ECO-SEAROUTES
Eco-nautical sea routes

Project funded by the European Union’s Interreg Euro-MED Programme.

ECO-SEAROUTES aims to create eco-nautical routes connecting ports committed to implementing a
common sustainability standard, in a transnational approach, and to redistribute tourist flows to neighbouring coastal and inland areas. Through a regenerative and participatory bottom-up approach, the project involves local decision-makers and tourism operators to enhance peripheral areas and their cultural heritage.

The highly innovative project aims to develop the following results through a transnational approach based on the methodologies of the Phoenicians’ Route:

1. Creation of eco-nautical Smart Ways covering the entire MED area and connecting marinas that are committed to a common standard of sustainability;
2. Creation of local Smart Ways by land that encourage visits to the hinterland from
coastal destinations, designed through transnationally validated participatory methods and the
involvement of stakeholders;
3. Enhancement of the Smart Ways developed through the collaborative creation of Community Heritage Hubs for each territory concerned;
4. Dissemination and capitalisation activities aimed at ensuring the dissemination and replicability of the
project actions.

OUTPUT:
> Regional analysis for eco-nautical development through
– in-depth territorial analysis of target areas
– definition of guidelines for the adoption of sustainable measures in ports/marinas
– creation of a website and web app
> Capacity building activities and pilot actions for the development of Smart Ways in pilot areas
– Co-design and branding of Smart Ways ECO-SEAROUTES
> Development and inauguration of Community Heritage Hubs (CHHs)
> Dissemination and awareness-raising activities

Project partners:

Apulia Region (lead partner), Italy

AETIB – Balearic Islands Tourism Agency, Spain

DAFNI – Network of Sustainable Greek Islands, Greece

Port of Saint Florent, France

Port of Kotor, Montenegro

CMMI – Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute, Cyprus

The Phoenicians’ Route – Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, based in Italy

Union of Municipalities of the Ionian Islands, Greece

Municipality of Chiclana de la Frontera, Spain

University of Maribor, Slovenia

Total project duration: 33 months (2025-2027)

Sito web ufficiale: https://eco-searoutes.interreg-euro-med.eu

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i-DEMO
Improving DEstination Management Offer through game-based strategies

Project funded by the European Union’s ERASMUS+ Programme.

General objective:
to support EU tourism professionals in acquiring and developing key skills in game-based tourism in order to promote innovation and improve the overall performance of tourism organisations through:

– increasing specific skills and abilities in game-based tourism;
– designing an i-DEMO course on “Game-based Tourism”;
– creating an i-DEMO toolkit for applying gamification to tourism;
– improving the application and replicability of innovative game-based solutions.

Specific objectives:
SO1: to improve the specific skills and abilities of professionals in destination management organisations (DMOs) and vocational education and training students in relation to creative game-based tourism;
SO2: designing an innovative and needs-oriented online training course called ‘Game-based Tourism’, offered through an online platform, which integrates various sectoral and transversal skills, including digital, entrepreneurial and transversal skills;
SO3: Provide DMOs professionals and VET students with an I-DEMO toolkit to apply gamification and creative strategies in the planning of innovative tourism offers and services.

The toolkit includes guidelines and a virtual map of EU best practices in creative strategies related to game-based tourism.

i-DEMO will focus on achieving the following results:

1. A skills profile for game-based tourism, which defines a set of skills and abilities necessary for DMO professionals, based on the extensive experience of the partners involved and on needs and training analyses.
2. An i-DEMO online course on “Game-based Tourism”, offering professional training for current and future tourism professionals, focusing on digital and transversal skills, as well as skills related to “game-based tourism”.
3. An i-DEMO toolkit that includes guidelines and a virtual map of EU best practices for applying gamification and creative strategies in the planning of innovative and inclusive tourism offers and services, and the organisation of an i-DEMO Hackathon that includes 40 proposals from 8 EU destinations.
4. A dissemination campaign through webinars, promotional material, including a handbook of EU best practices and stories of successful digital transition and/or gamification in tourism, to disseminate the knowledge and materials produced to tourism sectors across Europe.

Project partners:

TIMESIS Srl (lead partner), Italy
La Rotta dei Fenici – Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, headquartered in Italy
Associazione Culturale Tuo Museo, Italy
Pafos Regional Board of Tourism, Cyprus
Stichting Breda University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands
Hellenic Open University, Greece
ACIF – Industrial and Commercial Association of Funchal – Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Madeira (Portugal)
Wojewodztwo Kujawsko Pomorskie, Poland

Total project duration: 30 months (2024-2027)

Sito web: www.i-demo.eu

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Newsletter 01

SMARTIES for SMEs
Pills of Sustainable, Smart, Regenerative Tourism to Empower SMEs in the EU Mediterranean area

Progetto finanziato dal Programma COSME dell’Unione Europea.

