We are thrilled that the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2025 (BSTF2025) took place on 1-2 October 2025 in Gdańsk, Poland, at the European Solidarity Centre.

💚 Theme: Regenerative and Data-Based Tourism

This year’s forum brought together key industry players to discuss the future of sustainable, regenerative, and data-driven tourism in the Baltic Sea Region.

🔹 Organisers

The event was hosted by:
✅ EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism

✅ Ministry of Sports and Tourism, Poland
✅ LOT Polish Airlines
✅ Pomorskie Tourist Board
✅ Pohjois-Pohjanmaan liitto – Council of Oulu Region
✅ European Solidarity Centre

With the support of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme.

Presentations:

Anna Pollock
Fredrik Albhin
Bartosz Rief
Lidija Bajarunieve
Eva Thybo
Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło
Rob Holmes
Jeremy Smith
Ulf Sonntag
Aleksandr Michelson
Anssi Tarkiainen
Philip Biel
Annika Koskenkorva
Heta Inoma
Ione Pedersen
Atlas Juvakka
Marta Mills

PICTURES FROM THE EVENT ARE NOW AVAILABLE. Click below for the full gallery:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CQDYWxBfUQioz1Wx8

 

Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2025 – Regeneration and Data at the Core of Change

1–2 October 2025, European Solidarity Centre, Gdańsk, Poland
Almost 200 participants from across the Baltic Sea Region and Europe

The 17th edition of the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum (BSTF) brought together nearly 200 participants from 16 countries, marking two dynamic days of debate and exchange around the future of tourism in the Baltic Sea Region. Hosted by the Pomorskie Tourist Board (PROT) in cooperation with the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of Poland and EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism, this year’s Forum focused on two cross-cutting themes: regenerative tourism and data-based innovation.

Day 1 – Regenerative Tourism: From Buzzword to Action

The Forum opened with official addresses from Minister Ireneusz Raś, Deputy Marshal Agnieszka Baranowska, Marta Chełkowska (PROT), and Tiina Rajala (Council of Oulu Region), highlighting Pomorskie’s growing role as a regional leader in sustainable tourism policy.

The keynote “Regenerative Tourism: Buzzword or Radical Re-think?” by Anna Pollock (Conscious.Travel) and Andreas Koch (Futouris e.V.) set the tone for the day, urging a paradigm shift from extractive growth models to place-based regeneration and systems thinking.

In Session 1 – Tourism for Thriving Places, experts Liisa Kokkarinen (Visit Finland), Anna Gustavsson (Visit Skåne) and James Simpson (Novia UAS) shared Baltic and EU-level perspectives on how regeneration can become a strategic pathway for destinations. Moderator Fredrik Albihn (Visit Skåne) emphasised the importance of local resilience and nature-positive tourism.

The afternoon’s Session 2 – Climate Neutrality & Regenerative Tourism connected institutional and policy approaches.
Bartosz Rief from the European Solidarity Centre showcased the institution’s internal green transformation and certification journey.
Lidija Bajarūnienė, Olga Gončarova and Tadas Stankevičius presented Lithuania’s Living Strategy model — a pioneering two-way cooperation between the ministry, NTO, and local DMOs.
Eva Thybo from VisitDenmark concluded with the Danish approach to data-based and regenerative tourism, illustrating how measurable indicators and strong partnerships can drive climate-smart tourism systems.

This session also marked the launch of the Pomorskie Regenerative Tourism Declaration, presented by Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło and Anna-Maija Toivonen, Coordinators of the EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism. The declaration commits regional partners to testing regenerative models and sharing knowledge across the Baltic Sea Region.

In the closing sessions, Rob Holmes (GLP Films) demonstrated how storytelling can become a catalyst for authentic, regenerative tourism narratives — moving beyond greenwashing — while Jeremy Smith (Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency) invited the audience to reflect on climate, systems change, and the human dimension of the future of travel.

The day ended with a guided walking tour through the Old Town of Gdańsk and a networking dinner hosted at Polskie Niebo Hall.

Day 2 – Data-Based Tourism: Innovation for Sustainable Destinations

The second day shifted focus to digitalisation and smart tourism solutions.
Session 3 – Smart Data, Smarter Destinations featured Ulf Sonntag (NIT Kiel), Aleksandr Michelson (Estonia), Dr Anssi Tarkiainen (Lapland UAS), and Philip Biel (LOT Polish Airlines), who explored how real-time data and AI are reshaping destination management and strategic decision-making.

