Introduction to the Project

Cultural tourism entails opportunities but also risks. If not managed properly, cultural tourism can easily turn into a “value extractive” industry, generating negative environmental, social and cultural impacts on local communities and ecosystems. This project will develop specific strategies to promote an understanding of cultural tourism, which moves away from a “stop-and-go” consumer-oriented approach towards one that puts humans and circular economy models at its centre, paying attention to nature, communities and cultural diversity.

Wide and diversified partnerships of stakeholders from 18 EU and non-EU regions of Northern-Central and Southern Europe, the Balkans, the Eastern neighbourhood and the Mediterranean, will be the driving force of the project. A community innovators (which includes regional authorities and municipalities, clusters and associations, museums and tourist boards, entrepreneurs, chambers of commerce, citizens, researchers, practitioners as well as project partners) in 6 pilot regions will co-create innovative place-based solutions for human-centred and circular cultural tourism, followed by 16 Mirrors and 3 Community Advisors. 

ERRIN has built a community of passionate regional representatives committed to shaping the future of cultural tourism in their territory. The Be.CULTOUR community will learn about innovative approaches to regional development through circular cultural tourism. 

More information on this webpage.

Project Objectives

The overarching goal of Be.CULTOUR is to co-create and test sustainable human-centred innovations for circular cultural tourism through collaborative innovation networks/methodologies and improved investments strategies. Targeting deprived remote, peripheral or deindustrialized areas and cultural landscapes as well as over-exploited areas, local Heritage innovation networks will co-develop a long-term heritage-led development project in the areas involved enhancing inclusive economic growth, communities’ wellbeing and resilience, nature regeneration as well as effective cooperation at cross-border, regional and local level.

ERRIN's Role

Leveraging the interest of its Cultural Heritage and Tourism Working Group, ERRIN mobilised pilot regions in Cyprus, Spain (Aragon), Italy (Basilicata), Sweden (Vastra Gotaland), Romania (North-East Romania) to build a member-driven Community of Practice which - together with the Vojvodina Region (Serbia) - will be at the heart of the project's activities. Considered as practice partners, they represent the real-life settings in which specific territorial challenges related to the cultural tourism field will be tackled. ERRIN will follow closely these activities while being responsible for opening additional opportunities for 12 'mirror ecosystems'. Via the establishment and management of a Community of Interest of these 16 additional regions, ERRIN will empower local and governments, and their stakeholder ecosystems, to act as catalysts of transformations by offering mentoring and support services to exploit the full potential of sustainable cultural tourism solutions developed in Be.CULTOUR. 

  • Gaia Marotta
  • Project and Policy Officer
  • Francesca Pozzebon
  • Project Officer
  • Gianpiero Petruzziello
  • Project and Communications Officer

ERRIN Members

Benefit & Links

The overarching goal of Be.CULTOUR is to co-create and test sustainable human-centred innovations for circular cultural tourism through collaborative innovation networks/methodologies and improved investments strategies. Targeting deprived remote, peripheral or deindustrialized areas and cultural landscapes as well as over-exploited areas, local Heritage innovation networks will co-develop a long-term heritage-led development project in the areas involved enhancing inclusive economic growth, communities’ wellbeing and resilience, nature regeneration as well as effective cooperation at cross-border, regional and local level.

Latest Updates

B@S
  • By Teresa Vio

Call for regional and local examples on Circular Cultural Tourism - Breakfast at Sustainability's

ERRIN is collaborating with ICLEI Europe on the upcoming edition of their event series Breakfast at Sustainability’s taking place on 5 October 2023. During the event, ERRIN is looking to showcase two examples of circular tourism and cultural heritage at regional and local level. This online event is organised as part of the Be.CULTOUR project.

Bradford
  • By Francesca Pozzebon

ERRIN members get Saltaire Inspired: Be.CULTOUR study-visit & Local workshop in Saltaire, Bradford

International partners from Be.CULTOUR project community traveled to West Yorkshire from 27 to 30 May to learn more about key events and destinations in the district, including Bradford 2025, exchange successful approaches and build collaborations. The visit was organised in the frame of the peer-learning activities of Be.CULTOUR, where Saltaire Inspired, an arts charity creating contemporary art events in Saltaire Industrial Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the 16 mirror ecosystems. Among the visitors, 3 ERRIN members took part in the event, presenting their innovative approaches toward circular cultural tourism and experience as Capitals of Culture: the City of Leeuwarden, APT Basilicata and the City of Savonlinna.

Smart Tourism
  • By Teresa Vio

European Commission launches the European Capital and Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2024 competitions

The European Commission, DG GROW, has announced the launch of two competitions for cities and destinations with outstanding achievements in the field of tourism: European Capital of Smart Tourism and European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism.

webinar becultour
  • By Francesca Pozzebon

Be.CULTOUR Webinars

Based on the principles of peer learning, replicability of practices and co-creation methodology, this webinar series aims to encourage a comprehensive understanding of circular and sustainable cultural tourism practices. A mix of on-the-ground experiences and expertise will guide participants on innovative practices and show how to apply them context-specifically.

Funding opportunities in circular cultural tourism
  • By Gianpiero Petruzziello

Funding opportunities in circular cultural tourism

Read about selected calls on circular cultural tourism in the Be.CULTOUR newsletter special edition on funding opportunities. The newsletter is provided by ERRIN, in collaboration with Iniziativa Cube, as partners of Be.CULTOUR project.

energy and climate
  • By Francesca Pozzebon

Energy & Climate Change WG meeting on Sustainable Buildings - call for presentations

On Friday 30 September from 10:30-12:00, the Energy and Climate Change Working Group will host a hybrid event on the topic of Sustainable Buildings. A call for presentations to be presented during the meeting is now open until 25 September.