Project Smart Tourist Routes for Inclusive Groups (STRING)

Based on the League of Historical and Accessible Cities successful experience, the EFC Disability Thematic Network together with the other partners (lead by Consulta per le Persone in Difficoltá) has received a new EU grant awarded from the Commission. STRING (Smart Tourist Routes for Inclusive Groups) is a transnational cooperation initiative to be implemented by 12 partners from 6 countries. It aims to create 9 fully accessible itineraries respectively in Italy (Piedmont Regione), Spain (Ávila) and Bulgaria (Sozopol) which will then be developed into comprehensive tourist packages.

Duration: 18 months (starting 1 October 2014)

1. The project will be implemented in three phases:
2. Design and implementation of three itineraries in Piedmont, Ávila and Sozopol,
3. Creation of travel packages and production of box, including the design of the leaflet, analyse pricing and marketing plan;
4. Launch and promotion of the packages box through coordinated marketing channels and tools.

The project aims at achieving the following objectives:

• to further showcase and disseminate the experiences and itineraries realized by some of the partners in the framework of the League of Historical and Accessible Cities (LHAC);
• to provide versatile, high-quality and fully accessible tourist products to all kinds of people with special access needs;
• to present accessible tourist products to the customers through easily-accessible channels and in a flexible, adaptable and thus more attracting way;
• to disseminate at a wider level the best practices and know-how in accessible tourism obtained by the partners as well as by other members of the LHAC;
• to foster concrete cooperation among SMEs, public administrations, foundations, associations and other stakeholders to improve accessibility and contribute to a better quality of life for all.

The first meeting took place on January 22nd 2015 in Turin. See more on: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/tourism/offer/accessible/index_en.htm

Lead partner/coordinator: CPD - Consulta per le Persone in Difficoltà ONLUS (Italy)

Partners: · Regione Piemonte (Italy); · European Foundation Centre (Belgium); · Fondazione CRT- Cassa di Risparmio di Torino (Italy); · Fundación ONCE (Spain); · Sozopol Foundation (Bulgaria); · Akita Tour SAS (Italy); · Dena Travel (Spain); · Sozopol-Tour (Bulgaria) · Accessible Portugal (Portugal); · Weitsprung Reisen (Germany); · ChrisTravel (Denmark)

Contact:

Mr. Alessandro Redavide (alessandro.redavide@cpdconsulta.it)

www.cpdconsulta.it www.turismabile.it