In Session 4 – Climate Neutral Destinations, representatives from Finland, Norway and Denmark – including Annika Koskenkorva (Visit Tampere), Heta Inoma (Region Stavanger), Lone Pedersen (Danish Destinations) and Atlas Juvakka (City of Helsinki) – compared methodologies for measuring, managing and reducing tourism’s climate impact.
Finally, Marta Mills (Global Destination Sustainability Movement) closed the Forum with her talk “From Insight to Impact: How Data Powers Regenerative Destination Transformation”, connecting data analytics to real-world behavioural change and destination regeneration.

Collaboration and Future Outlook

The BSTF once again proved to be the leading platform for cooperation and dialogue in the Baltic Sea Region. It reinforced the link between regeneration, digital innovation and policy alignment within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) framework.
The Forum’s discussions will feed directly into future regional initiatives and projects coordinated by Policy Area Tourism, led by Pomorskie Tourist Board (PL) and the Council of Oulu Region (FI). 

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Gallery

📸 View the photo gallery here → https://photos.app.goo.gl/CQDYWxBfUQioz1Wx8

Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2025

Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2025 (BSTF2025) will take place on 1-2 October 2025 in Gdańsk, Poland, at the European Solidarity Centre.

📅 1–2 October 2025
📍 European Solidarity Centre (ECS), Gdańsk, Poland

We are pleased to announce that registration for the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2025 is now open!
EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism Coordinators warmly invite you to join policymakers, tourism professionals, researchers and changemakers from across the Baltic Sea Region for two days of dialogue, inspiration and collaboration.

🌿 Day 1: Regenerative Tourism
📊 Day 2: Data-Based Tourism

The forum will feature keynote speeches, practical sessions, networking opportunities and study visits, with confirmed contributions from renowned experts such as Anna Pollock, Andreas Koch, Rob Holmes and Jeremy Smith.

💬 Keynotes | 🧭 Best Practices | 🤝 Networking | 🎓 Masterclasses

🎟️ UPDATE: Due to the high interest, the registration is closed now. But you can join the waiting list, and we will confirm your spot as soon as we get any opening. Secure your spot here:
👉 https://bstf2025.grwebsite.pl/
📄 Download the full agenda:
🔗 https://travefy.com/trip/6yw9rqw5pjysqz2atmu7ffz26qea5fa

This year’s edition of the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum is organised by the EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism Coordinators, the Ministry of Sports and Tourism from Poland, LOT Polish Airlines, Pomorskie Tourist Board, European Solidarity Centre and the Regional Council of Oulu Region.

Meet the BSTF2025 Speakers!

We are thrilled to welcome Anna Pollock, Founder of Conscious.Travel, as our keynote speaker!
With over 52 years of experience in the tourism industry, Anna is a globally recognized visionary, strategist, and thought leader. For the past 15 years, she has been at the forefront of regenerative tourism, reshaping the way we think about travel, community, and the planet. Anna’s insight is more than inspiring – it’s essential for the future of tourism.

Her work focuses on three transformative areas:
1️⃣ Challenging outdated paradigms – understanding the root causes of today’s global crises and the need for deep systemic change.
2️⃣ Empowering communities – shifting tourism from volume-based models to ones that enable communities to thrive in harmony with nature.
3️⃣ Redefining hospitality – as a force for good, accelerating landscape restoration, regenerative agriculture, and cultural renewal.

We are proud to announce that Andreas Koch – coach, consultant for sustainable tourism, keynote speaker, trainer for destinations and hotels, and founder of tourythm & Futouris e.V. – will provide the opening keynote to the #BalticSeaTourismForum2025 together with Anna Pollock.
With over 25 years of experience, Andreas has dedicated his career to helping tourism destinations and businesses move from sustainability talk to regenerative action. His belief is clear: tourism has the power to contribute to a better world – if we do it consciously and responsibly.
His keynote at #BSTF2025 will challenge and inspire us to think beyond “business as usual” and embrace regeneration as a path forward for the Baltic Sea Region and beyond.

