Council of Europe Cultural Council of Europe Cultural Routes: Good Idea but Bad Routes: Good Idea but Bad

RealizationRealization

Daniela Angelina Jelincic, Ph.D.Daniela Angelina Jelincic, Ph.D.Institute for International Institute for International Relations, Zagreb, CroatiaRelations, Zagreb, Croatia

Council of Europe and Cultural Council of Europe and Cultural TourismTourism

One of the pioneers in initiatives One of the pioneers in initiatives concerning European cultural concerning European cultural integrations and European identityintegrations and European identity

Culture as a strong link Culture as a strong link ofof European European nationsnations

Linking culture with tourismLinking culture with tourism

Cultural RoutesCultural Routes

Already in 1960. the idea of discovering Already in 1960. the idea of discovering the ‘Others' through travelthe ‘Others' through travel

Focus on cultural tourism as the best way Focus on cultural tourism as the best way of spending free timeof spending free time

Not only a visual aspect and illustration of Not only a visual aspect and illustration of basic knowledge taught in schools but also basic knowledge taught in schools but also as a social experience and an opportunity as a social experience and an opportunity for individual sensibility developmentfor individual sensibility development

Key objectives of the ProgramKey objectives of the Program to raise awareness of a European cultural to raise awareness of a European cultural

identity and European citizenship; identity and European citizenship; to promote intercultural and interreligious to promote intercultural and interreligious

dialogue through a better understanding dialogue through a better understanding of European history; of European history;

to safeguard and enhance the cultural and to safeguard and enhance the cultural and natural heritage as a means of improving natural heritage as a means of improving the quality of life and as a source of social, the quality of life and as a source of social, economic and cultural development; economic and cultural development;

to give pride of place to cultural tourism, to give pride of place to cultural tourism, with a view to sustainable development.with a view to sustainable development.

Definition of a Cultural RouteDefinition of a Cultural Route

A route which includes two or more A route which includes two or more countries or regions and is organized on a countries or regions and is organized on a theme whose historical, artistic or social theme whose historical, artistic or social interest is European, either according to interest is European, either according to the geographical route’s features it follows the geographical route’s features it follows or according to its nature and/or or according to its nature and/or significance. The route is based on significance. The route is based on multitude of features which present multitude of features which present European culture as a whole, and it European culture as a whole, and it includes destinations rich in historic includes destinations rich in historic associations.associations.

Benefits of the ProgramBenefits of the Program

To advance solidarity and tolerance,To advance solidarity and tolerance, To advance exchange of partners To advance exchange of partners

from different countries,from different countries, To advance cooperation at the To advance cooperation at the

institutional level,institutional level, To advance development of tourism To advance development of tourism

as to contribute to economic as to contribute to economic development of the countriesdevelopment of the countries

Themes IThemes I

The Pilgrim PathwaysThe Pilgrim Pathways Rural HabitatRural Habitat Silk – textileSilk – textile BaroqueBaroque Monastic influenceMonastic influence The CeltsThe Celts Historic and legendary persons Historic and legendary persons

(Mozart, Schickhardt, Don Quixotte)(Mozart, Schickhardt, Don Quixotte)

Themes IThemes III

Vikings and NormansVikings and Normans Hanseatic sitesHanseatic sites Parks and gardensParks and gardens Cities of discoveriesCities of discoveries Living artsLiving arts The PhoeniciansThe Phoenicians The GypsiesThe Gypsies humanismhumanism

Themes IThemes IIIII

Fortified military architecturesFortified military architectures The Legacy of al-andalusThe Legacy of al-andalus The Northern lightsThe Northern lights Popular festivals and ritesPopular festivals and rites Book and writingBook and writing Castillan languageCastillan language European Jewish heritageEuropean Jewish heritage Migration heritageMigration heritage

Themes IThemes IVV

Industrial heritageIndustrial heritage Olive treeOlive tree Saint Martin of toursSaint Martin of tours The Via RegiaThe Via Regia Transromanica – Romanesque Transromanica – Romanesque

heritage in Europeheritage in Europe

Characteristics of the ProgramCharacteristics of the Program

Identified across Europe,Identified across Europe, Labeled by common labels,Labeled by common labels, Have common promotional Have common promotional

activities,activities, Have common promotional Have common promotional

materials and maps.materials and maps.

