European Sustainable Tourism Mobility Forum 2026

Organised by POLIS member the Breda University of Applied Sciences, the European Sustainable Tourism Mobility Forum will take on 9 June 2026 in Breda, the Netherlands.

The European Sustainable Tourism Mobility Forum brings together public authorities, industry representatives, civil society, researchers, and other stakeholders who are at the forefront of sustainable tourism and transport.

This third edition will link the upcoming European Sustainable Tourism Strategy with the European Skills Agenda. The event will concentrate on the implications of the new strategy for sustainable tourism mobility, as well as the skills needed to facilitate the transition towards more sustainable tourism mobility.

Organised by POLIS member the Breda University of Applied Sciences and co-hosted by the Province of Noord-Brabant, in collaboration with POLIS network, the European Travel Commission (ETC), NECSTouR, and the European Tourism Association (ETOA), this Forum is an inspiring event that seeks to align tourism and transport agendas.

Programme

The draft programme is now available:

9.15 Registration and coffee
10.00 Plenary programme
- Welcome by Nina Nesterova, Prof Sustainable Development in Tourism & Transport, and Jorrit Snijder, President of the Executive Board, Breda University of Applied Sciences
- Panel discussions:
- Panel I 'Brand Destination Europe: Shaping Sustainable Tourism Mobility'
  - Brand Destination Europe is not only about why people visit Europe, but also about how they arrive and move across the continent. The greatest sustainability potential of this strategy line lies in accelerating the development of the European rail network and enabling a modal shift from air to land-based transport for tourism flows to, from, and within Europe.
  - Moderation: Tatiana Veselova, Public Affairs and Corporate communications Manager, European Travel Commission
  - Panelists:
  - Mona Bjorklund, Director for Policy Coordination, DG MOVE
  - Fabian Schulz-Luckenbach, Head of Public Affairs International Long-Distance Passenger Transport, DB Fernverkehr AG
  - Françoise Guaspare, Senior Policy Advisor, Île-de-France Mobilité
- Panel II 'Urban and Regional Tourism Mobility under the EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy'
  - Urban and regional destinations are key to implementing the EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy. This panel focuses on accelerating the modal shift to sustainable tourism mobility at local and regional levels, and on embedding tourism mobility into spatial and transport planning to ensure efficient, low-carbon, and accessible travel for both visitors and residents, while managing flows and minimizing environmental impact
  - Moderation: Karen Vancluysen, Secretary General, POLIS
  - Panelists:
    - Isabelle Vandoorne, Deputy Head of Unit Innovation and Urban Mobility, DG MOVE
    - Emilie Ursule, Tourism Mobility Program Officer, Normandy Tourism
    - José Antonio Donaire, Commissioner for the Management of Sustainable Tourisme, City of Barcelona
12.30 Lunch
13.30 Parallel sessions
- Parallel session 1 'New Roles, New Skills: preparing for the tourism mobility transition'
  - Tourism and Transport Education: Current Gaps and Future Skills
  - Speakers:
    - Lobke Elbers, Senior Researcher, Breda University of Applied Sciences
    - Panagiotis Papantoniou, Associate Professor at the Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics, West Attica University transport planning
  - Practice Perspectives: Emerging roles and jobs at the Tourism–Transport Interface
    - Moderation: Tim Fairhurst, Director General, ETOA
    - This interactive with audience session explores emerging roles and jobs at the tourism–transport interface in the context of the transition toward sustainable mobility. Participants will identify the competences required for new and evolving professional profiles, as well as the upskilling needs of existing staff to support low-carbon, integrated tourism mobility systems.
  - Panel III: Shaping Tourism Mobility Education for Emerging Tourism Mobility Roles
  - This panel discusses what tourism mobility education should focus on, based on insights from the forum. Speakers will highlight good practices and successful examples of skills development, and explore the next steps to align education with emerging roles and the evolving needs of the tourism–transport sector. The session aims to provide guidance for preparing professionals to support the transition toward sustainable, low-carbon tourism mobility
  - Moderation: Don Guikink, Senior Lecturer, Breda University of Applied Sciences (CIVITAS MUSE network) and Klaus Ehrilich, Secretary General, European Federation of Rural Tourism (EU Tourism Pact for Skills).
  - Panelists:
    - Ivar Neelis, Researcher and Lecturer, Breda University of Applied Sciences
    - Angelika Sauermost, Director of Quality and Sustainable Transition, Comité Régional du Tourisme et des Loisirs d’Occitanie
    - Tim Asperges, Mobility Advisor, City of Leuven
- Parallel session 2 'Connecting mobility and tourism: integrated planning approaches'
  - Hosted by POLIS Access, Capitals, and Small and Medium Cities Working Groups, This session will explore the intersection of tourism and mobility, examining how integrated mobility planning can support sustainable tourism, enhance visitor experiences, and benefit communities while aligning with European policy objectives and local realities.
  - It will be divided in three sections, each dedicated to a different aspect:
  - 13.30 - 14.00 - Tourism and Mobility
    - The first part will highlight the policy connections and collaboration examples on tourism and mobility.
  - 14.00 - 14.45 - Parallel sessions
    - The Capitals Working Group will focus on the specific tourism mobility challenges and needs of capitals.
    - The SMC Platform will dive into the challenges of small and medium sized cities.
    - The MONA project will present policy recommendations for managing accessibility and sustainable mobility options in nature areas, focusing on governance and infrastructure, data monitoring and usage, and communication.
  - 14.45 - 15.30 - Planning for touristic events
    - The Capitals and SMC groups reconvene for a joint session on planning for touristic events, with real examples from cities and regions on organising and coordinating mobility services for tourism-related events.
    - The MONA policy workshop continues in parallel, featuring moderated discussion rounds on governance and infrastructure, data monitoring and usage, and communication.
  - More information on the session here
15.30 Coffee break
16.00 Keynote by Prof. Dr. Franz Fischler, Ex- EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Austria, and Stijn Smeulders, Provincial Executive Member, Province North Brabant
16.25 Forum conclusion by Nina Nesterova, Prof Sustainable Tourism & Transport, Breda University of Applied Sciences
16.30 Network reception
17.30 End

More information

The Sustainable Tourism Mobility Forum will take place at the Breda University of Applied Sciences, in Breda, the Netherlands, on 9 June 2026.

Attendance is free, but places are allocated through registration only. Please register and select your preferred afternoon session before 30 April 2026. Register at this link.