Brussels is about to host one of travel's most consequential gatherings. On June 23, 2026, the Press Club Brussels Europe will welcome destination authorities, tourism operators, NGO leaders, and policymakers for the inaugural Europe Responsible Tourism Forum, followed by the awards ceremony that evening. This isn't a feel-good conference for greenwashing. It's a working summit for the people trying to solve tourism's hardest problems.
The International Centre for Responsible Tourism has been running its awards program since 2004, but this Brussels event marks a significant shift. For the first time, the awards will be preceded by a dedicated forum where industry heavyweights examine policy shifts across Europe and compare notes on what actually works. Paloma Hotel Group, a Mediterranean hospitality company built on the belief that hotels should enhance rather than extract from the communities they inhabit, is backing the forum as its presenting partner.
The timing matters. Tourism's impact on European cities, coastlines, and rural communities has reached a breaking point. Residents are exhausted. Overtourism has become a political flashpoint from Barcelona to Venice. Simultaneously, climate pressures are forcing the industry to rethink everything from supply chains to seasonal operations. This forum gives the sector's leadership a formal space to collaborate on solutions instead of competing silently while problems compound.
What Gets Recognized This Year
The 2026 awards span six categories, each designed to reward measurable change rather than marketing copy. Local economic benefit recognizes businesses that actually funnel money back into host communities rather than extracting it. Diversity, equity, and inclusion rewards operators tackling hospitality's notorious equity gaps. Nature positive celebrates ventures that leave ecosystems better than they found them. Championing cultural diversity honors tourism that strengthens local identity instead of homogenizing it. Adapting climate to change goes beyond carbon accounting to examine how the industry is building resilience. And regenerative tourism recognizes the operators pioneering models where tourism actively rebuilds what it once damaged.
These aren't hypothetical categories. Last year's ceremony highlighted real projects: hotels rethinking waste, tour operators reshaping supply chains, and destinations establishing new standards for what responsible tourism actually means. The awards carry weight because the International Centre for Responsible Tourism focuses on what's replicable and evidence-based, not just aspirational.
How to Get Involved
The forum is free to attend, and registrations open at 4:30 pm on June 23. If you work in tourism, policy, or destination management, this is where conversations that shape the industry's next decade will happen. António Buscardini, founder of Travel Tomorrow and President of the Press Club Brussels Europe, will open the day's sessions.
If you want your own project or property recognized, note that entries for the Europe awards are now closed, but entries for the ICRT Responsible Tourism Awards Worldwide remain open until June 30, 2026. Winners from the global awards will be announced at a virtual event in August. Unlike some awards programs that reward size or marketing budgets, these recognize actual operators and destinations doing the unglamorous work of making tourism work for everyone involved.
The hospitality landscape is shifting whether the industry admits it or not. Travelers increasingly care about impact. Communities are setting boundaries. Climate isn't negotiable. This forum exists because enough leaders recognize that the old model of tourism is exhausted. Brussels in June 2026 will show whether the industry can collectively build something better.
