Project No. C034
On 28 October 2026, from 13:00 to 16:00 EET (12:00–15:00 CET), Kurzeme Planning Region in Latvia, in cooperation with Novia University of Applied Sciences in Finland, will host an international online webinar, “Building Resilient and Regenerative Destinations for the Future”. Bringing together tourism experts, researchers, destination management professionals and entrepreneurs from across Europe, the event will explore how destinations can respond to seasonality, adapt to climate change and develop more resilient and regenerative tourism approaches.
Tourism businesses, representatives of municipalities, tourism information centres and destination management organisations (DMOs), tourism professionals and anyone interested in the future of tourism are invited to participate. The event offers an opportunity to hear from international experts and discover practical approaches to tourism development beyond the peak season.
Register for the webinar: https://network.novia.fi/Events/446/Apply
The webinar takes place in English and will be streamed live on YouTube. Registered participants will receive a link to the livestream. A recording will also be available after the event.
European Experts Discuss the Future of Tourism and Destination Development
The first session (13:00–14:30 EET / 12:00–13:30 CET) will explore how tourism destinations can become more resilient and regenerative while responding to climate change and shifting travel patterns. International experts will examine how destination management can move beyond attracting visitors towards creating long-term value for local communities, businesses and the environment. The session will also address climate adaptation, changing tourism seasons and the role of cooperation in strengthening tourism development across the Baltic Sea Region.
Vincent Nijs, Chief Strategist at VISITFLANDERS in Belgium and Vice-President of NECSTouR, will share insights into regenerative destination development and creating long-term value for local communities.
Prof. Alessandra Priante, Partner at EY, Tourism, Events & Territories Transformation Lead for Europe West, and Co-Chairman Europe at SIGA, will explore integrated approaches to destination management and systems thinking.
Louis Celliers and Vanessa Völz from Climate Service Center Germany – Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon will examine how climate change and changing tourism comfort conditions affect destinations, seasonality and tourism business models.
Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło, EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) Policy Area Tourism Coordinator, will discuss how macro-regional cooperation can strengthen resilience, competitiveness and regenerative tourism across the Baltic Sea Region.
The webinar will open with James Simpson, Project Manager of RegenT at Novia University of Applied Sciences in Finland, introducing the two projects and their shared focus on seasonality, resilience and regenerative tourism.
From Strategy to Practice: Practical Solutions for Addressing Seasonality
The second session (14:45–16:00 EET / 13:45–15:00 CET), “From Strategy to Practice: Are We Ready to Address Seasonality?”, will focus on translating tourism development strategies into practical solutions. Drawing on experiences from tourism destinations, businesses and project activities, speakers will explore how to develop attractive off-season tourism experiences, improve accessibility and engage diverse visitor groups throughout the year. The session will also introduce practical tools developed through the Light in the Dark project to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and destination management organisations (DMOs).
Ieva Skābarde, Director of the Municipal Agency “Dienvidkurzeme Tourism Centre” in Latvia, will share insights into destination management and addressing seasonality from a destination perspective.
Alise Lūse, Accessibility Specialist and Project Manager at Kurzeme Planning Region in Latvia, will highlight the role of accessibility in developing inclusive tourism experiences for different visitor groups throughout the year.
Karīna Leinberga-Lemberga, a tourism entrepreneur from Latvia representing “Es gatavoju”, will share her experience of piloting “The Fine Pleasures of Life: Culture and Taste”, an off-season tourism experience developed through Light in the Dark and tested in Upesgrīva, Latvia, in March 2026.
Janina Selin, Project Leader at Novia University of Applied Sciences in Finland, will present practical tools developed through Light in the Dark for tourism businesses and DMOs, including an AI-based Tourism Business Idea Generator.
The session will conclude with a panel discussion and Q&A, bringing together the speakers to reflect on practical approaches to addressing seasonality. The webinar will be moderated by Dr. geogr. Andris Klepers, Professor, Director of the Scientific Institute and Leading Researcher at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences in Latvia. Participants can submit questions through the interactive Slido platform.
About the Projects
The webinar is organised by Kurzeme Planning Region within the Light in the Dark project, in cooperation with Novia University of Applied Sciences and the RegenT project. Both projects are implemented under the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021 – 2027 and co-funded by the European Union.
The event also marks the conclusion of the international Light in the Dark project, which brings together experience from five Baltic Sea Region countries. The project has involved research with tourism businesses and potential travellers, as well as the development and piloting of off-season tourism experiences and practical tools to support tourism businesses and destination management organisations. Learn more: https://kurzemesregions.lv/en/projects/tourism/light-in-the-dark/
RegenT – “Integrating Regenerative Practices in Nature and Cultural Tourism” promotes regenerative tourism across the Baltic Sea Region, focusing on restoring natural and cultural assets and benefiting local communities. Building on the outcomes of seven European projects, RegenT is developing a regenerative tourism hub offering training, knowledge exchange, practical resources and policy recommendations. Learn more: https://kurzemesregions.lv/en/projects/tourism/REGENT/
We invite you to register and join the international webinar on 28 October!
Project manager:
Anna Elizabete Upsava
+371 26369876
anna.upsava@kurzemesregions.lv