We’re thrilled to welcome Liisa Kokkarinen, Head of Sustainable Development at Visit Finland. 🌿 A passionate travel industry professional with global experience, Liisa has found her home in Finnish Lapland, where the Arctic is her calling, sustainability her hope, and climate action her mission. We’re lucky to have her sharing her vision in Gdańsk this October!

We’re excited to introduce Rob Holmes – Founder of GLP Films and a world-renowned expert in sustainable tourism storytelling & marketing 🎥✨

Rob will reveal how authentic storytelling and powerful visual content can:
🌱 Spark action
🌱 Shift perceptions
🌱 Drive meaningful regeneration in tourism

🔥 Session highlights:
✅ 20+ years of storytelling experience
✅ 200+ short films on conservation, resilience & eco-tourism
✅ Live case study breakdowns of award-winning campaigns
✅ Practical tips for destination marketing
✅ Fresh inspiration to rethink sustainability messaging                                                                                                                                                                                            

 

We are proud to welcome Lidija Bajarūnienė — a leading voice in international tourism management, policy, and strategic communication — to this year’s Baltic Sea Tourism Forum.

As Vice President of the European Travel Commission and a representative of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania 🇱🇹, Lidija plays a key role in shaping tourism policy at the highest levels. She represents Lithuania in major international organizations including the OECD Tourism Committee, UNWTO, and the European Commission.

Her career includes serving as CEO of Lithuania Travel and now as a member of its Board, as well as distinguished work in journalism, international cooperation, and sustainable tourism development 🌱. A lecturer, author, and organizer of major tourism events, Lidija’s achievements have been recognized with numerous national and international awards across tourism, EU affairs, and sports.

🎤 At BSTF2025, Lidija will present: “Living Strategy: How We Make It a Two-Way Street” 🔄 — an insightful look at building tourism strategies that are truly interactive, adaptable, and driven by collaboration.

Meet the #BSTF2025 Partners 

1. Ministry of Sports and Tourism Poland

We are proud to announce that the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of the Republic of Poland is an official partner of the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2025.

As a key governmental institution supporting the development of sustainable and innovative tourism in Poland, the Ministry plays a vital role in fostering regional cooperation and shaping future-oriented tourism strategies. Its involvement in this year’s Forum highlights the growing importance of regenerative tourism and data-driven tourism as guiding themes for the industry’s evolution in the Baltic Sea region.

The Ministry’s partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing tourism models that not only minimize negative impacts but actively contribute to the revitalization of local communities and ecosystems, while leveraging data and digital tools to enhance decision-making, experiences, and long-term planning.

The Baltic Sea Tourism Forum is co-financed as part of the project titled: “Baltic Tourism Forum 2025 (#BSTF2025) – an international cooperation platform for regenerative tourism and digital innovation,”co-funded by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism under the Tourism Support Programme 2025.

2. LOT Polish Airlines

The official carrier of the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2025.

LOT Polish Airlines is a modern carrier connecting Central and Eastern Europe with the world. Its network includes direct long-haul flights to destinations across the United States, Canada, India, Japan and South Korea. The Polish airline continues to steadily increase the frequency of these services and enhance its onboard offering, reinforcing its market position in Central and Eastern Europe. LOT’s long-haul routes are operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliners, some of the world’s newest and most advanced wide-body aircraft. Established in 1929, LOT Polish Airlines is the world’s 11th oldest airline and ranks as one of Poland’s most internationally recognised and respected brands

3.Pomorskie Tourist Board

Pomorskie Tourist Board (PROT) as the leading institution responsible for promoting the Pomorskie Voivodeship as a top travel destination, PROT plays a central role in developing sustainable, high-quality tourism in the region. Their engagement in this year’s Forum underscores the importance of regional leadership in shaping innovative tourism models and fostering international cooperation across the Baltic Sea area.

With its deep understanding of local tourism dynamics and commitment to responsible development, PROT brings invaluable insights to the Forum’s main themes: regenerative tourism and data-driven tourism. Their participation will help anchor global discussions in regional realities and showcase the Pomeranian region as a forward-thinking tourism hub.

4. European Solidarity Center

We are delighted to announce that the European Solidarity Centre (ECS) in Gdańsk will serve as the host venue for the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2025.

The European Solidarity Centre is a world-renowned cultural institution and museum dedicated to the history and legacy of the Solidarity movement and the broader struggle for human rights and democracy in Europe. Its mission to inspire civic engagement, dialogue, and international cooperation aligns perfectly with the Forum’s goals of shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future for tourism in the Baltic Sea region.

