Ibiza has reached the shortlist for the new European Capital of Tourism 2027 competition and will now compete against seven other destinations in its population category.

The island is one of eight destinations selected in the category for cities and destinations with between 25,000 and 100,000 inhabitants.

The final decision will be made in November, when representatives of the shortlisted destinations present their proposals to the European jury in Brussels.

Ibiza's seven rivals

Ibiza's competitors in the same category are:

Calvià, Spain
Calais, France
Geestland, Germany
Nova Gorica, Slovenia
Sandanski, Bulgaria
Selçuk, Türkiye
Zadar, Croatia

Ibiza and Calvià are the two Spanish destinations in this category.

From 40 applications to eight shortlisted destinations

The category attracted 40 applications from destinations in 17 countries.

An independent expert evaluation was used to assess the submissions before the European Commission announced the shortlist.

The original competition format envisaged selecting four destinations in each category.

However, the Commission expanded both shortlists to eight destinations because of the quality of the applications and several tied scores.

That left 16 destinations across the two categories in the final stage of the 2027 competition.

Two categories, two winners

The new competition is divided by population.

Category 1 covers cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants.

Category 2, in which Ibiza is competing, covers destinations with between 25,000 and 100,000 inhabitants.

The larger-city category also has eight shortlisted destinations: Aalborg, Braga, Genoa, Konya, Ljubljana, Lviv, Salzburg and Sofia.

There will ultimately be two winners of the European Capital of Tourism 2027 title, with one selected from each category.

Ibiza's proposal focuses on sustainability

The European Commission's profile of Ibiza highlights the island's efforts to make tourism more sustainable while addressing the impact of tourism on the local environment and residents.

One of the areas highlighted is the protection of Posidonia oceanica meadows, which form part of Ibiza's UNESCO World Heritage status.

The city's programme includes ecological moorings designed to reduce damage from boat anchoring and a marine restoration project.

The Viu la Posidònia campaign is also highlighted as a way of raising awareness among residents and visitors about the importance of the seagrass meadows.

Diversifying tourism beyond the summer

Ibiza's proposal also places emphasis on reducing reliance on traditional seasonal tourism.

The city has identified cultural, sports and conference tourism as areas that can contribute to activity throughout the year.

The European Commission's profile also highlights measures intended to support businesses operating for more than nine months of the year, as well as programmes designed to support local artisans and the wider local economy.

Technology and tourism management

Digital tools form another part of Ibiza's submission.

The city's proposal highlights the use of digital platforms to collect and analyse information relating to resource consumption, tourist flows and urban resilience.

The aim is to use data to improve the management of tourism and public spaces.

The application also links these tools with efforts to monitor capacity and reduce overcrowding.

Focus on residents and local communities

Ibiza's proposal is not focused exclusively on visitors.

The European Commission highlights initiatives aimed at improving quality of life for residents and increasing opportunities for young people.

These include targeted vocational training programmes and measures intended to facilitate access to employment in tourism.

The application also describes measures designed to involve local businesses and the wider community in the island's tourism model.

The next stage takes place in Brussels

The 16 shortlisted destinations will now move to the presentation stage.

Representatives of all eight destinations in Ibiza's category and all eight in the larger-city category are due to present their proposals before the European jury in Brussels on November 18 and 19.

The presentations will allow each destination to explain its plans and demonstrate how it intends to use the European Capital of Tourism title during 2027.

The competition will not be decided until November

Being shortlisted does not mean Ibiza has already won the title.

The European jury will make the final selection after the presentations.

Two destinations will ultimately receive the European Capital of Tourism 2027 title, with one winner coming from each population category.

Ibiza therefore still has one more stage to complete before the outcome is known.

A new European tourism competition

The 2027 edition introduces a new format for the European tourism awards.

The former European Capital of Smart Tourism and European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism competitions have been brought together under the single European Capitals of Tourism title.

The new framework continues to focus on areas including sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation, cultural heritage, creativity and local talent.

For the smaller-destination category, the emphasis is particularly connected with sustainable and green tourism strategies.

What the title is designed to recognise

The European Capital of Tourism initiative is intended to recognise destinations that have implemented strategies to make tourism more sustainable and innovative.

The programme also seeks to encourage the exchange of good practices between European destinations and create opportunities for cooperation.

For the winning destinations, the title comes with a year of communication and branding support, alongside other promotional activity designed to raise their international profile.

Ibiza's position in the shortlist

Ibiza now has a place among the eight shortlisted destinations in the smaller-destination category.

Its proposal will be considered alongside destinations from France, Germany, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Türkiye and Spain.

The final presentation in Brussels will provide the next opportunity for Ibiza to explain its approach to sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation, heritage and local development.

What happens next

The next key dates are November 18 and 19, when the shortlisted destinations present their proposals in Brussels.

After those presentations, the European jury will select the two destinations that will hold the European Capital of Tourism 2027 title.

For Ibiza, reaching the shortlist means the island has progressed beyond the initial application stage, but the final decision is still to come.

Until then, Ibiza remains one of eight shortlisted destinations competing for the title in the 25,000-100,000 population category.