FITURNEXT has identified more than 350 tourism initiatives for its 2027 Challenge, which will examine how tourism can help preserve and promote the cultural identity of destinations.
The FITUR Observatory, which focuses on identifying and promoting tourism practices through a sustainability lens, has been collecting initiatives from across five continents for the latest edition of the challenge. Nine projects will eventually be selected as finalists, with three winners to be announced during the next International Tourism Fair, taking place from 20 to 24 January 2027 at IFEMA MADRID.
The 2027 challenge centres on a question that has become increasingly important as tourism expands: how can destinations welcome visitors while protecting the heritage, traditions, knowledge and ways of life that make those places distinctive?
Cultural identity is one of the assets that attracts travellers, but tourism can also place pressure on the same communities and traditions that visitors come to experience. The FITURNEXT research therefore looks at initiatives where tourism is being used not simply to showcase culture, but to support its continued existence and development.
The initiatives identified so far fall into three broad areas. One focuses on the revitalisation and regeneration of heritage, including projects that recover, restore or reactivate both tangible and intangible cultural assets. The underlying approach is to use tourism as a means of supporting heritage rather than contributing to its deterioration.
A second area covers community-led tourism initiatives built around local identity. These projects put communities at the centre of the visitor experience and give local people a direct role in shaping and benefiting from tourism linked to their culture and way of life.
The third area concerns the creation of tourism products based on cultural identity. This includes travel agencies, tour operators, experienced tourism companies and other organisations developing experiences in which the culture and identity of a destination form a central part of the product.
The distinction between these areas reflects the range of ways tourism can interact with culture. A heritage restoration project, for example, may focus on protecting a historic site or traditional practice, while a community-led initiative may give residents greater control over how their culture is presented to visitors. Tourism businesses can also turn local knowledge, traditions and heritage into experiences that generate economic activity while keeping those elements connected to the destination.
The 2027 challenge is the eighth edition of the FITURNEXT Observatory. Across its previous editions, the Observatory has analysed more than 2,000 initiatives related to sustainable tourism practices in destinations around the world.
The latest call extends that work by examining cultural identity as a central part of sustainable tourism. With more than 350 initiatives already identified across five continents, the 2027 challenge will provide another opportunity to highlight projects seeking to connect tourism development with the preservation of local heritage and community participation.
The nine finalists and three winners will be announced at FITUR 2027 in Madrid, bringing the focus of the challenge from the research stage to the international tourism industry.