Obiettivo generale:
Supportare le PMI turistiche nella doppia transizione verde e digitale

Obiettivi specifici:
SMARTIES for SMEs è un progetto transnazionale per migliorare la competitività delle PMI nella regione mediterranea dell’UE. Si concentra su 2 aree tematiche:

Turismo rigenerativo, ovvero offerta turistica che rispetta l’autenticità del territorio locale e contribuisce al benessere delle comunità locali, applicando e sviluppando ulteriormente la Smart Way, un modello sviluppato dall’Itinerario Culturale “La Rotta dei Fenici” e già applicato in diverse aree del Mediterraneo;

La sinergia tra ecosistema turistico ed ecosistema agroalimentare per lo sviluppo di un’offerta turistica sostenibile, promuovendo la Dieta Mediterranea come modello di sostenibilità alimentare nel settore turistico.

Il progetto:

> implementa una ricerca qualitativa e quantitativa sui bisogni delle PMI nello scenario post-Covid e sulle migliori pratiche per favorire la doppia transizione, raggiungendo 110 principali stakeholder e 250 PMI di 8 paesi e 11 aree della regione del Mediterraneo, e pubblica i risultati in un Compendio disponibile per la prossima piattaforma T4T.

>Seleziona, monitora e supporta 75 progetti innovativi provenienti da 5 paesi dell’UE della regione del Mediterraneo, dando priorità a soluzioni sostenibili che favoriscano la doppia transizione.

>Fornisce un programma misto di sviluppo delle capacità per le PMI del turismo in 8 paesi e 11 regioni, attraverso workshop locali e webinar tematici, raggiungendo rispettivamente 275 PMI e oltre 180 partecipanti.

>Raggiunge gli ecosistemi del turismo (Paesi UE ed extra UE) attraverso 5 eventi di networking, una campagna di comunicazione dedicata e la pubblicazione di un Manuale sulla Dieta Mediterranea come modello di sostenibilità alimentare nel settore turistico.

 

Partner di Progetto:

Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato Agricoltura Toscana Nord Ovest (capofila), Italia

Camera di Commercio di Xanthi, Grecia

Libertas International University, Croazia

Camera Regionale dell’Artigianato e Piccole Imprese di Maribor, Slovenia

ACIF – Associazione Commerciale e Industriale di Funchal – Camera di Commercio di Madeira (Portogallo);

Associazione Internazionale La Rotta dei Fenici, con sede principale in Italia, garante dell’Itinerario Culturale omonimo

Pafos Regional Board of Tourism, Cipro

ENIT – Agenzia Nazionale del Turismo, Italia

Durata totale del progetto: Settembre 2023 – Agosto 2026

www.smartiesforsmes.eu

 

NEXT ROUTES – Upskilling of staff through digital, creative gamification and innovative strategies for the enhancement of EU Cultural Routes is a KA220 project – Cooperation partnerships in the field of Vocational Education and Training (VET) funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme.

The project involves six Cultural Routes certified by the Council of Europe (in addition to the Phoenicians’ Route, the European Route of Jewish Heritage, Mozart’s Routes, the Olive Tree Route, ATRIUM – Architectures of Totalitarian Regimes in 20th Century European Urban Memory and the Iron Age Danube Route), Mobile Idea Srl, one of the EU’s leading private companies specialising in technological innovation applied to the cultural and tourism sector, and the Breda University of Applied Sciences.

NEXT ROUTES is a highly innovative project that involves the implementation of actions aimed at further strengthening the skills and knowledge of Cultural Routes staff in all aspects related to digital and creative skills, supporting the Routes in the digital transition, helping them to manage and disseminate content in an engaging and effective way, and promoting cultural heritage through innovative gamification approaches.

The proposal represents a great opportunity for the staff of Cultural Routes, providing them with an easy-to-use tool for promoting their territories and heritage, making it accessible to members and interested stakeholders.

