Lviv has made it onto the final shortlist of the European Capitals of Tourism 2027 competition in the category of cities with a population of more than 100,000 residents.
In this category, participants are assessed across four key areas: sustainable development, accessibility, digitalisation, as well as the preservation of cultural heritage and the development of creativity.
Alongside Lviv, Aalborg (Denmark), Braga (Portugal), Genoa (Italy), Konya (Turkey), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Salzburg (Austria) and Sofia (Bulgaria) will compete for the title of Tourism Capital 2027. The city’s application was prepared by the Tourism Department of the Lviv City Council.
The final presentations of the contenders and the announcement of the winner are scheduled for 18–19 November in Brussels. If Lviv wins, it will receive promotional support at European Union level: a professional promotional video, a special hashtag sculpture and enhanced international visibility. The city will also be able to join a network of leading European tourist destinations to exchange experience and best practices.
In 2027, the competition is being held for the first time under the unified name European Capitals of Tourism. The European Commission has combined two previous initiatives — European Capital of Smart Tourism and European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism — under a single brand, without changing the participation rules or the awards system.
For Lviv, this is not the first time reaching the final of this European initiative. In 2024, the city also made it onto the shortlist of seven finalists in the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2025 competition, together with Brussels, Genoa, Konya, Lahti, Porto and Turin; on that occasion, Turin took the title.