Culture and Heritage Added value to Regional policies for Tourism Sustainability
BACKGROUND

The CHARTS project focuses on the role of culture and heritage in the formulation and delivery of added-value to regional strategies for sustainable tourism development and integration into local, regional, national and EU policies. Partners will share experience on how improved management of cultural tourism destinations contribute to protection and enhancement of cultural heritage & landscape, as well as sustainable regional development policies, especially in relation to challenges of climate change and the economic crisis.

Eight Good Practices are analysed and exchanged, drawn from two existing networks: the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN), legacy of INTERRREG IIIC operation, and CHIRON (Cultural, Heritage promotion of Identity of Regions Observatory and Networking for cultural tourism) IIIB CADSES, coming together to work jointly, with Place Marketing delivered by the IIIC CultMark operation and other Initiatives inc.Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.
OBJECTIVES

The overall objective is to build on, capitalise and exploit the outputs, methods, results, policies and strategies of previous projects and initiatives in the field of culture, heritage and sustainable tourism development strategies and to transfer highly relevant Good Practices between participating regions and Europe-wide, as important added-value to effective regional policy formulation and implementation, as well as contributing to the Lisbon & Gothenburg Agendas

PARTNERSHIP
The 13 Partners are from 11 EU counties, covering North (SE, LV), South (EL, IT, ES, CY), East (RO, BG) & West (UK, IE, BE), while 4 partners are from New Member States (LV, CY, RO, BG), ensuring a widespread EU geographical coverage. The Partnership comprises 2 elected regional authorities (UK, IT), 4 elected local government bodies (EL, IE, SE, ES), 2 national agencies/institutes (EL, RO), 2 regional tourism boards (CY, LV), 1 Local Authorities Union (BG), 1 University (ES) & 1 EU Network (BE).
MAIN ACTIVITIES

Identification, analysis, exchange & transfer of good practices on climate change, accessibility to heritage, effective partnerships, host communities, quality criteria, visitor information, place marketing and cultural routes, for sustainable tourism. Policy integration & added value. Charter. Award. Events. Exhibitions. Workshops. Conference.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS & RESULTS
Enhanced regional policies on Culture, Heritage & Sustainable Tourism; Added-value to past and existing initiatives
Increased knowledge in less developed regions of the EU (inc. new MS)
Creation of opportunities for employment in the Cultural and Tourism industries
Protection and preservation of culture and heritage sites and landscapes
Protection and preservation of the environment through the introduction and promotion of sustainable tourism strategies (Responsible tourism)
Better use of EU funds in the mainstream operational programmes with already proven successful best practices and policies.