NEXT ROUTES has achieved the following results:
– a Training Methodology (PR1) to guide Cultural Routes staff in updating their digital and creative skills and in promoting the heritage that each Route represents;

Training Methodology in English
Training Methodology in Spanish
Training Methodology in German
Training Methodology in Dutch
Training methodology in Greek
Training methodology in Croatian

 

– a Toolkit (PR2), an interactive platform offering personalised training courses for the digital updating of Cultural Routes staff and incorporating gamification applications (Game App available on mobile devices) to engage users;

– a User Manual (PR3), a step-by-step guide that supports the use of the toolkit for training purposes and for the creation of customised game-based solutions.

User Manual in English
User Manual in Spanish
User Manual in German
User Manual in Dutch
User Manual in Greek
User Manual in Croatian

 

QUEST promoting QUality intErnships in Sustainable Tourism and cultural heritage management is a KA220 – Cooperation partnerships in higher education project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme.

QUEST project aims at increasing HE students’ employability in the tourism sector, one of the fastest pacing sectors in terms of innovation and most afflicted by Covid-19 emergency.

There is a continuous challenge of developing students’ knowledge and employability attributes in two ways:
– the first is by embedding employability skills within curricula through supervised work experience
– the second is by building these into curricula through stand-alone skills-based training.

In order to do so the QUEST partnership will address students’ employability by analyzing skill gaps, developing a flexible long distance training program supported by innovative tools (QUEST project results) developed during the project, and conducting 5 blended mobility of students (for a total of 30 students) and a specific training of HEIs and company internship tutors to support students. On a parallel effort, QUEST will develop and implement new policies and a cooperation methodology to bring together the education and business sector to work increase the success of the methodology designed to enhance students’ employability.

The project will develop through 4 innovative project results:
1. a flexible learning programme: an innovative and skill-based programme for HE students that face the tourism sector labour market;
2. an e-learning platform and app: a unique platform for HE student, HEI trainers and organisations tutors that supports them all along the learning programme and work experience;
3. a QUEST policy and cooperation methodology: a cooperation agreement between HEIs and tourism organization in the Mediterranean area, supported by a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe;
4. a manual: a comprehensive publication summarizing QUEST methodology, learning programme, activities and results to support further exploitation.

Project’s partners:

1. Libertas International University (Croatia) – LEAD BENEFICIARY
2. The Phoenicians’ Routes with headquarters in Italy;
3. Solin Tourist Board, Croatia;
4. Timesis Srl, Italy;
5. University of Malaga, Spain;
6. Arte&Cia Gestión Cultural y Ocio, Spain;
7. University of Nicosia, Cyprus;
8. Larnaka Tourism Board, Cyprus.

Total Project duration: 36 Months (2021-2024)

U-Mar promoting Enhancing underwater archeology to make it an innovative tool for developing sustainable & creative tourism is a KA220-VET – Cooperation partnerships in vocational education and training – project co-funded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

The general aim of the project U-Mar is to develop the knowledge and the valorization of heritage related to underwater archaeology, through the following specific objectives:

Training professional figures with specific skills in underwater archaeology, how to valorize it and how to manage these cultural sites. The project will therefore train new experts capable of fostering the touristic offer of these sites from multiple points of view, by setting up an ad hoc innovative training course.

Developing sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism around underwater archaeology,
improving the tourist-cultural offer and expanding the reference target of users. These objectives will be reached also by making underwater archaeology more accessible to people not willing or not able to dive or swim, by creating digital pathways to the sites and by developing interpretation centres on land.

Provide guidelines for organizations that want to develop strategies for enhancing the underwater archaeological heritage, with different possibilities of application depending on the context and with a particular focus on the creation of underwater archaeological itineraries, with their specific heritage and on the professional’s skills required.

Increase knowledge of the underwater archaeological heritage and the importance of its conservation and enhancement, not only by tourists, but above all by young people and
local communities living in those territories.

The project will develop 3 innovative outputs:
1. New Training Course on Underwater Archaeology for Cultural Operators
2. Development of U-Mar e-learning platform;
3. Creation of Interpretation Centres on Underwater Archaeology.

Project’s partners:

The Phoenicians’ Route headquartered in Italy – LEAD BENEFICIARY;

Sicilian Region – Superintendency of the Sea (Italy);

ICUA – International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar (Croatia);

CEIMAR Foundation (Spain);

Pafos Regional Board of Tourism (Cyprus);

ACIF – Industrial and Commercial Association of Funchal – Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Madeira (Portugal);

ARGO Consulting company (Italy).

Total Project duration: 24 Months (2022-2024)

THE FAB ROUTES: Digital Skills To Promote Eu Cultural Routes is a KA202 – Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training project co-funded by the Erasmus + programme under the Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices call.

