As part of the Paths to Peace (P2P) project, we’re exploring how tourism can build bridges between people, cultures, and generations. Within Work Package 2: Global Peace Perspectives, we’ve begun collecting real-world examples of destinations that show what peacebuilding through tourism looks like in practice.
One inspiring example is Järvsö, a small town in Sweden’s Hälsingland region that has become a model for sustainable and community-driven tourism.
Järvsö’s approach is rooted in balance: protecting nature, supporting the local economy and nurturing social connection. Locally owned businesses, renewable energy initiatives, and year-round eco-tourism activities ensure that tourism benefits both people and the planet.
At the heart of Järvsö’s success is its social sustainability. The community actively invites visitors to engage with local heritage and everyday life, from cultural storytelling to inclusive events like Järvsö Kulturnatt (Culture Night). Accessibility and youth engagement are key priorities, young people take part as guides, cultural interpreters and sustainability ambassadors, helping to shape tourism as a tool for empathy and understanding.
As one Swedish tourism stakeholder described it, tourism can be “a peace project for all generations” a way to meet challenges together, share experiences, and create understanding through encounters in nature and culture. This reflects Paths to Peace’s vision: empowering youth and communities to use tourism as a force for inclusion, dialogue, and lasting peace.
Through stories like Järvsö’s, we see how tourism can evolve from an industry into a movement- one that builds empathy, celebrates diversity, and strengthens our shared responsibility for the planet.