The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the Conference “Lessons from the Past: Advancing Sustainability in WWII Heritage Tourism,” held in Berlin on June 13th, 2025. The event brought together professionals from the tourism and heritage sectors to discuss how World War II-related sites can be managed in line with sustainability principles.
The day began with a keynote speech by Luigi Cabrini, Chair of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), who reflected on the vital role that tourism can play in the conservation of natural and cultural heritage. Emphasizing the need for thoughtful management, he underscored how sustainable tourism practices can help protect the identity and integrity of destinations while providing meaningful experiences for visitors.
The conference was part of the Preserving the Past – Shaping the Future (PPSF) project, a Europe-wide initiative that aims to promote sustainable tourism practices at World War II heritage sites. Coordinated by a consortium of institutions and supported by the European Union, PPSF provides a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and capacity building among heritage organizations, tourism professionals, and policymakers. The Conference marked a milestone in the project’s timeline, fostering dialogue around the challenges and opportunities of managing complex historical narratives sustainably.
The session “Memory, Meaning, and Motivation: Engaging Visitors for a Sustainable Future” highlighted how thoughtful storytelling can drive more sustainable visitor experiences. Matthew Menneke, Founder and Guide of On the Front Tours, Simon Reuter, Senior Research Partnership Manager at Outdooractive, and Ludivine Destrée, Senior Marketing Manager at the European Travel Commission, discussed engaging approaches in the context of heritage tourism. The day concluded with a walking tour of the Berlin Wall with the participants.