The general objective of the project is to design a new training methodology and educational module aimed at fostering and enriching the knowledge and transversal competences of the staff members and operators of the EU Cultural Routes (CR) recognized by the Council of Europe, in order to improve CR management and promotion in the field of sustainable and cultural tourism.

Project’s partners:

1. ATRIUM – Architecture of Totalitarian Regimes in Europe’s Urban Memory (Italy) – LEAD BENEFICIARY
2. The Phoenicians’ Routes based in Italy;
3. European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage based in Luxembourg;
4. The Olive Tree Cultural Foundation based in Greece;
5. The European Routes of Emperor Charles V with headquarters in Spain;
6. The Via Regia based in Germany – even though based and registered in one county, each Association/Cultural Route is composed by a number of authorities located in other European countries),
7. The Center for Advanced Studies in Tourism – CAST University of Bologna (responsible for scientific coordination)
8. ARGO, a private company specialized in the implementation of cultural projects with important expertise on audio-visual training production and digital communication strategy.

Total Project duration: 24 Months (2020-2022)

For further information www.facebook.com/FabRoutes

TRAMES is based on the Phoenicians’ Routes, a transnational thematic Route recognized since 2003 in the Council of Europe Programme «Cultural Route» and since 2016 object of interest of the UN World Tourism Organization (Core Working Group). The project promotes the cultural and archaeological heritage of Mediterranean civilizations following the ancient nautical and maritime routes.
The transnational thematic products that will be developed, identified as “Smart Ways”, are based on the topics of:

Creativity and Creative Tourism;

Heritage Pedagogy

Creation of innovative edutainment technologies as tools to engage tourists and promote the tangible and intangible heritage

Gamification as a way to attract, engage and educate visitors on cultural heritage

Internationalization

Deseasonalisation

Sustainability and involvement of local communities (community tourism)

TRAMES is funded by the European Commission within the COSME program, with a budget of € 381.376,00.

Project objectives

– revitalizing tourism attractions and destinations, and diversifying transnational tourism experiences;

-prolonging seasonality of EU destinations and enhancing sustainability of tourism offers;

-boosting innovation across transnational tourism value chains through the collaboration of tourism operators and CCIs.

The partners

The partnership consists of eight participants from six european nationalities:

Timesis S.r.l. – Project leader and DMC – Destination Management Company
Italian SME with large expertise on project management, monitoring and evaluation in EU, ACP and MED area countries. In 2014, Timesis srl created a Destination Management Company, Montepisano DMC, to promote the Monte Pisano area.

Top Kinisis – Tour Operator, Cyprus
Top Kinisis is one of the most prominent Tourism Organizations in Cyprus. Top Kinisis, has a remarkable ground of successful acquisitions, mergers, awards and accreditation and is providing a complete range of travel and tourism services both in Cyprus and abroad.

EGA – Entertainment Game Apps, SME, UK
EGA creates unconventional videogames that have the ground of ancient history. The company therefore has dual identity that binds itself to the world of videogames, but which also takes care of historical research on the European territory.

PleinAir – Edizioni Plein Air, Publisher of the tourism PleinAir, Italy
Edizioni Plein Air is the publishing house that manages PleinAir magazine, one of the best-selling travel and tourism monthly magazines in Italy and an important travel decision maker. PleinAir has always promoted new horizons for tourism, culture and leisure activities, bringing new motivation, creating models capable of designing a new way to travel.

Autonomous Municipality of Melilla, Spain
Melilla is one of two autonomous Spanish cities on the Moroccan  coast.  Its economy  rooted in cross-border commerce, and its population nearly equally divided between Spanish Christian and Berber Muslim, creates a strongly multicultural atmosphere.

Rotta dei Fenici – Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, Italy
Is a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe to which both territorial and thematic networks adhere. The Phoenicians’ Route passes through three continents and 11 countries and aim therefore is to promote Mediterranean culture, to strengthen the links between Mediterranean countries sharing similar history.

Inizjamed – Cultural Association, Malta
Is a voluntary  non-governmental cultural organization founded in 1998 in Malta is committed towards the regeneration of culture and artistic expression in the Maltese Islands and the active promotion of a greater awareness of the Mediterranean cultures.

