The Phoenicians Route

President

Since 2020, Elena Tanou is the President of the Phoenicians’ Route.

A prominent and highly respected business professional, Ms. Tanou has built and expanded a publicly listed international travel and tourism business, “Top Kinisis Travel Public Ltd”, over the past thirty years. Ms Tanou holds a BA in Travel and Tourism Management and is an active proponent of private sector development in the Cyprus economy.

Ms. Tanou is the Vice President of the Nicosia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, President of the Nicosia Tourism Board, Vice President of the Cyprus Integrity Forum. She is a member of the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA) Board.

She is Vice President of the International Chambers of Commerce in Cyprus and is a highly respected activist on matters of commercial transparency and entrepreneurship. Ms. Tanou is former President of the Cyprus Federation of Business and Professional Women, the Cyprus European Ambassador of Women Entrepreneurs and a recipient of the prestigious “Madame Figaro Business Woman of the Year” Award in 2012.

She is a member of the Board of the Business Advisory Council of the University of Cyprus and the University of Nicosia.

She is a founding member of the Rotary Club Nicosia Aspelia and held the position of Deputy District Governor for the 2452 region 2017/18. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of World Vision.

Director

Antonio Barone is the Director of the Phoenicians’ Route and was also its promoter. 

Expert in rural and cultural tourism, international territorial marketing and local development, he collaborates with many universities, development agencies and international organizations (ICOM, OECD and others). He is also expert in training, lifelong learning, heritage pedagogy, creative and experiential tourism. Author and co-author of publications on religious tourism, marketing manuals on rural tourism, tourist itineraries and wine routes, communicative interpretation. He is also a journalist and archeology enthusiast, a UNICEF volunteer and a convinced expert in Mediterranean culture, of which he is also a profound connoisseur.

Executive Secretary

Sara Ferrari joined the Phoenicians’ Route staff in 2009 as Management Assistant and, since 2015, she has been performing the role of Executive Secretary of the International Confederation of the Phoenicians’ Route.

She is an expert in communication and enhancement of cultural heritage, in particular archaeological ones, and cultural tourism. From 2012 to 2018, she was Cultural Project Manager at ArcheoFrame – Laboratory of Communication and Enhancement of Archaeological Heritage at IULM University, Milan, coordinating regional, national and international projects. Since 2019, she has been teaching “Phoenician-Punic Archeology” at Uninettuno International Telematic University. Since 2015, she has been a member of ICOM – International Council of Museums.

Within the Phoenicians’ Route, she supports the Director in coordinating the international network and is responsible for communication and European projects.

Project Manager International Museum Network (MeMuNET)

Eleonora Sandrelli joined the Phoenicians’ Route in 2016 as a referent for the Municipality of Cortona and the MAEC – Museum of the Etruscan Academy and the City of Cortona, within which she is responsible for all educational and cultural services.

She earned a PhD in History of Antiquity at the University of Florence. She has twenty years of experience in museum management, an expertise that she puts at the service of the Confederation as Project Manager of the International Museum Network (MeMuNET) of the Phoenicians’ Route. Her main mission is to promote the creation of synergies and joint actions between museums dedicated to the conservation and promotion of the heritage connected to the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean.

Management Assistant

Clara Mollica has held the role of Management Assistant of the Phoenicians’ Route since 2016. 

She obtained a Professional Master Programme in Tourism promotion and Management of cultural heritage and events at the Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna. She is fluent in English and French. Within the Phoenicians’ Route, she supports the organization of regional, national and international events and European projects. Since 2019, she has been a member of the Scientific Committee – Strategic Planning and European Projects Area of I WORLD International Association for the Safeguarding and Valorisation of the Identities of Humanity.

Educational Services and International Network of Mediterranean Schools Management (EduNet)

Barbara Palermo has held the role of Head of Educational Services of the Phoenicians’ Route since 2019.

Graduated in Archeology, she is a Tour Guide. She has a long experience in the field of restoration and cultural education, and is an expert in heritage pedagogy, in particular in the implementation of projects and workshops related to experimental archeology. Within the Phoenicians’ Route, she is in charge of the Educational Service and coordinates relations with the schools that are part of the International Network of Mediterranean Schools (EduNet). Moreover, she supports the organization of intercultural travels and all related events at regional, national and international level.

Webmaster

Flavio Leone has been responsible for the design and management of the website and interactive maps of the Route since 2016.

Graduated in Computer Engineering, since 2004 he has been involved in the development and implementation of web projects / applications and web marketing activities. For fourteen years he has been offering social image management services for organizations and companies with website optimization for search engines. He is the owner of a communication agency.