What we do

Cultural Tourism is a key asset in MED economies, however it has a strong, mutually detrimental relationship with climate change when tourism industries do not effectively incorporate sustainable practices. The MED area therefore needs to strategically re-shape its cultural tourism offer by matching its focus on local cultural heritage with greater sustainability. Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (CRs) represent a key instrument to sustain and promote cultural tourism all over Europe, from mainstream destinations to small-scale local contexts.

MED-Routes overall objective is therefore to establish and disseminate a local-based, low-impact model of sustainable tourism across CRs in the MED area, in particular, to establish a specific model of Mediterranean “slow tourism” rooted in the common heritage of 4 CRs. 

To tackle the project general objective, MED-Routes’ approach is rooted in a TRANSFER rationale:

–  transfer mechanisms are put into place to cross-reference the most relevant, field-tested outputs from INCIRCLE & EMbleMatic projects for the design of eco-itineraries;

–  transfer mechanisms are further encouraged in application to MED-Routes experience through capacity building and institutional networking, especially in WP4. By exploiting Cultural Routes’ plural and transnational dimension, MED-Routes will encourage the diffusion of its eco-itinerary model in the context of other CRs and by the initiative of similar institutional actors transnationally.

The combination of all these elements defines transfer & capitalization as the core assets in MED-Routes’ approach in an innovative perspective for sharing the main outputs:

–  Transnational Strategy for sustainable tourism & eco-itineraries in the MED area

–  Green Label of Mediterranean CRs for the certification of eco-itineraries

– MED-Routes Action Plans outlining key actions to apply the Transn. Strategy into CRs’ agenda.

The MED-Routes Project started its adventure on January 2024 and will last 27 months until March 2027.

The Project partnership together with their Associated Partners span the Euro-MED area.