The event, to be held on 4 November in France, will bring together institutional representatives, experts and professionals from the tourism sector in France, Portugal, Ireland and Spain to discuss new models of tourism development in the Atlantic Area.

The European POST (Polycentric Sustainable Tourism) project will hold the European conference ‘Sustainable Tourism Models for New Realities’ on 4 November 2026 at the Château de Bouteville, near Cognac (France). Organised as part of the Interreg Atlantic Area programme, the event will bring together public officials, industry professionals, researchers and other stakeholders linked to tourism to reflect on the current challenges and opportunities for a more balanced, resilient and sustainable tourism model.

The conference has been conceived as a forum for meeting and exchanging knowledge amongst the different territories that make up the Atlantic Arc, pooling experiences developed in both coastal and inland areas, as well as in urban and rural settings. Through this territorial perspective, innovative strategies will be analysed to address the challenges facing European tourist destinations.

A programme focused on polycentric tourism and European cooperation

The conference will feature institutional representatives and tourism experts from France, Portugal, Ireland and Spain, who will address the sector’s main challenges from a European, national, regional and local perspective.

Key topics at the conference include new ways of managing visitor flows through polycentric tourism, one of the strategic pillars of the POST project aimed at promoting a more balanced distribution of tourism and generating development opportunities across a wider range of regions.

In addition, the event will present the main results achieved by the project to date, including the ‘Strategy for a New Tourism Model: Polycentric Sustainable Tourism’, a strategic document setting out recommendations and proposals for moving towards a more sustainable and diversified tourism model, adapted to the new realities of the Atlantic region.

A space for sharing knowledge and forging new partnerships

In addition to the discussion sessions, the conference will provide a networking space designed to encourage the exchange of experiences amongst public authorities, tourism professionals, researchers and organisations involved in the development of sustainable destinations.

This event will help to strengthen cooperation between the project partners and other stakeholders in the European tourism ecosystem, fostering new opportunities for collaboration and promoting innovative solutions that help tackle the sector’s common challenges.

Registration now open

Participation in the conference is open to anyone interested in the future of sustainable tourism. The final programme, along with practical information on accommodation and other organisational details, will be published shortly.

Through this initiative, the POST project continues to make progress towards its aim of promoting a more sustainable, polycentric and inclusive model of tourism, capable of generating benefits for local areas and communities, whilst helping to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the Atlantic Area.