18Th International Tourism Congress

October 1-2, 2026

Organizers

Partnerships POCTEP Visit Rio Minho Plus


About

The International Tourism Congress (ITC) is the annual scientific meeting of the Centre for Tourism Research, Development and Innovation (CiTUR).

CiTUR is a research and development (R&D) centre, composed by over 200 researchers from 17 portuguese institutions (polytechnics and universities) organized in 9 portuguese hubs and 2 international affiliated hubs, in Brasil and Ecuador.

CiTUR R&D focuses on fostering multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary applied research, and on stimulating the production and sharing of scientific knowledge in hospitality and tourism. 

The 18th edition of ITC will take place from 1st to 2nd October 2026, hosted by the Faculty of Economics and Business Sciences of the University of Vigo

Cross-Border Tourism

Theoretical Background for the International Tourism Congress 2026
The main theme of the congress is Cross-border tourism making ITC’25 an opportunity for academics, master and doctoral students to present and discuss national and international experiences on global development project through tourism.

ITC’25 is focused with the use tourism as a tool for sustainable development in Spain–Portugal border regions, integrating the circular economy, social economy, and family businesses, using The Minho as an example of a territory with a shared identity, family businesses in tourism, and circular experiences (gastronomy, river resources, routes, heritage), growing international interest in cross-border destinations as laboratories of sustainability.

The congress will bring together researchers in the different fields of sustainability in cross-border tourism, hospitality and catering, and invites all public administration members, businesses leaders, and professionals who want to discuss and share their experiences about the most recent trends in the field.

Therefore, the programme aims to be broad and inclusive, covering various areas of tourism and hospitality research, including contribution from multiple disciplines, such as economics, management, sociology, geography, cultural studies, environmental science, and technology, reflecting the complex and interdisciplinary nature of this field. 

Topics

A. Tourism Economics and Management

Circular economy
Sustainability management
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Revenue Management

B. Tourism, Hospitality and Restaurants

Marketing for tourism, hotels and restaurants 
Digital marketing and social media  
Human resources management 
Leadership for sustainability 
New technologies in innovative practices 
Sustainability Practices in tourism, hotels and restaurants 
Curricular Development in Tourism and Hospitality 
Pedagogical strategies and practices in Tourism and Hospitality 
Competencies development in Tourism and Hospitality 
Education and sustainability in Tourism and Hospitality 
Challenges in Tourism and Hospitality Education 

C. Technology and Innovation in Tourism

Artificial Intelligence in tourism, hotels and restaurants  
Innovation in tourism, hotels, and restaurants 
Automation and robotics 
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality 
Gamification in Tourism 
Digital Transformation Processes 
Digital Twins in Tourism 
Technologies in Tourism and Hospitality Education
AI in Touristic Experiences 

D. Territory and Tourism Destinations 

Destination Management 
Smart Destinations 
Tourism Sustainability 
Smart Tourism 
Accessible and Inclusive Tourism 
Tourism Observatories 
Governance and Policies for Tourism 

E. Planning and Management of Tourist Products and Animation

Wine Tourism 
Olive Tourism 
Gastronomy Tourism 
Events Tourism 
Nature and Outdoor Tourism 
Health Tourism 
Rural Tourism 
Religious Tourism 
Nautical Tourism 
LGBTQ Tourism 
Dark Tourism 
Astro Tourism 

F. Tourism, Culture, Society and Language 

Literary Tourism 
Film-induced Tourism 
Heritage and Culture in Tourism 
Cultural tourism 
Creative Tourism 

G. Cross-Border Tourism.

Nautical Tourism
Enogastronomy Tourism
Heritage and Culture in Tourism 
Nature tourism
Cultural tourism

Call for papers

The ITC’26 accepts extended abstract submission and full paper submission.

The main language of the conference is English, but it is also accepted extended abstracts and full papers in Portuguese and in Spanish

Submitted full papers and extended abstracts will be subject to a double-blind review process

Additional information can be received by email to: infogen@uvigo.gal

 

 

Submissions

Submission Dates

  • Extended abstract submission deadline: 30th June 2026

  • Notification of aceptance to the authors: 15th July 2026
  • Registration: 31th July 2026

  • Full paper submission deadline: 10th September 2026
  • Congress: 1st and 2nd October 2026

Submission Process

All the submissions must use the conference submission templates. 
Please, download the template document here:

Accomodation & Transports

Eurostars Mar de Vigo
4 Estrellas

Avenida de Beiramar, 57, 36202 Vigo, España

+34 986 82 37 00

AC Hotel Palacio Universal by Marriott
4 Estrellas

Canovas del Castillo, 28, 36202 Vigo, España

+34 986 44 92 50


Hotel Ciudad de Vigo
4 Estrellas

Concepción Arenal, 5, 36201 Vigo, España

+34 986 22 78 20

Zenit Vigo
4 Estrellas

Gran Vía, 1, 36204 Vigo, España

+34 986 41 72 55


URBAN BUS

Line A
Line U1
Line U2
Line 15C

CONTACTS

Radio Taxi Vigo: (+34) 986 272 829
Central Radio Taxi: (+34) 986 470 000
Página VITRASA (BUS URBANO): https://www.vitrasa.es/