Discover Off-Peak European Travel at SHOP : ETOA’s New Event for Sustainable Tourism – Travel And Tour World

Report on the European Tourism Association’s SHOP 2026 Initiative and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The European Tourism Association (ETOA) has announced the launch of a new B2B program, the Shoulder & Off-Peak Marketplace (SHOP 2026), scheduled for June 12, 2026, in London. The initiative is designed to restructure European tourism patterns by promoting travel during non-peak periods. This report analyzes the objectives, strategies, and anticipated outcomes of SHOP 2026, with a significant focus on its direct contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The program aims to mitigate overtourism, distribute economic benefits more evenly, and foster a more resilient and sustainable tourism industry across Europe.

Core Objectives and Strategy

The primary objective of SHOP 2026 is to create a dedicated marketplace for tourism services outside the traditional high season. By concentrating on the spring and autumn shoulder months, the initiative seeks to address the hyper-concentration of visitors during summer, which places significant strain on resources and infrastructure in popular destinations.

Strategic Pillars of the Initiative

• Market Diversification: To develop and market travel products specifically for off-peak periods, creating new revenue streams for businesses and destinations.
• Geographic Dispersion: To promote tourism in under-visited regions and cities, shifting visitor flows away from traditional hotspots and distributing economic benefits more widely.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: To facilitate partnerships between destination marketing organizations, tour operators, wholesalers, and online travel agencies to build and promote a diversified, year-round tourism offering.
• Sustainability Education: To inform industry stakeholders and the public about the environmental, economic, and social benefits of off-peak travel.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The SHOP 2026 initiative is fundamentally aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its strategy directly supports the achievement of several key SDGs by promoting a more responsible and equitable tourism model.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The program promotes sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth by transforming seasonal tourism employment into stable, year-round opportunities.

1. Extending the Tourism Season: By stimulating demand during shoulder and off-peak months, the initiative helps create full-time, decent work, reducing the precarity of seasonal employment.
2. Supporting Local Economies: Directing tourism to less-visited regions fosters local economic development and supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are central to community livelihoods.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

SHOP 2026 directly addresses the challenges of overtourism, contributing to making cities and destinations more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

1. Alleviating Urban Pressure: The strategy of dispersing tourists throughout the year and across different regions reduces congestion and eases the strain on public services, housing, and infrastructure in major tourism hubs.
2. Protecting Cultural and Natural Heritage: By mitigating the impacts of mass tourism, the initiative aids in the preservation of cultural sites and natural ecosystems for both residents and future visitors.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The core concept of the initiative is to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns within the European tourism sector.

1. Efficient Resource Management: Spreading visitor numbers more evenly throughout the year allows for more efficient management of resources such as water, energy, and waste.
2. Promoting Sustainable Practices: The event will emphasize the adoption of green lodging, sustainable transport options, and responsible resource management, encouraging a shift towards a circular economy in tourism.

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

SHOP 2026 will convene a wide range of stakeholders from the European and global tourism sectors. The event will serve as a platform for:

• Destination Marketing Organizations: To promote their regions’ off-season attractions and unique cultural experiences.
• Tour Operators and Wholesalers: To discover and develop new, creative, and sustainable travel itineraries.
• Online Travel Agencies: To market and distribute off-peak travel products to a global audience.
• Suppliers: To connect with new partners and adapt their offerings to meet the demand for more responsible travel.

Anticipated Outcomes and Benefits

Benefits for Destinations

• Creation of a more resilient, year-round local economy.
• Reduced pressure on infrastructure and natural resources.
• Enhanced preservation of local culture and heritage.
• Improved quality of life for local residents.

Benefits for Tourists

• More authentic and immersive travel experiences with fewer crowds.
• Increased affordability and value for money.
• Access to unique services and personalized attention in less-congested environments.

Conclusion: A Future Outlook for Sustainable European Tourism

The SHOP 2026 initiative represents a strategic and forward-thinking approach to managing European tourism. By placing sustainability and the principles of the SDGs at its core, ETOA is paving the way for a more balanced, equitable, and resilient industry. The program’s focus on off-peak travel is not merely a market diversification strategy but a comprehensive model for responsible growth that balances the needs of the economy, the environment, and host communities. This initiative has the potential to redefine Europe’s position as a global leader in sustainable tourism.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article on the European Tourism Association’s (ETOA) SHOP 2026 event addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on transforming European tourism into a more sustainable, year-round industry. The key SDGs identified are:

   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article emphasizes stimulating “more sustainable economic activity” and enhancing the “quality of the local economy” by extending the tourism season. This promotes sustained and inclusive economic growth for local communities, especially in “under-visited” regions.
   • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The initiative directly tackles the problem of “overtourism pressures” and “hyper-concentration of travelers” in popular cities. By distributing tourists throughout the year and to less-visited areas, it aims to alleviate “overcrowding and resource strain,” which helps in the “preservation of various aspects of local cultural and natural heritage,” making destinations more sustainable.
   • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The core theme of SHOP 2026 is promoting “sustainable tourism.” The article mentions lowering the “overall environmental footprint of travel” and encouraging practices like “green lodging, green travel, and sustainable resource management,” which are central to ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns in the tourism sector.
   • SDG 13: Climate Action: The article explicitly states that the event will focus on how to “decrease travel-related carbon emissions.” This connects the initiative to climate action by promoting more environmentally conscious travel patterns and operations.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the article’s discussion of the SHOP 2026 initiative, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

   • Target 8.9: “By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.” The entire SHOP 2026 event is a strategy designed to implement sustainable tourism. It aims to create “local business opportunities” and promote tourism in “under-visited and off-peak regions,” which directly supports local economies and cultures beyond the traditional peak season.
   • Target 11.4: “Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.” The article’s focus on alleviating “overtourism pressures” and “tourist congestion” is a direct effort to reduce the strain on popular destinations, which “assists in the preservation of various aspects of local cultural and natural heritage.”
   • Target 12.b: “Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism…” SHOP 2026 acts as a B2B platform or tool to implement and promote sustainable tourism. The article mentions the event will “analyze emerging trends in the technology of tourism and the responsible marketing and practicing of tourism,” implying a move towards monitoring and adapting practices for better sustainability outcomes.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   The article does not mention official SDG indicators, but it implies several metrics that could be used to measure the success and progress of the initiative towards the identified targets:

   • Indicator for Target 8.9: The article implies progress can be measured by the distribution of tourism revenue and activity throughout the year. A shift in economic activity from the peak summer months to the “spring and autumn shoulder periods” would indicate success in creating a more stable, year-round tourism economy. Another indicator is the number of businesses and destinations participating in the SHOP 2026 event, reflecting the adoption of this sustainable model.
   • Indicator for Target 11.4: Progress could be measured by a reduction in reported overcrowding and resource strain in major European tourism hotspots during the summer. The article’s goal is to “alleviate the month-long tourist congestion,” so a decrease in this congestion would be a key indicator of success in preserving cultural and natural heritage sites.
   • Indicator for Target 12.b: An implied indicator is the increase in the number of travel products and packages marketed as “off-peak” or “sustainable.” The article states that online travel agencies will work to ensure these products are marketed internationally. The adoption of “green lodging, green travel, and sustainable resource management” practices by participating operators would also serve as a crucial indicator.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: travelandtourworld.com