Why Slow? · What is Slow Tourism?
Travel less hurried. Experience more.
Slow Tourism is an approach to travel that puts more
emphasis on the journey, the experience of a place
and the impact our travel choices can have.
Instead of treating destinations as a list of places
to visit as quickly as possible, Slow Tourism invites
us to spend more time with places, experiences and
the people connected to them.
The idea
Slow does not simply mean taking longer
Slow Tourism is about reconsidering how a journey is
experienced. The focus shifts from moving through as
many places as possible towards engaging more consciously
with the journey and destination.
This changes the questions we ask when travelling. Instead
of only asking what we can see, we can also consider how
we get there, how we spend our time and what effects our
choices have on the places we visit.
A different way to think about travel
More than the destination
Slow Tourism considers different parts of a journey
together rather than looking only at the destination.
01 · Journey
How do we get there?
The journey does not have to be something that simply
happens between home and destination. It can become
part of the travel experience.
02 · Experience
How do we experience a place?
Spending more time in a destination can create space
to engage with places and experiences beyond a short
list of attractions.
03 · Impact
What does our journey affect?
Travel choices are connected to environmental, social
and local effects. Slow Tourism encourages travellers
to consider these effects as part of the journey.
At a glance
Five principles of Slow Tourism
Slow Tourism can be understood through several connected
principles that influence how we travel, experience places
and interact with destinations.
Principle 01
Travel with purpose
Slow Tourism encourages travellers to rethink the journey
itself. The way we move between places becomes part of
the experience.
Principle 02
Connect with places
Spending more time in a destination creates opportunities
to understand local culture, landscapes and communities.
Principle 03
Value local experiences
Slow Tourism focuses on meaningful encounters with local
traditions, people and environments.
Principle 04
Travel responsibly
Tourism decisions influence destinations socially,
environmentally and economically. Slow Tourism considers
these effects.
Principle 05
Create lasting connections
Slow Tourism aims for deeper relationships between
travellers, destinations and local communities.
Compare
Mass Tourism and Slow Tourism
The difference between tourism approaches becomes clearer
when we look at transport, impact and the experience
of travelling.
Different travel decisions shape not only the journey
itself but also the relationship between visitors,
communities and destinations.
Three perspectives
-
Transport
How we move between places. -
Impact
How tourism affects destinations and their surroundings. -
Experience
How the pace of travelling shapes our relationship
with a destination.
From idea to practice
Slow Tourism across the project
Agents of Change explores Slow Tourism from several
perspectives, connecting travel with education,
innovation and research.
Travel
Explore Places
Discover six European partner destinations and explore
Slow Tourism through local perspectives.
Education
Learn
Explore Learning Tours, courses and educational
resources connected to Slow Tourism.
Research & Innovation
Explore the project
Discover research, workshops and ideas developed
together with project partners and tourism actors.
Continue exploring
What makes Slow Tourism different?
Compare Slow Tourism with mass tourism through transport,
impact and travel experience.