The Forum brought together over 200 experts and institutional representatives in the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene to discuss sustainable tourism strategies. It emphasized how digitization, experiential tourism, and sustainable flow management, combined with the enhancement of UNESCO heritage sites, represent strategic levers for transforming major events such as the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics into a lasting legacy for the territories.
The third edition of the National Forum on Sustainable Tourism and World Heritage Sites, with the theme ‘Major events in UNESCO territories: the challenge of sustainability’, held today at CastelBrando in Cison di Valmarino (Treviso), was a great success and attracted a large audience. The event, promoted by the Veneto Region and the Association for the Heritage of the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, was organized in collaboration with TEHA, under the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism and with the support of the Consortium for the Protection of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG, the Consortium for the Protection of Prosecco DOC, and the Consortium for the Protection of Asolo Montello Wines.
The Forum was attended by around 200 experts from the tourism sector, institutional representatives, and professionals, who discussed key issues for the sustainable development of Italian territories and local economies. It was also an opportunity to present the 2025 Strategic Report on Sustainable Tourism, a key document for guiding strategies and investments towards more conscious tourism capable of reaping lasting benefits from major events such as the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina.
This third edition of the Forum – comments Marina Montedoro, President of the Association for the Heritage of the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene – confirms the value of a project that we strongly desired as an opportunity for national discussion on the themes of sustainable tourism and UNESCO heritage sites. The Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene represent a territory that symbolizes the balance between protection and development, now fully integrated into the strategic axis of Milan-Cortina 2026. The challenge is to ensure that major events, this year’s main theme, become an engine for lasting growth, capable of leaving a concrete legacy for the territories and communities that experience them. Tourism data for the first eight months of 2025 confirm the appeal of our UNESCO site, with an overall increase of 7.1% in arrivals and 7.8% in overnight stays compared to the same period in 2024. In particular, foreign arrivals increased by 11%, an important sign that the UNESCO brand continues to strengthen the international reputation of the Hills.
Our goal is to continue promoting a model of tourism that combines sustainability, culture, and authentic experiences. The success of the Forum, which once again featured panels with high-level international speakers and attracted over 200 guests, demonstrates that World Heritage sites, when managed with vision, can become laboratories of innovation and best practices for the entire country.
