Promoting and Marketing Positive-Impact Tourism: Connecting Destinations with Tour Operators and Online Travel Agencies
İzmir, Türkiye | 26–29 April 2027
The Good Travel Summit 2027 will bring together tourism professionals from around the world in İzmir, placing the city’s experience in sustainable tourism within an international conversation about the future of travel and the growing need to connect responsible tourism with the right markets. As the travel and tourism sector navigates uncertainty driven by geopolitical instability, energy price volatility and economic pressures likely to shape the industry for years to come, the Summit offers an important opportunity for destinations and the travel trade to strengthen market access, build new connections and contribute to the ongoing process of reinventing “sustainable tourism”. Building on the Good Travel Institute’s pioneering work in verifying the positive impact of tourism experiences, the Summit will highlight the role of credible and validated offers in connecting responsible tourism with market demand, alongside established approaches to destination and business recognition and certification. This is not only urgent in light of global concerns, but also in response to evolving EU regulations on sustainability claims.
Hosted by the Tourism Directorate of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and İZFAŞ, together with Green Destinations’ Good Travel Institute (GD-GTI) on behalf of the Good Travel Alliance (GTA), the Good Travel Summit will take place in İzmir from 26–29 April, 2027. The Summit will serve as an important international platform for discussing the future of sustainable tourism. Under the theme “Promoting and Marketing Positive-Impact Tourism: Connecting Destinations with Tour Operators and Online Travel Agencies”, the Summit will bring together destination management organisations, tourism authorities, international tour operators, online travel agencies, financial institutions, technology and data partners, sustainability experts, and industry representatives in İzmir.
The Future of Destinations to Be Discussed in İzmir
Over the course of four days, the Good Travel Summit will address key issues shaping the future of the tourism industry. Discussions will focus on how destination management organisations can better align with the expectations of local communities and market demand, how destinations can reach the right travel markets, how reliable data and verified experiences can encourage investment, and how tour operators and online travel agencies can discover new destinations.
The Summit aims to turn the growing global demand for sustainable travel into tangible partnerships, bookings, and positive impact, while establishing direct connections between destinations and the travel industry.
Four-Day Program
On the first day of the Summit, April 26, a welcome reception will be held for delegates arriving in İzmir. On April 27, the programme will feature the opening ceremony and keynote sessions, followed by high-level panels, strategic discussions, and a gala dinner. On April 28, parallel workshops and matchmaking meetings will take place as part of group sessions. These sessions will focus on concrete partnerships and practical solutions for connecting responsible travel supply with market demand.
Participants to Discover İzmir’s Cultural and Local Values
On April 29, the final day of the Summit, participants will have the opportunity to experience İzmir’s sustainable tourism assets firsthand. Tours will showcase the city’s cultural and local values, with a particular focus on Çeşme, Selçuk, Urla, and Menderes, which have received Green Destinations Sustainable Tourism Destination recognition. Participants will visit destinations including Efes Tarlası Yaşam Köyü, Urla Vineyard Route, and Efeler Route, all of which have been recognised among Green Destinations’ Top 100 Stories. They will also have the opportunity to taste local specialties produced by women’s cooperatives.
The Summit to Foster New Partnerships
Bringing together more than 200 international tourism industry representatives, the Good Travel Summit will offer international brands and organisations opportunities for co-hosting and collaboration through plenary and parallel sessions. In addition to bringing İzmir’s sustainable tourism experience to the international industry, the Summit aims to create new connections between destinations and the global travel market and contribute to the development of partnerships around the responsible tourism models of the future.
İzmir’s Vision for Sustainable Tourism
Hosting the Good Travel Summit will provide İzmir with an important opportunity to share its work in sustainable destination management and its tourism potential with tourism professionals from around the world. With thousands of years of history, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, cultural routes, a strong gastronomy culture, vineyards, and a rich coastal landscape, İzmir offers a diverse range of tourism experiences. The city aims to advance a sustainable tourism approach that protects its natural and cultural heritage while creating lasting benefits for local communities and visitors.
Under the leadership of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, initiatives carried out together with district municipalities and local stakeholders have positioned İzmir as one of the internationally recognised destinations for sustainable tourism. With Çeşme, Selçuk, and Urla achieving Green Destinations Gold Award status and Menderes achieving Green Destinations Silver Award status, İzmir has become a strong destination with four districts holding sustainable tourism destination recognition. The Good Travel Summit will bring İzmir’s experience and expertise in this field together with tourism professionals from around the world.
Co-Hosting and Partnership Opportunities
The Good Travel Summit 2027 offers co-hosting slots and partnership opportunities across plenary and parallel sessions, enabling event partners to align their brand with the global sustainable tourism agenda while reaching a highly targeted professional audience.
Enquire about partnerships by sending us a message to events@greendestinations.org
Stay Informed
Speaker announcements, program details and registration information will be shared in the coming weeks.
