Winners of the Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards 2019

The winners were announced during the Award ceremony that took place in the Carmen de los Mártires Palace in Granada, Spain on 24 October.

The ‘Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism’ Awards enhance the visibility of European cultural tourism destinations, create a platform for sharing experience and knowledge and promotes networking between destinations. The 2019 edition of the Awards aimed to contribute towards the legacy of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018. The Awards contest was open to tourist destinations across Europe, to showcase their results and outputs in sustainable cultural tourism under seven categories.

The winners and runners-up were selected by the Jury (composed of representatives of ECTN, the European Travel Commission, Europa Nostra, NECSTouR and the Directorate General for Education and Culture, European Commission), out of 55 applications received from 19 countries (4 non-EU).

Two of the winning projects were submitted by ETC members the Slovenian Tourist Board and the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia:

• Building on rich tangible and intangible Slovenian heritage, the main aim of the project Hackathon “Cultural adventure at your fingertips” (Kulturna pustolovščina na dlani) by the Slovenian Tourist Board was the promotion of cultural heritage in tourism. The goal of hackathon was to develop the best IT solution with a conceptual design that with help of open data will aggregate and disseminate information about Slovenian cultural heritage to visitors.
• The recognition of the EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail as the official Cultural Route of the Council of Europe is an important achievement for Latvia as the route passes along the Baltic Sea shoreline, giving travellers an opportunity to experience the country’s coastal nature and Soviet legacy. In 2018, the European Cyclists’ Federation in cooperation with Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences worked on the application to certify the EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail as the official Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. This is the first time that an entire EuroVelo route has been recognized by the Council of Europe. The route passes through 20 different countries, including 14 EU member states.

The full list of winners:

INTANGIBLE HERITAGE

Joint 1st Prize:
​Selasetur Íslands as a Community-Based Tourism Initiative in Northwest Iceland
By Selasetur Íslands The Icelandic Seal Center, Iceland

Joint 1st Prize:
Batana Eco-museum: developing cultural tourism and sustainable communities by safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage
By Association House of Batana, Croatia

2nd Prize:
Phyti Embroideries on a weaving loom
By Phyti Community Council, Cyprus

3rd Prize:
Lagoon of Venice as a new sustainable tourist destination
By “Operatori Turismo Sostenibile della Laguna di Venezia” – OTS Association (Sustainable Tourism Companies), Italy

 

HERITAGE INTERPRETATION FACILITIES

1st Prize:
Cascais Museum Quarter: cultural dimension of a travel destination
By Fundação D. Luis I, Centro Cultural de Cascais, Portugal

2nd Prize:
Scientific heritage as a driving force for Tourism in Girona
By Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation, Barcelona, Spain

 

INNOVATION AND DIGITISATION IN CULTURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION

1st Prize:
​Hackathon “Cultural adventure at your fingertips” in Slovenia
By Slovenian Tourist Board, Slovenia

2nd Prize:
​Heritage of Venice’s Sailing Tradition: New Digital Routes for Sustainable Tourism
By Civiltà dell’Acqua (Water Civilization) International Centre, Venice, Italy

3rd Prize:
Digital presentation of the Cultural Heritage of isled of Krk
By Island of Krk Tourist Board, Croatia

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TRANSNATIONAL THEMATIC TOURISM PRODUCTS INCLUDING CULTURAL ROUTES

1st Prize: 
‘Iron Curtain Trail’ – Euro Velo 13 as official Cultural Route of the Council of Europe
By Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Latvia

2nd Prize:
‘Via Francigena’ – the cultural route of slow tourism and sustainable development
By European Association of Francigena Ways – carrier network of the Council of Europe, Italy

3rd Prize:
‘Argonauts’ return’: a transnational Cultural Tourism Route based on Intangible Heritage of Mythology, Poetry, Literature, Performing and Visual Arts
By Argonautica Network, Greece

 

CULINARY HERITAGE, FOOD AND GASTRONOMY TOURISM

1st Prize:
AgriturAso and “Marche in valigia”: towards a relational tourism destination
By Agritur Aso association, Italy

2nd Prize:
Zaube Wild Food Festival
By Amata Municipality, Latvia

3rd Prize:
Universe Alcantara: a network of local entrepreneurs engaged in creating solutions for sustainable tourism in Sicily
By Mediterranean Pearls, Italy

 

WINE TOURISM

1st Prize:
Vines Wines Hikes in Loire Valley
By InterLoire: interprofession des vins du Val de Loire, France

2nd Prize:
Motovun – the cultural, historical and gastro-oenological center of inland Istria
By Tourist board of the Motovun Municipality, Croatia

​3rd Prize:
Armagnac Confidentiel, secret stones and gourmet vines in Pays d’Armagnac
By Pôle d’Equilibre Territorial et Rural du Pays d’Armagnac, France

 

CONTRIBUTIONS BY CULTURAL AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES (CCIS) TO CULTURAL AND CREATIVE TOURISM

1st Prize:
Barcelos Creative City – Contributions of the Crafts and Folk Arts as paths towards a more sustainable tourism
By Barcelos Municipality, Portugal

2nd Prize:
Legends of Āraiši
By Community of Āraiši, Amata Municipality, Latvia

3rd Prize:
Erudite Music Season – Revitalization of the National Palaces through Music in Sintra
By Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua, Portugal

 

ACTIONS DURING THE EUROPEAN YEAR OF CULTURAL HERITAGE 2018 – INITIATIVE ON ‘TOURISM & HERITAGE’

1st Prize:
​‘We Are What We Eat’ – Celebration of Sintra’s Culinary Heritage
By Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua, Portugal
​
2nd Prize:
‘The voices of the choir’ – Tourism & heritage trough the music in Elx/Elche
By Visitelche with Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, Spain

 

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE:

Aquae Calidae – the favourite baths of emperors, tsars and sultans, goes digital in Burgas
By Regional historical museum of Burgas, Bulgaria