Set in the heart of Gdańsk – a city of historic significance and dynamic development – the ECS offers a unique and symbolic setting for this year’s discussions on regenerative tourism and data-driven tourism. Participants will gather in a space that embodies transformation, resilience, and cross-border collaboration.

We look forward to welcoming you to this inspiring venue where ideas for a better tomorrow will take shape.

5. Regional Council of Oulu Region

We are pleased to recognize the Regional Council of Oulu Region (Finland) as a committed partner of the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2025.

As a regional authority dedicated to strategic development, innovation, and international cooperation, the Council plays a key role in fostering sustainable growth and cross-border collaboration across the Baltic Sea region. Their involvement in this year’s Forum reflects a shared ambition to strengthen regional ties and promote tourism that is both regenerative and driven by innovation.

Through its active participation, the Regional Council of Oulu Region contributes valuable perspectives on how data, technology, and community-centered approaches can shape the future of tourism in Northern Europe.

We are proud to partner with the Council in advancing dialogue and joint action toward a smarter, more resilient tourism sector.

Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2024 – Biking through Culinary & Culture!

The 16th Baltic Sea Tourism Forum took take place in Oulu, Finland on 4-5 June 2024.

The 2024 themes included cultural and culinary tourism, cycling, and coastal tourism. Participants were offered two days of inspiring keynotes, interesting case examples from the Baltic Sea Region, great networking opportunities, and the chance to explore the beautiful city of Oulu, which is the European Capital of Culture 2026!

Explore the photo gallery and return to the inspiring atmosphere (pin 2571).

Presentations

Cultural Tourism
Tartu 2024, European Capital of Culture – Aleks Fadeev
Oulu is the European Capital of Culture 2026, Samu Forsblom

Gastronomy Tourism
GASTRONOMY TOURISM AS A TOOL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONS, Dr. Darius Liutikas

Projects’ presentations on practical approach on Tourism
BEACH-SOS, David Cabana
Bothnian Coastal Route, Sari Kasvi
Cycling tourism Opportunities for regional development in Baltic Sea Region, Heidi Heikkilä
Increasing resilience in rural and coastal tourism in the northern Baltic Sea Region by developing off seasons experiences, James Simpson
Baltic Sea Region Cultural Pearls, Felix Schartner Giertta

Cycling Tourism
Cycling tourism as a tool for sustainable (and healthy) tourism – Jill Warren
Cycling Tourism and Euro Velo 10 in Denmark, Jesper Pørksen
Benefits of a National Cycle Tourism Coordinator Center, Heli Laukkanen
CyclingTourism in Pomeranian Voivodeship, Bożena Małyszczyk

Coastal Tourism
Coastal Tourism in Estonia, Ryan Jenkins
Living Coastal Culture – Arctic Phenomena, Janne Anttila
The obvious choice for responsible cruising, Klaus Bondam
Coastal tourism development trends, Dr. Andris Klepers
Sustainable Boating Vision, CBSS

Visit Oulu
Introducing Oulu and tourism development

Visit Finland
Visit Finland, Kristiina Hietasaari

Green Tourism in Ukraine
Development of Green Tourism in the Baltic Sea Basin (Ukraine), Sofia Melnyk

 

EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism was hosting the #BSTF2024 with support from: Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland, City of Oulu, Visit Finland, Visit Oulu and Interreg Baltic Sea Region.✅

 

 

In the heart of Tallinn, where medieval charm meets modern innovation, the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2023 unfolded, bringing together over 100 enthusiastic participants from across the globe. Against the picturesque backdrop of the Baltic Sea, these visionaries converged to discuss and ideate, paving the way for a greener, more sustainable Baltic Sea region.

The BSTF, organized by the EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism Coordinators from Pomorskie Tourist Board and Council of Oulu Region, gathered tourism experts, policymakers, academia and industry leaders who discussed the pressing issues concerning the green tourism practices, sustainable boating, new trends in tourism and regenerative tourism actions. The atmosphere buzzed with optimism and determination as participants shared innovative solutions and success stories.

Initiatives empowering local businesses and preserving cultural heritage were also highlighted, showcasing how responsible tourism could uplift communities while preserving their unique identity.

