cities use data-driven approaches to measure success and identify areas for improvement, showing the value of using data to guide decision-making. Destinations can learn to gather and analyse data to continuously adapt their strategies and ensure they meet sustainability goals.

Smart tourism winners rely on smart tourism data.
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