The Project CULTISM “Master Plans for the Development of Cultural Tourism”, a subproject of the Project PROGRESDEC, aims to explore the opportunities & build on the strengths of cultural tourism, which can act as a vehicle for economic & social cohesion and balanced spatial development in the prefecture of Thessaloniki and the area of Castelli Romani, eliminate seasonality of tourism and achieve differentiation in the tourism product through the development of policies at a transnational level for exploiting the opportunities offered by cultural tourism.

The 1st Project Meeting of the CULTISM subproject was organized in Genzano (Italy) in “Antico Casale di Colle Ionci” on 19th April 2007, with the participation of representatives from the Prefectural Authority of Thessaloniki and the Sistema Bibliotecario Castelli Romani. Mr. Diego Cesaroni, the Director of the SBCR, announced the beginning of the meeting, confirmed the SBCR’s interest and commitment in the CULTISM project, and expressed his hope for further future cooperation with the Prefectural Authority of Thessaloniki.

The meeting focused on deepening into the issue of cultural tourism, through discussing the CULTISM concept as a tool for improving the visibility of cultural assets & natural wealth of the participating areas, reducing seasonality, differentiating the tourism product, improving quality of tourists, creating networks among project partners and other stakeholders, raising awareness among interested parties and stimulating entrepreneurship and employment in tourism. Emphasis was given on the preparation of the master plans for cultural tourism in the areas of intervention, and ideas for “real places” to be converted to cultural activities.

The representatives of the SBCR presented the efforts and goals in Genzano in the field of cultural tourism, focusing on on-going activities and projects, and how these will be integrated in the master plan that will be developed, and explained current cooperation schemes between local businesses and administrations in the areas of wine and food, the intranet platform they have established and their “Vivavoce” magazine.

The representatives of the Prefectural Authority of Thessaloniki focused on the cultural profile of the prefecture, the initiatives undertaken on the promotion and development of cultural tourism and other alternative tourism forms, the national and local legislative framework and policies on the development of alternative tourism, as well as the possible drawbacks identified and the goals for Thessaloniki. The issues of co-modification of culture and the possible tensions between inhabitants and tourists were discussed, exchanging thoughts and experiences on consensus building.

In addition, already recorded best practices in the field of cultural tourism were presented and discussed, including the “CultMark” Project, the “Mo.No.Pi.” Project, and the Project “Parco la Granzia”.

For the next steps of the project, the partners agreed to accelerate all activities. Approximately by the end of July 2007 all the scientific material of the Project will have been conducted. The foreseen end-up conference for the presentation of the master plans to local authorities and beneficiaries, and the final meeting of the Project’s Steering Committee will take place by the end of September in the prefecture of Thessaloniki.

Despina Karaly - Prefectural Authority of Thessaloniky

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