Ideas like joint transnational projects, shared resources, and knowledge exchange programs were discussed, promising a future where the region thrives sustainably. It was great to have the representatives from the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme and Interreg South Baltic Programme Joint Secretariats onsite, so attendees used this to consult their project ideas.

The Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2023 was a conference, a call to action, and a commitment to making BSR tourism greener and more sustainable.

The final session summarised the day filled with tourism topics and revealed the place and date for the following year’s BSTF – the event will take place on 4-5 June 2024 in Oulu, Finland.

Gallery from the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2023: CLICK HERE

Thank you to all our Guests – Speakers, and Participants; it was great to have you in Tallinn!

See you next year!

EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism Coordinators

Dear EUSBSR PA Tourism Stakeholders,We are delighted to say that we had over 115 participants joining our Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2022 online last week, on the 1st of December. This shows great interest in sustainable tourism cooperation in our region and a great potential for new projects, joint initiatives and upcoming events. We were very happy to see our participants actively raising questions and discussing the future EUSBSR PA Tourism actions.

The Forum started with welcoming words from the Vice Marshal of Pomorskie Region, Mr Wiesław Byczkowski, followed by the Mayor of Oulu Region, Mr Pauli Harju. They both not only greeted our guests but also mentioned the great significance of the tourism industry to both our regions. They also underlined the fact that since April 2022Pomorskie Tourist Board and Regional Council of Oulu have coordinated jointly the EUSBSR Policy Ares Tourism, which we see as a great challenge but also a huge opportunity to start new initiatives and find new synergies for tourism cooperation among all BSR countries.

After the welcoming words, EUSBSR Tourism Coordinators: Ms Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło from Pomorskie Tourist Board and Ms Anna-Maija Toivonen from the Council of Oulu Region gave the overview of the Policy Area, including the introduction on the PA Tou relevance for the EUSBSR Action Plan, the actions were foreseen especially for tourism. They also introduced the details of PA TOU work, including the Steering Group meetings, the recent activities like active participation in the EUSBSR Annual Forum in Laappenranta, Interreg BSR 2021-27 Kick-off Conference in Hamburg and many more. PACs were joined by Ms Marta Chełkowska,  Director of the Tourism Department in Marshal Office of Pomorskie Region and CEO of Pomorskie Tourist Board, and Ms Tiina Rajala,  Development Director of Council of Oulu Region. They both underlined strong links and support for the PA TOU coming from the Pomorskie and Oulu Regions to PA Tourism.

The 2nd session was filled with inspiration, knowledge and best practices coming from outside the Baltic Sea Region. First, Ms Yael Froman-Ideses, VP and Tourism Director in Mayor’s Office in Tel Aviv, gave a speech titled “The Nonstop City meets the Start-Up City”, followed by many comments and questions from the audience.

Later, a speech by dr Eran Ketter, tourism thought leader and formal Head of Research and Insights in an ETC project on #COVID19 tourism recovery, outlined the Tourism trends for 2023 and their implications for Baltic Sea tourism.

Finally, we had a BSR practitioners session with three great inputs:

• Baltic Sea Youth Declaration 2022 and recommendations to PA Tourism – by Mr Lok Hang Abraham Chan, BSYP Representative
• Experiences regarding the topic of coastal tourism – by Mr Harry Bouveng, Chair of the CPMR BSC Maritime Working Group and Member of Region Stockholm Assembly, CPMR Baltic Sea Commission Tourism WG
• Sustainable tourism development in the City of Tampere and REACT EU project on sustainable tourism mobility – Mr Matti Pollari, Project manager, Visit Tampere

WATCH THE BALTIC SEA TOURISM FORUM 2022 WEBINAR HERE

We hope you enjoyed the Forum and will be interested in meeting us again in 2023 for the next Baltic Sea Annual Forum; this time, we hope to organise it in person in one of the BSR countries. More information will follow! Also, thanks to everyone who signed up for our EUSBSR PA TOU newsletter during the registration – we will keep you posted on upcoming funding opportunities related to PA Tourism, initiatives and events happening in the BSR, and the planned PA TOU webinars and live events in 2023. You can still sign up for our newsletter HERE.

Thank you to all our participants, great speakers and guests. We are happy to see you on board, and we welcome all the comments, questions and input on new possible cooperation formats with the EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism.