The Roadmap for the Adriatic-Ionian Region is the first to measure the presence, impact and future of the Cultural Routes in the Adriatic and Ionian Region. In order to identify macro-regional needs on sustainable cultural tourism and transnational cultural cooperation, data of all Cultural Routes crossing the Adriatic and Ionian Region concerning activities, members, thematic priorities and geographical coverage have been retrieved and analysed. The publication is divided in three parts:

Part I. Cultural Routes for the regional development of the Adriatic and Ionian Region

This part provides a broad analysis of the Cultural Routes and its socio-economic impact in the Adriatic and Ionian Region, in order to achieve sustainable regional development. It includes:

• A comprehensive description of the the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme: its structure, the certification process and its added value;
• An analysis of the Cultural Routes in the Adriatic-Ionian Region, their impact on regional development and how they can contribute to the EU strategy for the Adriatic Ionian Region;
• A description of the Routes4U objectives and Cultural Routes priorities defined by the representatives of the EU strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR), namely “The Routes of the Olive Tree”, certified in 2005, and the “Roman Emperor’s Route”.

Part II. Experts reports on regional development through the Cultural Routes

The section is the result of the Routes4U meeting for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (6 June 2018, Venice, Italy). Participants from national and regional institutions belonging tothe EUSAIR, as well as representatives of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe crossing the EU macro-region, identified the regional needs of the macro-region in the framework of the Routes4U Project. They exchanged ideas during the workshops dedicated to:

• “Regional development through cultural tourism”, moderated by Vlasta KLARIĆ, President of the National Partnership for Cultural Tourism under Croatian Ministry of Tourism patronage;
• “Transnational networks for cultural cooperation” moderated by Ols LAFE, Director of the Centre for Development of Ancient and Medieval Albanian Heritage at the University Aleksandër Moisiu (Albania);
• “Marketing strategies for the visibility of heritage”, moderated by Georgia ZOUNI, Lecturer on “Tourism marketing for organizations and enterprises” at the Hellenic Open University.

The moderators' reports contains recommendations on the abovementioned areas, result of their discussions with the stakeholders of the Adriatic and Ionian Region during the meeting.

Part III. Roadmap for the Adriatic-Ionian Region: a tool for the future of the macro-region

Based on the recommendations of the part I and II of the publication, the last part is a roadmap especially designed for EUSAIR member States and Cultural Routes’ networks. It contains:

• Guidance for an efficient implementation and sustainable management of the Cultural Routes programme to further strengthen the Adriatic-Ionian regional development;
• Proposals on the improvement of strategies on sustainable cultural tourism and visibility of heritage in the macro-region;
• Suggestions on filling identified gaps as well as ideas for future activities contributing to regional development through Cultural Routes.

Read the "Roadmap for the Adriatic-Ionian Region"

The "Roadmap for the Adriatic-Ionian Region" received the label "European Year of Cultural Heritage".