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Sustainable Cultural Tourism is the integrated management of cultural heritage and tourism activities in conjunction with the local community, creating social, environmental and economic benefits for all stakeholders in order to achieve tangible and intangible cultural heritage conservation and sustainable tourism development. (European Commission DG EAC, OMC Report 2019).
Sustainable Tourism is tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities. (UNWTO).
Sustainable Tourism is tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities. (UNWTO).
Call for 2022 Conference Presenters and Awards launched!
Deadline 1 June 2022 Overall Theme: Relaunching European Tourism through Cultural Heritage and Digitalisation 
ECTN welcomes the publication 'Transition pathway for tourism' *
The aim of this report is to describe the measures and outputs needed to accelerate the green and digital transitions and improve the resilience of the tourism ecosystem. The objective is to encourage and invite all groups and stakeholders in the tourism ecosystem to engage and play their part in the initiative. The work to prepare the pathway has followed a collaborative approach involving all stakeholder groups. Similar active and productive collaboration should support also the way forward. Following the publication of this report, the Commission will invite tourism stakeholders to present their commitments to the transition pathway for tourism, and it will establish collaboration processes for the co-implementation and monitoring of the work. The follow-up of the transition pathway will be facilitated by an online stakeholder collaboration platform, which is to be established by end of 2022. The report includes several references in relation to cultural heritage tourism. In particular, ECTN welcomes the several and highly relevant references on:
The above will be included in the updated ECTN Charter for Sustainable Cultural Tourism as well as in the contribution by ECTN on cultural heritage managememt guidelines in the framework of the ReInHerit Horizon2020 Coordination and Support Action. They will also be presented and discussed at the ECTN annual Conference 2022. * European Commission, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Transition pathway for tourism, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2873/344425 
Mr Piet Jaspaert elected as ECTN Honorary member
The ECTN General Assembly has ratified the nomination by the ECTN Board for Mr Piet Jaspaert as an honarary member of ECTN. Mr Piet Jaspaert is a Vice-President of 'Europa Nostra' and Chair of the 'European Heritage Alliance 3.3' meetings. He has been a speaker at 5 annual ECTN Conferences since 2017 and has supported ECTN events in Brussels in 2016 and 2018 (European Week of Regions & Cities). Since 2018 he has served as Chair of the joint Jury for the ECTN Awards. He is holder of a Medal of Honour by Europa Nostra for his services to cultural heritage. ECTN Honorary members are individuals who have particularly distinguished themselves in the field of cultural tourism and have actively contributed to ECTN activities and events. The role of Honorary members is advisory. Mr Jaspaert joins the previous ECTN Honorary members Androula Vassiliou, former Commissioner, Adrian Linders, Secretary-General of E-FAITH and Michael Cramer, former MEP and Chair of the TRAN Committee of EP. 
ECTN welcomes and actively supports the European Year of Youth 2022! ECTN welcomes the announcement by the EU institutions regarding 2022 as European Year of Youth. Although there is no direct reference to tourism and culture, the European Year is an opportunity to motivate young Europeans to discover, study and enjoy the rich European culture and heritage through sustainable cultural tourism! ECTN is ready and willing to assist the EU institutions towards this aim, by including a specal reference to European Youth in several ECTN activities during 2022. In particular, the 1st objective is relevant to sustainable cultural tourism activities for young Europeans: "Renewing the positive perspectives for young people, with a particular focus on the negative effects the COVID-19 pandemic had on them, while highlighting how the green and digital transitions and other Union policies offer opportunities for young people and for the society at large". Furthermore, cultural tourism for youth is promoted by DiscoverEU, an initiative of the European Union that gives young Europeans aged 18 the opportunity to discover Europe through learning experiences. Travelling predominantly by rail (there are exceptions to allow those living on islands or in remote areas), participants discover Europe’s cultural diversity, its stunning landscapes and its variety of cities and towns. In the context of this flagship initiative, a ‘Cultural Route’ will be published on the European Youth Portal in the first half of 2022, with an aim to encourage young people to embark on a cultural journey during their DiscoverEU travel. The route will highlight places of cultural interest. Some of those cities will be European Capitals of Culture or the hosts of European Heritage Label sites. The above are of great interedt to ECTN that includes amogst its members several destinations of European Capitals of Culture (Sibiu, Maribor, Pécs, Guimaraes, Riga, Pafos, Rijeka). To celebrate the European Year of Youth 2022, a theme of the ECTN annual Conference and a category of the ECTN Awards in 2022 is dedicated to youth: 'Promoting European Heritage to Young Visitors and Travellers' ! #EuropeanYearOfYouth 