Common labelCommon label

CooperationCooperation

With other bodies of the Council of With other bodies of the Council of EuropeEurope

With the international organizations With the international organizations (UNESCO, EU)(UNESCO, EU)

with national governments (countries with national governments (countries signatories of the Cultural signatories of the Cultural Convention which participated in the Convention which participated in the creation of routes), regional and local creation of routes), regional and local governments, NGOs and universitiesgovernments, NGOs and universities

Criteria ICriteria I

Presentation of European values Presentation of European values common to several European common to several European countries;countries;

Themes developed by a Themes developed by a multidisciplinary team of experts multidisciplinary team of experts from different European regions;from different European regions;

Illustration of European history and Illustration of European history and heritage and contribution to diversity heritage and contribution to diversity of today’s Europe;of today’s Europe;

Criteria ICriteria III

Stimulation of cultural and educational Stimulation of cultural and educational youth exchange;youth exchange;

Initiatives and innovation within the area Initiatives and innovation within the area of cultural tourism and cultural of cultural tourism and cultural development;development;

Implementation of long-term multilateral Implementation of long-term multilateral cooperation projects through cooperation projects through multidisciplinary networks located in multidisciplinary networks located in Council of Europe members states.Council of Europe members states.

European Institute of Cultural European Institute of Cultural RoutesRoutes

Established in 1997 in LuxemburgEstablished in 1997 in Luxemburg Responsible for the continuity and for the Responsible for the continuity and for the

development of the Programdevelopment of the Program Serves as a technical agency preparing Serves as a technical agency preparing

studies, reports, exhibitions, publicationsstudies, reports, exhibitions, publications Processes propositions for new themes Processes propositions for new themes

and activitiesand activities Evaluates and coordinates networks Evaluates and coordinates networks

responsible for the Programresponsible for the Program

Importance of the ProgramImportance of the Program

Promotion of the idea of the Promotion of the idea of the European identityEuropean identity

Promotion of tolerance, common Promotion of tolerance, common values and intercultural dialoguevalues and intercultural dialogue

Influence on national tourist Influence on national tourist programs developmentprograms development

Cultural Routes in numbersCultural Routes in numbers 2007 2007

Total budget - 96,129,988 EuroTotal budget - 96,129,988 Euro Total visitors in sites – 5,907,000Total visitors in sites – 5,907,000 Cca. 16 Euro average per personCca. 16 Euro average per person Total number of heritage rehabilitation Total number of heritage rehabilitation

projects – 45projects – 45 Total number of events – 998Total number of events – 998 Total number of full time employees – 108Total number of full time employees – 108 Total web visitors – 1,610,784Total web visitors – 1,610,784

Criticism of the efficiency of the Criticism of the efficiency of the ProgramProgram I I

The Program is not widely recognizedThe Program is not widely recognized Low visibility of the Program for the target Low visibility of the Program for the target

usersusers Promotion of routes is the task of the Promotion of routes is the task of the

countries which make part of the route. countries which make part of the route. CoE helps in criteria and establishing the CoE helps in criteria and establishing the route, but not in the promotion. Partly, the route, but not in the promotion. Partly, the Institute for cultural routes takes its role in Institute for cultural routes takes its role in the marketing, but it is not allowed to the marketing, but it is not allowed to lobby for a single route but the Program as lobby for a single route but the Program as a wholea whole

Criticism of the efficiency of the Criticism of the efficiency of the ProgramProgram II II

CoE insists on the fact that cultural CoE insists on the fact that cultural routes are not a tourist product and routes are not a tourist product and does not undertake any promotional does not undertake any promotional activities in this directionactivities in this direction

According to CoE, the Program is According to CoE, the Program is established with the idea of established with the idea of European identity promotion as its European identity promotion as its primary objectiveprimary objective

Criticism of the efficiency of the Criticism of the efficiency of the ProgramProgram III III

The popularity of the first pilgrim The popularity of the first pilgrim pathway of Santiago de Compostela pathway of Santiago de Compostela put the other routes on a less visible put the other routes on a less visible mapmap

Criticism of the efficiency of the Criticism of the efficiency of the ProgramProgram IV IV

It is hard to measure if some tourists It is hard to measure if some tourists travelled for the Program or visited travelled for the Program or visited some of the destinations on the route some of the destinations on the route because they were already there for because they were already there for some other reasonssome other reasons

Too big budget compared to the Too big budget compared to the number of visitorsnumber of visitors