As part of the strengthening of cooperation links between the countries of Latin America, the Andean-European Dialogue on Cultural Routes took place on Thursday 14 November. A distance meeting between the network of routes of the Inca Trail of QHÁPAQ ÑAN and the European Institute of Cultural Routes to discuss future collaborative projects for the development of sustainable cultural tourism.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Romulo Acurio (Director General for Cultural Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru), Mr. Elias Mujica Barreda (Technical Secretary of the Qhapaq Ñan of the National Headquarters of Peru), responsible authorities and affiliated entities of the QHÁPAQ ÑAN Route represented by 6 Latin American countries (Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Chile), Mr. Stefano Dominioni, (Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes), Mr. Eladio Fernández-Galiano (Special Advisor to the Cultural Routes Programme), Mrs. Aránzazu Álvarez Montoya (Director of Culture of the Organization of Ibero-American States) and Spanish representatives of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (the European Route of Emperor Charles V, the Prehistoric Rock Art Route and the Route of the Andalusian Legacy).

The potential and current problems in both hemispheres to develop sustainable tourism were identified during the meeting. The attendants also discussed some initiatives to be studied for future synergies, including the management of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis, new models for the valorisation of local practices and economic integration of rural areas, as well as the idea of developing a global network of cultural routes. As a follow-up to this first meeting, various themed meetings will be organised to begin to specify projects and working partnerships.