ECTN welcomes the cooperation between UNWTO and
Council of Europe on promoting Cultural Routes As announced on 23 November 2021, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the Council of Europe will work together to develop the opportunities tourism offers to local communities and to enhance the tourist experience along the European region's Cultural Routes. ECTN strongly welcomes and will support this important initiative at all levels. According to the announcement by both UNWTO and Council of Europe: "The joint actions will be aimed at recognizing the added value that cultural routes offer for sustainable tourism development, cultural heritage safeguarding and intercultural dialogue. The collaboration will also further highlight the routes’ potential for advancing social, economic and cultural development, benefitting both Europe and its partner countries by strengthening cultural and historical ties." All of the above are highly relevant to ECTN, in terms of sustainable cultural tourism development as a top prioriry along Cultural Routes and related UNESCO World Heritage Sites. ECTN is ready and willing to contribute to the UNWTO/Council of Europe initiative in the ECTN member destinations and related European Cultural Routes. For more details please visit: UNWTO and Council of Europe websites. Memorandum of Cooperation 
Interreg Europe CHRISTA project extended till September 2022
The CHRISTA project in the EU Interreg Europe interregional cooperation programme is extended for a further 12 months, October 2021 - September 2022, regarding the impacts of the pandemic and the very much needed recovery of sustainable cultural tourism. The extension is approved by Interreg Europe programme, following a special call. ECTN as an advisory partner has been the instigator of the additional application and will support the partners with expertise. The following key topics will be addressed: 1. Facing the pandemic crisis, in terms of exchanges regarding protection measures taken to avoid the spread of coronavirus amongst visitors to cultural & heritage places of interest & still continue to develop cultural tourism through virtual means. 2. Regenerating European tourism through culture & heritage in the post-pandemic era, particularly involving Intangible heritage, Industrial heritage, Interpretation of heritage & Innovation / digitisation policies (i.e. the CHRISTA 4 I), for sustainable & responsible tourism actions. The CHRISTA partnership comprises tourism boards & associations, regional & local authorities, supported by advisory partner. 
'St Paul's footsteps Cultural Route' under evaluation by the Council of Europe for certification
Following the submission of the applicationfor certification to the Council of Europe in July2021, the European Cultural Route "In the footsteps of St Paul, the Apostle of the nations" is under evaluation. The application has met the eligibility criteria as a candidate Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. ECTN is a founding member of the Cultural Route. The expert appointed by the Council of Europe EICR has visited Central Macedonia Region in Greece (Presidency of the Cultural Route) and had discussions with founding members Lazio Region, Italy (Vice-Presidency) and Pafos Regional Board of Tourism, Cyprus (Treasurer). The expert's visit was facilitated by ECTN, founding member, Secretariat and Director of the Cultural Route European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC). This is a legacy of the Cult-RInG Interreg Europe project in which ECTN has been the main instigator and an advisory partner. The ECTN Awards ceremony took place in Athens, Greece, on 21 October 2021,
at the 14th Conference for Cultural Tourism in Europe 
ECTN supports the #Tourism4Recovery campaign and the ‘Call for Action: Accelerate Social and Economic Recovery by Investing in Sustainable Tourism Development’ 
ECTN welcomes the new guidelines on responsible restart of cultural tourism by UNWTO in collaboration with UNESCO News Release Guidelines 
ECTN celebrated 10 years of activities 2009 - 2019 !
ECTN was established as AISLB in Brussels on 20 May 2009. This year ECTN celebrates 10 years of continuous activities and growth, from the 6 founding members in 2009 to 29 members in 2019 and from 5 countries to 19 countries! During its 10 years of existence, ECTN has participated in 5 EU co-funded projects (4 currently active, established by the ECTN Secretariat), organised 9 international conferences and awarded annual prizes for 'Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism' since 2014.
ECTN a member of the Stakeholders Commitee for the EUROPEAN YEAR OF CULTURAL HERITAGE 2018, selected by the European Commission DG Education & Culture (EAC)
ECTN is the only member of the EYCH 2018 Stakeholders Committee with a tourism mandate |
Tribute to Mikis Theodorakis at the 2022 Conference and Awards
ECTN welcomes new members and previous members rejoining ECTN is a member of the:
ECTN is a signatory of the:
ECTN Projects:
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