UN Tourism has launched the Safe Destinations Challenge to identify innovative solutions that position the sector as a driver of resilience, safety, and sustainability.
The initiative, according to the global body, focuses initially on Europe, which welcomed 747 million international tourists in 2024, representing around 58% of the global figures.
The Safe Destinations Challenge aims to protect both tourism destinations and the people who inhabit and visit them. Over the past 50 years, Europe has faced more than 1,700 climate, fire, weather, and water-related hazards resulting in over 160,000 lives lost and economic damages exceeding half a trillion US dollars. In this context, strengthening preparedness and crisis response capacity has never been more urgent.
This Open Innovation Call for Tourism Crisis Preparedness, Response and Recovery for the European Region is being launched within the framework of the Safety of Destinations (SAFE-D) initiative for Tourism Crisis Preparedness, Response and Recovery in the European Region of UN Tourism.
What is the challenge looking for?
This call focuses on ideas, tools, and projects that can improve crisis preparedness and management across three key categories:
- Category 1: Resilience to Natural, Climate, and Health-Related Hazards in Tourism Destinations Projects that help anticipate, mitigate, and respond to these risks, protecting both local communities and visitors.
- Category 2: Safety, Security, and Cyber Threats for Tourists and Destinations
Solutions that enhance physical and digital safety in tourism destinations. - Category 3: Crisis Communication Effective strategies that strengthen communication before, during, and after emergencies.
Natalia Bayona, Executive Director of UN Tourism, says: “Tourism is more than an industry—it’s a network of human stories. With 1 in 10 jobs worldwide linked to this sector, the way we anticipate and respond to risks will define our collective future. In 2020, we saw the cost of unpreparedness leading to a loss of around USD 1.3 trillion in international tourism export revenues. This challenge is an invitation to build destinations that are stronger, safer, and more human—because resilience is no longer optional, it’s essential.”
The call is open to startups, scaleups, innovative micro and SMEs, local authorities, academic institutions, and tourism organizations working on solutions to preserve the physical, cultural, and economic integrity of destinations.
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News: UN Tourism and Croatia sign agreements to advance sustainable tourism development, research and innovation
UN Tourism has agreed to partner with the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia and the University of Zagreb on research and innovation in sustainable tourism development and the creation of a Sustainable Tourism Awards.
According to unwto.org, the New agreements was signed during an official visit of the UN Tourism Secretary-General to the country include the cooperation with the newly established Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism at the University of Zagreb, which will serve as a knowledge hub for research andpolicy development, and the organization of a Sustainable Tourism Awards.
Strengthening Tourism Knowledge
The new Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism at the University of Zagreb will address a growing demand from UN Tourism’s Member States for applied, action-oriented research. The Centre is expected to deliver high-impact outputs across six key areas:
- Tourism Governance: supporting multi-level governance systems with robust, data-driven policy frameworks;
- Sustainability and Inclusivity: advancing the social, environmental and economic pillars of sustainability through rigorous research and impact monitoring;
- Knowledge Exchange: acting as a platform for policy-relevant knowledge creation and dissemination;
- Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration : bridging policy makers, industry and academia for evidence-based decision-making;
- Climate Action in Tourism: promoting low-carbon solutions, renewable energy and circular business models;
- Tourism Law: analyzing and monitoring the application of tourism law in Croatia and beyond, offering guidance and assessments of long-term effectiveness.
In line with the UN Statistical Framework on Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism, the Centre will track the environmental, social and economic impacts of tourism to guide public and private sector action.
A Vision for Transformation
The Sustainable Tourism Awards, to be launched in Croatia later this year, represent an additional recognition for destinations across the country. The initiative complements Croatia’s broader ambition to transform destinations and the national tourism model, responding proactively to external pressures while staying focused on long-term community benefits. Croatia has undertaken enormous efforts in recent years, including through new legislation, to invest in smart, inclusive and long-term tourism policies that prioritize local well-being, economic resilience and cultural heritage protection.
