The UN Tourism organization has announced the launch of the Safe Destinations Challenge to discover innovative solutions that establish the sector as a catalyst for resilience, safety, and sustainability. This initiative is initially centered on Europe, which received 747 million international tourists in 2024, accounting for approximately 58% of the global total.
The Safe Destinations Challenge is designed to safeguard both tourism destinations and the individuals who live in and visit these areas. Over the last 50 years, Europe has encountered more than 1,700 disasters related to climate, fire, weather, and water, resulting in the loss of over 160,000 lives and economic damages surpassing half a trillion US dollars. In this regard, enhancing preparedness and crisis response capabilities has become increasingly critical.
This Open Innovation Call for Tourism Crisis Preparedness, Response, and Recovery for the European Region is being launched as part of the Safety of Destinations (SAFE-D) initiative for Tourism Crisis Preparedness, Response, and Recovery in the European Region of UN Tourism.
What is the challenge looking for?
This call focuses on ideas, tools, and projects that can improve crisis preparedness and management across three key categories:
- Category 1: Natural Disasters, Climate, and Health-Related Hazards for Tourism Destinations Projects that help anticipate, mitigate, and respond to these risks, protecting both local communities and visitors.
- Category 2: Safety, Security, and Cyber Threats for Tourists and Destinations
Solutions that enhance physical and digital safety in tourism destinations.
- Category 3: Crisis Communication Effective strategies that strengthen communication before, during, and after emergencies.
Natalia Bayona, Executive Director of UN Tourism, says: “Tourism is more than an industry—it’s a network of human stories. With 1 in 10 jobs worldwide linked to this sector, the way we anticipate and respond to risks will define our collective future. In 2020, we saw the cost of unpreparedness leading to a loss of around USD 1.3 trillion in international tourism export revenues in that the same year. This challenge is an invitation to build destinations that are stronger, safer, and more human—because resilience is no longer optional, it’s essential.”
The call is open to startups, scaleups, innovative micro and SMEs, local authorities, academic institutions, and tourism organizations working on solutions to preserve the physical, cultural, and economic integrity of destinations.
Applications will close 31 October 2025.
