REDIRECT at the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2026

REDIRECT at the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2026 – Rethinking the Future of Tourism

On 2–3 November 2026, six of the nine REDIRECT project partners participated in the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum in Helsingør, Denmark. The event brought together tourism professionals and organisations from across the Baltic Sea Region to discuss the future of tourism, with a particular focus on visitor behaviour, climate-smart destinations, sustainable mobility and cross-border collaboration.

For REDIRECT, the forum provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge, strengthen connections and explore how the discussions relate to the project’s ongoing work on regenerative tourism.

From tourism growth to long-term value

A recurring theme throughout the forum was the need to look beyond tourism growth as the primary measure of success and instead focus on creating long-term value for local communities, destinations and nature.

Discussions on visitor behaviour, destination communication and climate action highlighted the importance of a more holistic and place-based approach to tourism development.

One example was Wonderful Copenhagen’s CopenPay initiative, which demonstrates how destinations can encourage visitors to make more responsible choices through positive incentives.

This approach closely relates to REDIRECT’s work with The Regenerative Tourist Savoir Vivre Manual, which is currently being tested in different destinations across the Baltic Sea Region. The tool encourages visitors to reflect on their behaviour and explore how they can contribute positively to the places they visit.

Learning from island destinations

Another interesting perspective came from Visit Saaremaa in Estonia, which presented its approach to cruise tourism under the theme Small Port, Big Experience – Cruise Tourism the Saaremaa Way.

Rather than focusing on increasing visitor numbers, Saaremaa emphasises smaller-scale experiences, local connections and the protection of the island’s natural and cultural assets.

The example was particularly relevant to REDIRECT partner Læsø Tourist and Business Association in Denmark, where tourism is closely connected to the island’s distinctive nature, cultural heritage and local communities.

Both islands face a similar challenge: how to welcome visitors while protecting the qualities that make their destinations attractive and ensuring that tourism creates value locally.

Collaboration and destination stewardship

The forum also highlighted the importance of collaboration across sectors and national borders. Discussions on cross-border rail tourism, climate-smart destinations and future resilience demonstrated how tourism development depends on coordinated efforts and shared responsibility.

The final sessions explored the future of tourism through perspectives on people, place and purpose, as well as the transition from destination marketing towards destination stewardship.

These discussions reflect a central principle of regenerative tourism: destinations should not simply be managed as places to attract visitors, but as interconnected communities and environments whose long-term wellbeing must be considered.

Ahead of the main forum, several REDIRECT partners also participated in an event and workshop organised by RegenT, a platform bringing together knowledge and results from European projects working with regenerative tourism.

Connecting regional discussions with practical action

With six REDIRECT partners represented at the forum, the event also provided opportunities for informal project discussions, knowledge exchange and new connections with other tourism initiatives.

For REDIRECT, three themes were particularly relevant: encouraging positive visitor behaviour, strengthening local value creation and supporting more collaborative approaches to destination development.

These themes are closely connected to the project’s ongoing development and testing of practical tools designed to help destinations and tourism stakeholders translate regenerative tourism principles into action.

The Baltic Sea Tourism Forum demonstrated how many of the challenges and opportunities being explored through REDIRECT are part of a wider regional conversation about the future of tourism.

By connecting these discussions with practical experiences from its pilot destinations, REDIRECT continues to contribute to the development of tourism approaches that benefit local communities, visitors and the natural environment.

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