The 2020 European Capitals of Smart Tourism Gothenburg and Málaga at ITB Berlin

Brüssel (ots) - The EU is supporting European cities to develop and promote
smart tourism.

The 2020 European Capitals of Smart Tourism Gothenburg and Málaga will be taking
part in this year's ITB in Berlin, the world's leading travel trade show. On 4 -
8 March 2020, the two cities will be showcasing their smart tourism initiatives
and best practices at the European Capital of Smart Tourism stand (Hall 1.1,
Stand 222) supported by the EU.

The European Capital of Smart Tourism is an EU initiative, which recognises
outstanding achievements by European cities as tourism destinations in four
award categories: sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation, as well as
cultural heritage and creativity. The initiative promotes the development of
smart tourism in European cities, aims to strengthen destinations and
facilitates the exchange of best practices. The initiative is managed by the
European Commission, the Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry,
Entrepreneurship and SMEs, and results from a preparatory action proposed by the
European Parliament.

Visitors to the ITB will have the opportunity to hear more about the European
Capital of Smart Tourism initiative, meet representatives of Gothenburg and
Málaga and learn what made both cities stand out to become 2020 European
Capitals of Smart Tourism. - Join us at the press event, taking place on
Thursday 5th March at 16:30 at the European Capital of Smart Tourism stand (Hall
1.1, Stand 222).

In addition, the representatives of Gothenburg and Málaga will be showcasing
their cities' smart tourism initiatives and how they are addressing the current
challenges in the tourism sector on the following occasions:

- Málaga 's Deputy Mayor, Maria Rosa Sanchez Jimenez, at the
Málaga City stand on 4 March a t 10:00-10:30 (Hall 2.1b, Stand
124).

- Gothenburg 's Press & Corporate Communications Manager, Stefan
Gadd, at the ITB TTA Forum on 4 March at 15:00-15:30 (eTravel
Lab/ Hall 7.1b)

Gothenburg and Málaga show exemplary achievements throughout all four categories
of the initiative and impressed the European Jury both with the activities they
intend to implement in 2020 and their capacity to act as a role model for other
cities.

Gothenburg works together with a wide variety of stakeholders and sectors to
implement a truly integrated approach to smart tourism. The city stands out for
its digital offering that is helping to improve experiences for both citizens
and tourists. This includes future-oriented solutions for traffic and transport,
open data, as well as exemplary sustainability measures.

Málaga has transformed from a sun-and-sea tourism hotspot into an innovative
tourism destination, successfully incorporating the concepts of sustainability,
accessibility, innovation and culture into its smart tourism strategies and
actions. The coastal city has a strong focus on using novel technologies to
improve the visitor experience and boost the innovative capacity of local
businesses.

Find out more about the 2020 European Capitals of Smart Tourism here:

- Gothenburg: https://smarttourismcapital.eu/city/gothenburg/

- Málaga: https://smarttourismcapital.eu/city/malaga-2020/

A selection of the most innovative projects, ideas and initiatives, submitted by
cities competing for the 2019 and 2020 European Capital of Smart Tourism, can be
found in the Compendium of Best Practices
(https://smarttourismcapital.eu/best-practices/), the go-to guide to smart
tourism in the EU.

For all the latest news on the European Capital of Smart Tourism
(https://smarttourismcapital.eu/), sign up to our newsletter
(http://smarttourismcapital.eu/newsletter/), or follow us on Facebook
(https://www.facebook.com/pg/SmartTourismCapital.eu/) or Twitter
(https://twitter.com/eu_growth).

For further press information, contact:

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

Additional content: https://www.presseportal.de/pm/132702/4525920
OTS: European Capital of Smart Tourism

Original-Content von: European Capital of Smart Tourism, übermittelt durch news aktuell