ABOUT THE CREATIVE TOURISM NETWORK®
The Creative Tourism Network® is the official non-profit organization for the development of creative tourism worldwide. The CTN was founded in 2010 with the support of the European Union and quickly expanded to the rest of the world.
The Creative Tourism Network® is dedicated to promoting and supporting creative tourism globally. It serves as a network that connects destinations, tourism professionals, cultural entities, and creative industries to foster the development and promotion of creative tourism.
By fostering a network of creative tourism destinations and practitioners, the Creative Tourism Network® aims to enhance the visibility and viability of creative tourism worldwide, creating enriching experiences for tourists and sustainable benefits for local communities and territories of all kind.
The Creative Tourism Network® is unique due to its dedicated focus on creative and cultural tourism, its global reach and collaborative network, its emphasis on sustainability and community empowerment, and its comprehensive support and certification programs. These elements combine to create a robust platform that enhances the visibility, quality, and impact of creative tourism worldwide.
Curious about what we do? … Please, have a look to some of our missions!
MISSIONS
Holistic creative tourism project management
Relying on the circular economy, the Creative Tourism Network® provides “tailored holistic projects” for destinations to create a value chain that positively impacts communities’ empowerment, intangible heritage recovery, seasonality, and other issues like climate change, for instance. Such a comprehensive approach includes assessment, planning, training, implementation, certification, and promotion of the local destinations’ DNA. Each project Read more.
Training: Academic & Lifelong learning and tailored workshops
Through the Creative Tourism Academy, the Creative Tourism Network® offers support and training for destinations, professionals, universities and schools, to develop and enhance their creative tourism offerings and destinations’ gouvernance. This can include academic and professional training, workshops, seminars, consulting services, and access to resources that help in creating and managing creative tourism experiences. They can be both produced by CTN or commissioned by other organizations. Read More.
Quality Certification
The Creative Tourism Network® provides the CreativeFriendlyDestination label for destinations that meet certain standards of quality and sustainability in creative tourism. This certification helps to establish trust and credibility in the process of co-creation, both for the destinations and for the tourists seeking authentic and high-quality creative experiences.
Networking and Collaboration
It provides a platform for stakeholders in the creative tourism sector to connect, share best practices, collaborate on projects, and develop synergies. This includes destinations, tourism professionals, cultural institutions, and local communities.
Promotion of Creative Tourism
The organization promotes creative tourism, which emphasizes immersive, interactive, and culturally enriching experiences for tourists. This can include art workshops, cooking classes, crafts, music, dance, and other cultural experiences that allow tourists to engage with the local culture actively.
Advocacy and Research
The organization advocates for the recognition and growth of creative tourism as a significant segment of the tourism industry. It also conducts and disseminates research on trends, impacts, and best practices in creative tourism to inform policy and practice. It collaborates with UN Tourism, UNESCO, UNOSSC, GIZ, as well as Banks and Ministries worldwide.
Events
The Creative Tourism Network® organizes and acts as a curator for events such as conferences, forums, and workshops to recognize and celebrate excellence in creative tourism. These events provide opportunities for learning, networking, and showcasing innovative creative tourism initiatives. Read more.
Awards
The Creative Tourism Awards and Creative Tourism Media Awards are organized by the Creative Tourism Network® (CTN) to recognize and celebrate excellence and innovation in creative tourism. These awards highlight destinations, projects, and professionals that demonstrate outstanding creativity, sustainability, and cultural engagement to develop unique and meaningful tourism experiences.
Resource Center
It acts as a resource center, offering information, case studies, and tools for stakeholders interested in developing creative tourism. This includes guidelines, marketing strategies, and insights into consumer behavior and preferences.
Sustainability and Community Empowerment
The organization emphasizes sustainable tourism practices that benefit local communities economically, socially, and culturally. It supports initiatives that ensure fair compensation, respect for cultural heritage, and environmental responsibility.
VALUES
Independence
The Creative Tourism Network® is a non-profit organization whose main objective is the empowerment of communities, through the promotion of their know-how and creativity. The Creative Tourism Network® is economically independent and has no political or ideological affiliation.
Transparency
The Creative Tourism Network® is governed by an annual legal control system carried out by the public administration as well as by external audits. We provide legal documents upon request.
Adaptability
The Creative Tourism Network®’s empirical approach allows a rapid reactivity to the rapid creative tourism’s evolution, as well as its adaptability to all types of territories and contexts, be they villages, megacities, islands, or ski resorts.
Proximity – Empathy
Through its DNA based on human values, the Creative Tourism Network® acts as close as possible to populations and individuals around the world, while empowering them through training and mentoring, and by promoting them at a global level.
OUR ON-DEMAND SERVICES
In addition to the services provided to its members, the Creative Tourism Network® provides on-demand services to a wide array of organizations like UN Tourism, UN Tourism Academy, UNESCO, UNOSSC, GIZ, CAF, BID, as well as Ministries, local governments, universities, Business Schools, etc.
Training. mentoring, awards.
Whether you are a University or Business School, (future) entrepreneurs, DMOs or public bodies, interested in creative tourism management…
We propose tailored courses, lectures, seminars, workshops, training, capacity building, or consultancy services that fit your needs. Read more.
Consultancy
Whether you wish to use creative tourism to solve negative externalities or enhance specific aspects of your destination, the Creative Tourime Network is at your disposal to analyze the most efficient, sustainable, and economical way to do so.
Curatorship for CTN events
We put at your disposal our wide experience in organizing events on creative tourism, creative economy, and sustainable tourism. We provide curatorships to make them unique, unforgettable, and efficient. They can combine lectures, practical workshops, pitches, awards ceremonies, press conferences, fam-trips, etc. Read more.