HELAND: Promoting socio-economic

sustainable development through innovative technological actions for Mediterranean

tourism - Heritage and landscape protection clusters

This project is part-financed by the European UnionCo-financing rate: 90% EU Funds; 10% National Funds

Investing in your future

The Project at a GlanceProgramme ENPI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme

Budget Euro 1,934,000 (EU contribution: Euro 1,740,600)

Lead Partner University of Malta - Institute for Tourism, Travel and Culture (Malta)

Partners

Temi Zammit Foundation (Malta) GEREDIS (Spain) Intraeco Foundation (Spain) Larnaca District Development Agency (Cyprus) Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (Palestinian Authority) Lebanese University – Faculty of Tourism & Hospitality Management Al Shouf Biosphere Reserve (Lebanon) Jordan University of Science and Technology (Jordan) The Royal Marine Conservation Society (Jordan)

Objectives

To conduct state of the art analysis of heritage and landscape assets in the Mediterranean Basin;

To carry out technology transfer, training programmes and capacity building of personnel;

To design innovative products related to heritage and landscape; To create virtual experience of the heritage and landscape of the

Mediterranean Basin; To design sustainability indicators for heritage and landscape

attractiveness in the partner countries;

• The Mediterranean is the cradle to some of the most important and ancient civilizations in the world; the landscape diversity of these regions contribute to local and regional identities in a way that is not easily matched elsewhere in the world.

• External and internal factors like globalisation and urbanisation, however, are increasingly threatening the identity of these regions, damaging their cultural heritage and their landscape diversity. The Mediterranean is thus subject to increasing environmental and cultural deterioration.

• We need to encourage concerned bodies to exploit the Mediterranean common space in a sustainable manner, using innovative technologies that could reinforce the practice of a sustainable tourism. The Project can generate employment and income, while having a low impact on environment and local cultures.

Project Background

• International tourism receipts totalled US$ 208 billion in 2006 for the whole Mediterranean countries; average expenditure is US$ 803 per international tourist. Mediterranean tourism is cheaper: an international tourist in the USA spends 2.5 times more (US$ 2075).

• Tourism is a very labour-intensive activity: in countries with a diversified economy, the share of tourism employment is lower than in highly specialized countries where tourism constitutes a dominant sector of the economy. Not all jobs created are of benefit to the local population, tough.

• Tourism activities generate two series of environmental impacts: those related to transit and those related to out-of-home stays, strongly aggravated by their seasonal concentration and spatial concentration.

Facts and Figures of Mediterranean Tourism Sector

• Mediterranean tourism is predominantly of a seaside character, all installations constructed specifically on the coastline contribute to the artificial coasts cover. These impacts are strongly aggravated by seasonal and spatial concentration of tourism activities.

• Sustainable development of tourism requires a diversification of the tourism offer that optimises Mediterranean diversity (ecotourism; cultural, urban and rural tourism). This diversification may be measured in Mediterranean regions or countries by the evolution of the non-seaside offer which, according to Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) objectives, could divert 1/3 of the coastline-bound tourism flows.

Facts and Figures of Mediterranean Tourism Sector

• The Project aims to implement innovative procedures and technologies in regions and sector where these are not properly applied. Tourism, in fact, is a mature and traditional industry, where innovations are met with resistance and scepticism.

• Coordination between EU Institutions and Partner Countries (and stakeholders) will be of paramount importance, as will be the coordination of the project with other on-going national and international initiatives.

Project Innovation Synergies

• The Mediterranean is suffering a structural crisis: even if it is still the main tourist area in the world, it is progressively loosing attractiveness.

• The consolidation of new tourist areas is the consequence of years of mismanagement of heritage and landscape assets.

• In order to regain competitiveness, Mediterranean countries need to modernise the management of their touristic assets, invest in new technologies and bridge the gap between research, industry and policy makers.

Specific Problems to be Addressed

• In the current context of negative trends (globalization, climate change, environment deterioration, economic recession) the instruments and services developed by the project will open new prospects and opportunities for sustainable development.

The HELAND Project caters to the needs of:

• Public and private bodies active in the management of tourist sites, by strengthening their innovation capability in the field of sustainable tourism;

• Tourists themselves, as end-users of heritage and landscape-based tourist attractions;

• Local population, as the foreseen target of future employment and development possibilities.

Target Group and Beneficiaries

• WP1 - Project Management

Project management, financial reporting, quality assurance, gender equality assurance.

• WP2 - Research and knowledge in heritage and landscape sustainable tourism

• Studies on the current situation of the Mediterranean region, about the sustainable management of cultural and landscape heritage touristic assets.

• Case studies about cultural heritage sites in Jordan, Spain and Malta.

• Case studies about landscape heritage sites in Lebanon, Palestine and Cyprus.

• Drafting of sustainability indicators for the management of tourism assets in the Mediterranean region.

The Project Activities

• WP3 - Field studies campaigns. Application of long-lasting technologies

• Technology transfer to cultural heritage sites and application of 3D modelling and augmented-reality technologies to selected sites of touristic interest, in order to promote their sustainable management.

• Technology transfer to landscape heritage sites and application of GIS and Remote-sensing technologies to selected sites of touristic interest, in order to promote their sustainable management.

• Development of virtual reality instruments to make the exploitation of protected sites possible and to promote the fruition from disabled persons of sites otherwise not accessible.

• Training and dissemination of stakeholders and concerned public and private bodies.

The Project Activities

• WP4 - Implementation of management systems. Impact indicators

• Implementation of an innovative Management System for cultural and landscape heritage sites of touristic interest; training and dissemination activities to Project stakeholders and concerned public and private bodies. Measurement of impact indicators.

• WP5 - Diffusion of project achievements

• Realization of a Project webpage and implementation of dedicated training and dissemination sessions to concerned stakeholders: academic community, SMEs, NGOs, Public and Private bodies active in the management of tourism assets, general public, etc.

The Project Activities

LARNACA DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT AGENCYLARAS 1, 7040 VOROCLINI – LARNACA

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FAX. 24 636817

E-mail: info@anetel.com

Website: www.anetel.com