FITUR 2027 will host the 10th AMT Smart Destinations Awards, recognising technology and innovative projects helping tourist destinations become smarter, more sustainable and more competitive. Organised by the Alliance of Sun and Beach Tourist Municipalities (AMT) and the Hotel Technology Institute (ITH), the awards will spotlight solutions already in use across the tourism industry, including tools that improve destination management, visitor experiences, environmental performance and tourism marketing.
Applications opened on October 1, 2026, and will close on November 15. The awards ceremony is scheduled for January 21, 2027, from 4 pm to 6 pm at the TechYdestino forum within FITUR TechY. The event will take place during FITUR 2027, which runs from January 20 to 24 at IFEMA MADRID in Spain.
The awards focus on practical solutions that help destinations and tourism businesses respond to the demands of a changing industry. Alongside technology already being used by tourism organisations, the competition recognises innovative projects developed by destinations themselves, provided they address tourism management challenges and align with the awards’ objectives.
Entries are invited across five categories: Integrated Destination Management, Interaction with Tourists and Residents, Environmental Sustainability, Destination Promotion and Marketing, and Innovative Destination Projects.
The first four categories cover areas such as digital transformation, destination governance, accessibility, communication with visitors and residents, energy efficiency, the circular economy, and tourism promotion. The fifth category recognises projects developed by destinations that offer new approaches to tourism management and support the principles behind the AMT Smart Destinations Awards.
The selection process will involve a panel of representatives from AMT and professionals from the tourism and hospitality sectors. The organisations represented include FITUR, SEGITTUR, Thinktur, INVAT·TUR and ITH. The finalists are due to be announced on January 8, 2027, ahead of the awards ceremony later that month.
Companies registered for the awards will also have the opportunity to apply for a fully subsidised place on mentorDay’s business acceleration programme, offering an additional opportunity for participating businesses to develop their projects.
The previous edition, held in 2026, recognised DEEPSENSE for Integrated Destination Management, Seeketing for Interaction with Tourists and Citizens, IoTsens for Environmental Sustainability, and Destinno for Destination Promotion and Marketing. The Network of Spanish Jewish Quarters, known as Caminos de Sefarad, received the award in the Innovative Destination Project category.
The 2027 edition marks the tenth year of the awards, which seek to identify solutions that can be applied in real tourism settings rather than ideas alone. For destinations facing pressure to improve sustainability, manage visitor relationships and strengthen their competitiveness, the competition provides a platform to showcase projects designed to address those challenges.
Organisations interested in entering can review the requirements and submit applications through the official AMT Smart Destinations Awards website. The deadline is November 15, 2026.
