FU-TOURISM Spain to Discuss the Role of Sustainable Rural Tourism in Territorial Cohesion and Rural Resilience in San Xoán de Río

The event will bring together public authorities, tourism professionals, experts and local stakeholders to explore how tourism can help tackle depopulation, redistribute tourism flows and contribute to more resilient territories

Brussels, 13 July 2026. On 23 July, from 18:00 to 19:30, San Xoán de Río (Ourense, Spain) will host “FU-TOURISM Spain: Sustainable Rural Tourism for a Resilient Territory”, a meeting bringing together representatives from public administrations, tourism professionals, experts, entrepreneurs, local stakeholders and young people to discuss the role of sustainable tourism as a driver of rural development.

Organised by the Finnova Foundation within the framework of the European project FU-TOURISM, the event will explore how tourism can strengthen territorial cohesion, create new economic opportunities in rural areas, help address depopulation and promote a more balanced distribution of tourism flows, reducing pressure on Europe’s most overcrowded destinations.

The meeting will also highlight the role of tourism in enhancing natural and cultural heritage, preserving landscapes and supporting sustainable land management. Discussions will focus on how maintaining economic activity in rural areas can contribute to building more resilient territories and help address challenges such as wildfires and climate change.

The event will follow a Birds of a Feather format, an open and participatory dialogue designed to encourage the exchange of experiences and ideas among participants. Discussions will address innovation, digitalisation, entrepreneurship, support for tourism SMEs and European funding opportunities to foster a more sustainable, competitive and resilient tourism ecosystem.

Expected participants include representatives from public authorities, tourism organisations, international institutions, business accelerators and experts in innovation and territorial development, who will share their perspectives on the future of sustainable rural tourism in Europe.

The meeting is organised within the framework of FU-TOURISM (Future-Ready Business Support Ecosystem for Tourism SME Transition to Green and Digital Resilience), a project co-funded by the European Union through the Single Market Programme (SMP-COSME). The project supports the green and digital transition of tourism SMEs and brings together partners from Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Poland, Austria and Spain to strengthen the competitiveness, sustainability and resilience of the European tourism ecosystem.

The event will be held in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and online participation, and aims to become a platform for exchanging ideas on how sustainable rural tourism can contribute to territorial cohesion, balanced tourism development and the long-term resilience of rural communities.

About FU-TOURISM

FU-TOURISM – Future-Ready Business Support Ecosystem for Tourism SME Transition to Green and Digital Resilience is a European project co-funded by the European Union through the Single Market Programme (SMP-COSME). Its objective is to support tourism SMEs in their green and digital transition through training, mentoring, innovation and business cooperation, contributing to a more competitive, sustainable and resilient European tourism ecosystem