On 2-3 August, the Secretariat of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme attended the International Forum on Sustainable Tourism and World Heritage online. The Forum was organized by the Regional World Heritage Institute in Zacatecas in Mexico (IRPMZ), the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the UNESCO Office in Mexico, the National Institute of Anthropology and History and the Directorate of Culture of the Organisation of Ibero-American States (OEI). The organization of the event counted with the collaboration of the European Institute of Cultural Routes, Technical Agency of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme.

The Forum aimed to analyse the challenges and possibilities of tourism in World Heritage sites in Latin America, through the exchange of methodologies, case studies and experiences.

Mr. Stefano DOMINIONI, EPA Executive Secretary and EICR Director, delivered an opening speech on the first day of the Forum. On the second day, Mr. Eladio FERNÁNDEZ-GALIANO, Special advisor of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme presented the Cultural Routes programme in detail and Ms. Carolina CLARK, EICR Project Manager, presented the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe methodology, highlighting best practices and examples of management models.

The Secretariat stressed the increasing relevance of Cultural Routes in a post-pandemic world as well as their potential for the development of sustainable tourism. The online event was attended by more than 1800 participants.

Watch the whole module on the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe here.