Call for Papers: 18th International Conference on Island Tourism | Trapani, Sicily, 28–31 October 2026
July 2, 2026
The Observatory on Tourism for Island Economy (OTIE) invites scholars, researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals to the 18th International Conference on Island Tourism (ICIT), held at the Polo Universitario di Trapani, University of Palermo, in Trapani, Sicily, from 28 to 31 October 2026. This year's conference takes the theme "European Islands in Transition: Policy, Development and Resilience".
As island destinations contend with shifting environmental, economic, and cultural pressures, the conference positions sustainable tourism strategy, and the role of cultural tourism as a driver of sustainable transformation, at the centre of its programme. A special session will be held on the island of Pantelleria in collaboration with the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH, CompNET) and the Centre of Planning and Economic Research, Greece. Confirmed keynote speakers include Razaq Raj (Leeds Beckett University), Kevin Griffin (Technological University Dublin), Giovanni Ruggieri (University of Palermo and OTIE President), and Filippo Di Mauro (Halle Institute for Economic Research).
Conference themes
Contributions are invited across eight thematic tracks spanning policy, economy, heritage, connectivity, digital transformation, community, climate resilience, and regional data analysis.
Eight conference themes
Each track spans several sub-topics; the summaries below indicate the scope of each.
- 1 Island policy and governance European island strategy, multi-level policy making, territorial cohesion and islandness, island geopolitics, and European integration.
- 2 Sustainable development and island economies Economic resilience, entrepreneurship and SMEs, investment and financing, and the management of seasonality and over-tourism.
- 3 Tourism, destinations, and cultural heritage Sustainable island tourism, strategic planning, religious tourism, the management of historic and cultural sites, and sports and adventure tourism.
- 4 Connectivity, accessibility, and mobility Island transport solutions, maritime and air connectivity, digital connectivity and smart mobility, and accessibility and inclusion.
- 5 Digital transformation and smart islands Artificial intelligence in tourism, smart islands and digital innovation, digital skills and remote work, and data-driven destination management.
- 6 Society, identity, and communities Language and identity, multilingual marketing and communication, youth retention and talent attraction, and social equity and community well-being.
- 7 Climate change, environment, and resilience Climate adaptation and resilience, renewable energy and energy transition, water scarcity and resource management, and the circular economy.
- 8 Regional and sub-regional data for analysis Micro-data for benchmarking and productivity analysis, research tools for island policymaking, EU competitiveness, regional clustering, and case studies.
Submission, dates, and fees
Abstracts should carry a clear title; the names, institutional affiliations, and email addresses of all authors; five keywords; a concise abstract of up to 300 words in good English; and three key bibliographic references. OTIE asks that abstracts be set in 12-point Arial, single-spaced, and proofread before submission. Abstracts are submitted through the conference's online form.
Dates, fees, and publication
Key logistics for planning a submission and attendance.
- Abstract deadline7 September 2026
- Registration & payment30 September 2026
- Conference dates28–31 October 2026, Trapani, Sicily
- Fee – PhD students€200
- Fee – ordinary€380
- Fee – accompanying€280
- PublicationSelected papers considered for the International Journal of Islands Tourism (double-masked review)
For payment details and general inquiries, the OTIE secretariat can be reached at secretariat@otie.org, with wider information at info@otie.org.
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