Peacebuilding is a continuous process for every society. Whether a country is experiencing active conflict, recovering from the legacy of war, or has only distant memories of large-scale violence, peace cannot be taken for granted. It must be nurtured and sustained through the combined efforts of governments, civil society organizations, educational institutions, local communities, and individual citizens.
There are many ways to contribute to peacebuilding, and one often overlooked avenue is tourism. Travel broadens our horizons, exposes us to new cultures and perspectives, and challenges stereotypes. By encouraging encounters across cultural, religious, and political divides, tourism can help foster mutual understanding, empathy, and respect for diversity.
These experiences are particularly valuable for young people, whose perspectives and values are still being shaped. This is the vision behind the Paths to Peace project: to introduce young people to peacebuilding through the lens of tourism and empower them to design and implement their own initiatives. But what do young people actually need to turn these ideas into reality? And are they even aware of tourism's potential as a tool for peacebuilding?
To answer these questions, the Paths to Peace partnership conducted research across six partner countries—Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, and Ukraine. We explored the perspectives of young people, as well as organizations and professionals working in tourism, education, and peacebuilding, to identify what is needed to strengthen youth engagement in tourism-based peacebuilding.
Tourism and Peace: A Growing Field
Our research confirmed that the relationship between tourism and peace is increasingly recognized in both academic and policy circles. Researchers have documented numerous examples of tourism contributing to reconciliation, intercultural dialogue, and post-conflict recovery. However, much more research is needed to better understand the conditions under which tourism can effectively promote peace.
International organizations—including the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe, and the European Union—have already translated these ideas into practice. Through support for local tourism initiatives, cultural exchanges, heritage projects, and cross-border cooperation, they have demonstrated tourism's potential to foster dialogue, strengthen social cohesion, and build a culture of peace. Nevertheless, there remains significant room for further development, and the Paths to Peace project aims to contribute to this growing field.
What Young People Told Us
Our research included surveys and interviews with young people, academics, tourism professionals, and representatives of civil society organizations. Together, they provided valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges of tourism-based peacebuilding.
The survey of 99 young people from the six partner countries and beyond revealed an encouraging yet complex picture. While approximately 60% of respondents had never participated in a tourism-based peacebuilding initiative, around 80% believed that tourism can be an effective way to promote peace. This suggests considerable interest, but also a significant lack of accessible opportunities.
Context also matters greatly.
For young people in Ukraine, where the country continues to experience full-scale war, traditional tourism is currently neither realistic nor a priority. However, participants highlighted other forms of meaningful travel, such as volunteering to rebuild damaged communities, supporting displaced people, or assisting elderly residents. These activities were widely perceived as important contributions to peace and resilience.
In Cyprus and Ireland, countries where divisions resulting from past conflicts continue to shape society, respondents identified tourism as an important vehicle for reconciliation. Community-led walking tours, shared cultural experiences, and joint activities bringing together young people from different communities create valuable non-political spaces where personal relationships can develop and stereotypes can gradually be overcome.
Meanwhile, participants from Austria, Denmark, and Sweden—countries generally perceived as peaceful—viewed tourism primarily as an opportunity for intercultural learning, international exchange, and greater appreciation of cultural diversity. These experiences, too, contribute to peace by strengthening openness and mutual understanding.
What Holds Young People Back?
Although interest in tourism-based peacebuilding was high, many respondents reported never having participated in such initiatives. The reasons were strikingly consistent across countries.
Young people identified several key barriers, including limited awareness of available opportunities, financial constraints, and a lack of confidence. Many also felt they lacked practical skills necessary to organize or lead initiatives, such as project management, facilitation, group leadership, conflict resolution, intercultural communication, and peacebuilding methodologies.
These findings directly informed the next phase of the Paths to Peace project. Our upcoming activities aim to address these gaps by providing training, mentoring, and practical learning opportunities that will equip young people with the knowledge, confidence, and networks needed to develop their own peacebuilding initiatives.
What Professionals Recommend
The professionals we consulted—from the fields of tourism, peacebuilding, and education—shared a remarkably similar perspective. They overwhelmingly agreed that tourism has considerable untapped potential as a peacebuilding tool.
Among the most promising approaches they identified were community-led walking tours, cultural exchange programmes, storytelling initiatives, heritage-based activities, and outdoor experiences that encourage collaboration between diverse groups.
At the same time, they emphasized that successful youth engagement requires more than good ideas. Sustainable initiatives depend on adequate financial support, strong organizational structures, and opportunities for meaningful participation. Professionals also stressed the importance of developing young people's transversal skills—including communication, leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking—and empowering them to believe that they can become active peacebuilders in their own communities.
From Research to Action
The findings of our research have been compiled in the Global Peace Perspectives Roadmap, which presents detailed insights from all six partner countries alongside practical recommendations for policymakers, educational institutions, tourism stakeholders, civil society organizations, and youth workers. The Roadmap offers concrete guidance on how different sectors can work together to strengthen youth participation in tourism-based peacebuilding.
In addition, the Roadmap includes a resource pack featuring existing initiatives that combine tourism and peacebuilding. While not exhaustive, it provides a valuable starting point for young people looking for inspiration or opportunities to become involved.
Alongside the Roadmap, we have also developed a collection of Case Studies showcasing real-world examples of tourism-based peacebuilding from different contexts. These examples demonstrate the many ways tourism can contribute to dialogue, reconciliation, and social cohesion.
If you know of a project that deserves to be featured in our collection, we would be delighted to hear from you. After all, every successful initiative begins with people willing to take the first step toward building peace.