Good practices

In recent years, Sofia has invested significantly in transforming its urban environment through integrated development projects that blend green infrastructure, public services, and recreational amenities. A key example is the creation of Park Vazrazhdane, located in the city’s central zone,...

Effective destination management benefits communities with meaningful visitor experiences. According to ICF, a more holistic, long-term strategy enables both groups to thrive together. What Is Sustainable Destination Management? ICF defines it as a strategic and integrated approach to managing all...

Bulgaria’s tourism industry is steadily shifting toward sustainable models that benefit local communities. A key resource for this evolution is the Handbook of Good Practices in the Tourism Sector, which outlines alternative tourism methods—such as creative, community-based, and circular tourism—to...

In September 2015, all United Nations Member States adopted the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, a universal commitment to end poverty, protect the environment, and promote prosperity for everyone. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and...

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), founded in 2010 by UN agencies, WWF, UNEP, and others, leads the way in establishing global standards for sustainable travel and tourism. These standards—called the GSTC Criteria—define the minimum expectations for environmental, social, cultural,...

Alpine Pearls is a transnational network of Alpine destinations across Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and Italy, formed in 2006 to promote sustainable, car-free tourism. Since 2022, this cooperation operates as a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) to deepen eco-travel solutions....

CROSSDEV—short for Cultural Routes for Sustainable Social and Economic Development in the Mediterranean—is a European project with a mission: to turn lesser-known areas of the Mediterranean into models of sustainable tourism. Running from 2019 to 2023 and funded by the...

Sustainable tourism plays a pivotal role in achieving the UN’s 2030 Agenda. The UN’s SDG platform highlights its significance by linking tourism to economic growth (SDG 8), responsible consumption (SDG 12), and conservation of oceans (SDG 14). What Is Sustainable Tourism? The UN...

In 2015, world leaders from all corners of the globe united behind a transformative vision for the future: a world where prosperity is shared, the planet is protected, and all people live with dignity and opportunity. This vision was formalized...

The European Tourism Indicator System (ETIS) is a practical tool created by the European Commission to support sustainable tourism development across Europe. Since its launch in 2013, ETIS has helped tourism destinations manage, measure, and monitor their sustainability efforts more...