The SLOWDOWN project, co-funded by Interreg Europe, aims to transform how tourism supports sustainable regional development by promoting slow tourism, a travel approach that values immersion, locality, and sustainability over speed and quantity. As tourism contributes over 10% of the EU’s GDP and supports millions of jobs, regions face a dual challenge: managing overtourism in popular destinations while unlocking untapped potential in less-visited areas.
SLOWDOWN brings together nine partners from eight EU countries, including local authorities, development agencies, and research institutions, among them, BIA Innovator Campus and Galway County Council in Ireland. The project is led by the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation Ister-Granum (Hungary/Slovakia), with the support of two associated policy authorities and an academic advisory partner, the University of Eastern Finland.
SLOWDOWN will improve public policy frameworks to better support slow tourism, aligning them with EU priorities for a greener, more inclusive, and citizen-centered Europe. The project will:
- Conduct interregional workshops, staff exchanges, and study visits
- Engage regional stakeholders in identifying good practices and barriers
- Develop roadmaps for enhancing policy instruments related to tourism
- Promote slow tourism as a driver of economic and social resilience
SLOWDOWN also supports broader EU strategies such as the European Green Deal, the European Tourism Strategy, and the Agenda for Tourism 2030, positioning slow tourism as a practical, people-centered response to the environmental and social challenges of the sector.