Transformative Tourism across European Capitals of Culture

ended

The project TraCEs aims at developing a European thematic product of transformative tourism, managing the overall action within a broader long-term strategy supporting the network of European Capitals of Culture (ECoCs) to boost tourism beyond and after the city-specific one-year event. The overall action lays its foundations on a new business model for designing, developing and delivering transnational thematic tourism products. In fact, the proposed TraCEs Product: • blends emerging market trends, namely the rise of the so-called transformative tourism as triggered by a challenging host of cultural creatives, and the potential of European destinations to enhance responsible travelling beyond the unconscious consumption of standardized pre-packed experiences; • results into opportunities of inner change, self-empowerment and growth for travellers and tourists through the creative integration of cultural, natural and wine&food heritage, wellness and sports; • develops positive inner connections and outer links with European places and destinations, people and communities, then building new bridges and cohesion, positive understanding of different cultures, and respect and tolerance across Europe; • embeds synergies between tourism and CCIs from the its outset, since the TraCEs Product turning out from a co-creation process between tourism and CCIs entrepreneurs, operators and workforce, that even allows them to develop new skills (including soft skills); • pursues an innovative storytelling for ECoCs by leveraging digital solutions and gamification opportunities to foster their awareness and attractiveness as tourism destinations, • is provided with a comprehensive three-fold plan made up of i) Action Plan, ii) Business Plan, and iii) System of Indicators, intended to support marketability, effective market roll-out and sustainability of the TraCEs Product after the project ending.