59
partnerships with public and private organisations in the area of tourism with
the aim of developing tourist products and tools targeting all potential
audiences”.
Focused on the intercultural and identity dimension, the economic impact of
such programme has been little investigated. However, a study by the Council
of Europe on the impact of European Cultural Routes on SMEs’ innovation and
competitiveness emphasises their contribution to the growth in cultural tourism.
They also encourage new businesses and employment. Indeed this study argues
that Cultural Routes may foster other creative and non-creative entrepreneurship
and that their value chain could constitute a basis for the development of clusters
as they involve a critical mass of stakeholders working closely on the same
territory. Such routes can lead to the adoption of product innovation, new
product developments such as dedicated applications, GPS clocks and flash
codes to be used along the route. They moreover generate an increase of
production and sales of books, guides and Cultural Route related products.
As an example, the investment of €16 million in the safety aspects of the Via
Francigena in the Tuscany region has attracted 100,000 visitors in 2012 and
150,000 in 2013 (mainly from Tuscany) with a total return on the territory of
€20 million.TheVia Francigena has also givenTuscany the occasion to harmonize
the attractiveness of the territory by keeping sustainable community life and
leaving the territory with a new instrument of governance that values the
interventions from the bottom and participation
45
.
Aveiro is involved the Réseau Art Nouveau which brings together European
cities with Art Nouveau heritage to help promote the city in Europe. Besides
taking part of the network, the municipality is also partner in the transnational
projects developed by it and co financed by EU -the last one being Art Nouveau
& Ecology. Aveiro is part of the Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes since
summer 2014
46
. Joining the Cultural Route allows more international visibility
for the Portuguese city, which also features Art Nouveau elements in its tradition
of ceramics and tiles.
3.2.4 Rethinking local cultural heritage
Besides, rethinking local cultural heritage not only for touristic purposes but also for
business use is relevant to cope with the challenge of deindustrialisation in post-
industrial cities and to rejuvenate low density or rural areas with rich ancient
architecture.Then it can be turned into a key element to help SMSC to convert into
high-ranked cultural destinations and boost the local economy, as well as encourage
45
“The Francigena route: a European Path”, event organised by the Economic Promotion Agency ofTuscany
(Italy) and KEA, Brussels, 3 February 2015.
46
See
