An important recognition for the work of our Association comes from the European Cultural Tourism Network ECTN, which annually awards best tourism initiatives for their exceptional contribution to sustainability, culture and socio-economic development.
Organized by the ECTN, in collaboration with Europa Nostra, the European Travel Commission and NECSTouR, the Destinations of Sustainable Cultural Tourism 2023 award was announced on 19 October 2023 in Pafos, on the island of Cyprus.
Among the various categories presented at the tenth edition of the award, first place dedicated to digitalisation and digital transition in sustainable cultural tourism was awarded to rurallure.eu, the three-year European Horizon2020 project in which our Association is a full partner.
The EAVF manages rurAllure communication on the front line through social media channels and the website, as well as promoting it on the international level thanks to the collaborations with journalists, bloggers and international organisations.
The EAVF is also in charge of the research and mapping of the heritage sites along the Via Francigena for the Ways to Rome pilot project together with the Via Romea Germanica and the Romea Strata.
The award given to rurAllure highlights the importance of mapping of the cultural and natural heritage and its digitalisation, thus allowing pilgrims to consult the main points of interest along the route in a user-friendly way before starting their journey. The project has also developed the technological platform and the dedicated mobile app – tools that allow anyone to build personalized travel itineraries, planning the route based on their interests to learn more about the surrounding heritage. The App also offers local authorities a space to share their services aimed at an audience of pilgrims and thus contributes to the development of pilgrimage routes.
In 2019 the AEVF won this award in the category “Transnational walking routes” for the promotion of the cultural route of the Via Francigena and in 2020 – for the development of the Via Francigena in the South from Rome to Santa Maria di Leuca.