 Xanthi Chamber of Commerce, Greece
The mission of the Chamber of Commerce is to foster economic development in Xanthi by protecting and promoting commercial and industrial interests. The creation of a Regional development Tourism Agency gives added value to the providing services of the Chamber and parallel to the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

Specific actions of the TRAMES project

Creation of a videogame based on the Mediterranean trading routes to be integrated in local tourism operators’ marketing strategy

Development of eight “Smart Ways” and Interpretation centres in which the local communities are the center of the tourism offer, promoting cultural and natural heritage and the added value of hospitality and traditions

Organization of seven Intercultural Dialogue Festival, to enhance international visibility of destinations through the sharing of best practices and creation of a new model for the promotion of intercultural common values by the Mediterranean cultures, a joint event of international relevance.

Total Project duration: 24 Months (2019-2021)

For further information www.tramesproject.eu

In the Adriatic-Ionian Region, the Phoenicians’ Route develops its branding strategy in line with the overall branding strategy for the EU strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR). The brand contribute to increase the competitiveness of the Cultural Route of the Council of Europe and to develop new products and service.

Specific objectives

Build the Adriatic-Ionian ‘brand’ linked to a cultural tourism product based on the identity that it intends to create;

Diversify and expand the cruise and nautical sectors into coastal hinterland economies, therefore start the design of the connection systems to be realized through agreements between private companies;

Establish a R&D platform with universities, research centres and the business community to develop new tourist products and services;

Promote new tourist routes for walking, cycling and sailing, etc.;

Embrace the Adriatic and Ionian cultural heritage by working together with the cultural sector;

Improve access to tourism products and services for senior groups, disabled people, low income groups, etc.

Activities

Network of Museums and archaeological areas: Identification and selection of 20-25 museums and/or archaeological sites in Croatia, Greece and Italy that link to the themes developed by the Route;

Branding and coordinated image in line with the Adriatic-Ionian ‘brand’: Design and realization of a kit composed by a corner, a card (the Smart Way card), promotional material (leaflets) and a publication (brochure) to be distributed to each museum / archaeological area;

Design of “Smart Ways”: Identify the attractive resources in the areas involved, enhance the existing through networking activities and sustainable integrated production chain in which the “Way” chosen acts as a collector of heritages, communities and single services, developing a territorial quality brand;

Strategic and Territorial Marketing: Develop marketing actions based on Sustainable and Creative Tourism to promote and sell the “Way” through the territorial quality brand “Phoenicians’ Route – Routes4U” via actions through the collaboration of tour operators and cooperation with national and regional tourism boards.

For further information, please see the dedicated section and the official website www.coe.int/routes4u

The project was born with the aim of designing and developing training actions able to provide adequate and innovative transversal skills for the achievement of a new professional title of “Incoming services technician specialized in Social and Accessible Tourism” – or other under development – as a qualification recognized in Europe (MEC).

General goals:

to outline the skills necessary to carry out the profession of expert of Social Tourism in Europe;

to obtain recognition of the qualification and profession by Spanish institutes and, if possible, also by the project partners’ countries;

to prepare the necessary material that can be used in the various training centres (manuals, teaching materials, etc.);

to test the validity of the proposal through pilot courses organized in the project partners’ countries;

to promote and disseminate the project through media and social networks.

Strategic goals (stakeholders should receive appropriate training in the following areas):

Social responsibility of companies in all aspects, with particular attention to integration into the world of work and integration into the community.

Solidarity, especially regarding the aspects of economic, social and physical accessibility in the tourism sector.

Sustainability, with particular attention to the involvement of local actors in the management of natural and cultural resources in the various destinations.

Transversal approach aimed at inclusion in general policies and tourism development.

The goal is to gain the recognition of the profession both in the countries involved in the project, and at European level through the Europass.

The effects resulting from the project can be considered as other currently underway activities within the Phoenicians’ Route, the so-called “Smartways“, the “Phoenicians’ Route Interpretation Centres”, the events included in the annual program “Ancient Mediterranean Days” in particular, and more.

Project’s partners:

University of Jaén (Spain) – Cultural Itineraries Laboratory

Adesper (Spain) – Organization for Sustainable Development and Promotion of Rural Employment

OITS (Belgium) – International Social Tourism Organization

Development Centre Siksali (Estonia)

The Phoenicians’ Route – Cultural Route of the Council of Europe

For further information, please see the European Commission website: ec.europa.eu

Itineraries for the enhancement of naturalistic tourism

The project funded by Sicilian Region with the resources referred to Excellence Project “Itineraries for the enhancement of naturalistic tourism” Law 296/2006 art. 1 c. 1228, was born with the aim of promoting the planning and implementation of tourist itineraries, including interregional ones, dedicated to the naturalistic segment. The goal was to place the Sicilian territory on the segment of the tourism market related to the travel motivation “nature” in the specific sense of “nature and active tourism” related to marine element, through targeted actions of specialization and geographical diversification.

Goals:

to increase the flow of national and international visitors for travel motivations related to “nature” and sea and support the deseasonalization;

to develop the regional and interregional tourism offer for this target in a specialized product logic, safeguarding and enhancing the heritage of rarity and uniqueness of the environment and the land and underwater landscape;

to create and expand the network system of the tourism offer specialized on the needs expressed by the segment and the target audience;

to design and implement targeted tourism proposals that can be effectively spent on the market, such as: underwater itineraries, fishing tourism, sustainable and responsible boat charter.

To this end, a memorandum of understanding was signed between public and private tour operators, which also envisages the continuation of activities at the end of the project.

Project’s partners:

The Phoenicians’ Route – Cultural Route of the Council of Europe

GAL – Sicilian islands

Tourist District “Selinunte, il Belìce, Sciacca Terme”

GAC “The sun and the blue between Selinunte, Sciacca and Vigata”

OTIE – Tourism Observatory of European Islands

CAST (Centre for Advanced Studies in Tourism) – University of Bologna. Rimini Campus

Consortium Pantelleria Island

Tour operator: Sicilvision

Tour operator: Findyouritaly

Municipalities of Pantelleria, Ustica, Lipari, Malfa

Other participating territories
Municipalities of: Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Castelvetrano, Favignana, Furnari, Giuliana, Mazzarrà Sant’Andrea, Montallegro, Pantelleria, Siculiana, Terme Vigliatore, Ustica.

Made products:

Website www.marenaturasicilia.it in collaboration with CoopCulture

Multimedia App “Sea, Nature, Sicily” in collaboration with ArcheoFrame Lab – IULM University of Milan (Apple Store)

Project funded by Sicilian Region with the resources referred to Excellence Project “Cult and Culture – Religious tourism itineraries” Law 296/2006 art. 1 c. 1228.

Through the project funded by the Tourism Department of the Sicilian Region, in order to promote and achieve tourist itineraries dedicated to cultural and religious segment in Sicily, the Phoenicians’ Route coordinated a series of proposals disseminated in different Sicilian territories, in order to enhance the assets of historical-religious interest of different cultures and common values.

In collaboration with Itineraria society and “Il Movimento Lento” Association, a cycle path has been mapped and geo-referenced, from Erice Montagna Sacra to Agrigento, following inland itineraries developed according to forms of slow tourism (Download the App)

A web portal dedicated to the project was also created (www.siciliasacra.net) through which you can make a journey through religion and spirituality in Sicily, receive all the necessary information and discover the multiple opportunities linked to these three themes:

Places of today’s religiousness and spirituality: Sanctuaries and traditions

Places of religiousness and spirituality of Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations

The Way of Passion, rites of the Holy Week

More than a hundred hospitality facilities have been identified and selected along the itineraries to provide the necessary services.

Projects’ partners:

The Phoenicians’ Route – Cultural Route of the Council of Europe

“Il Movimento Lento” Association

Municipality of Castelvetrano

Municipality of Bagheria

Municipality of Leni

Touristic District “Selinunte, il Belìce e Sciacca terme”

Pro loco Sciacca Terme Touristic Association

Freefly Tour sas

Ata Hypsas Hotel Tourist Association

C.s.r.t. Association Marettimo

Marrone Travel

The project, promoted by El Legado Andalusì Public Foundation, attended by some itineraries including The Phoenicians’ Route, the Via Francigena and the Route of the Olive Tree, was named “European Network for youth and women entrepreneurship development in cultural tourism”, within the Euroempleo Program, financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Employment Service of Andalusia (SAE), and was born with the goal of offering young people and women who had lost a job or who aspired to find an employment the opportunity to take part in training sessions to get an idea of the potential demand for products of this type and how they could be produced.

The primary purpose was to enable the target audience to find new forms of employment in the field of cultural tourism. Training courses have been organized to improve the quality of employment and to combat job insecurity and unemployment. Within the training program, the topic of self-employment and women’s work in the field of cultural and rural tourism was also debated, touching upon crafts, catering, hotel industry, tourist guide services and different types of companies associated with this sector. Moreover, several days of exchange of good practices were organized in companies of the sector. The involved routes made their contribution by presenting some specific case studies and participating with a delegation of cultural and tourist operators from the territories of the respective routes, to the final event where they recounted their experience.