Building resilient tourism across Mediterranean routes
DETOUR is a EU-funded project under SMP COSME Programme, dedicated to developing sustainable and resilient tourism ecosystems along rural and historical routes in the Mediterranean. With a €2 million budget over three years (1 November 2024 – 31 October 2027), DETOUR brings together eight international partners to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism sector in growing, innovating, and remaining competitive — by leveraging funding opportunities, digital tools, and a shared commitment to slow and responsible travel.
📍Call for SMEs Training from 8 September to 30 November 2025.
ℹ️Find all the information on the Training page.
Purpose and Impact of DETOUR
Capacity Building
Targeted training for tourism professionals through the “Train the Trainers” programme.
SMEs Training and Mentoring
Training and mentoring to help tourism SMEs innovate, grow sustainably, and adopt slow, responsible travel practices.
Acceleration Programme
The Acceleration Programme aims to fast-track innovation by providing resources and mentorship to support project growth and scalability.
Latest News and Events
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DETOUR “Train the Trainers” Programme successfully concluded across all participating Countries
DETOUR’s Train the Trainers program has been completed in all partner countries.
Over 50 tourism stakeholders participated, and 42 experts were officially certified as DETOUR trainers.
Italy hosted 12 trainers in Viterbo - October 2025 - focusing on sustainable tourism and trail-management tools.
Bulgaria trained 12 in Plovdiv - November 2025 - with European best practices and trail-impact insights.
Greece involved 12 in Ano Poria, covering green strategies, mapping tools, and field visits.
Türkiye trained 11 academics/consultants on sustainability, digitalisation, and local challenges.
Overall, DETOUR built a strong network to support sustainable tourism and walking trails across Europe.
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Empowering Tourism SMEs: insights from the DETOUR Webinar
The DETOUR project held an online webinar on 27 November titled “Tourism Diversification and Economic Impact of Walking Routes on SMEs”, gathering over 100 tourism and culture professionals from Europe and beyond.
Speakers highlighted the rising appeal of walking routes for younger and international audiences and presented results from DETOUR’s survey on the needs and motivations of tourism SMEs in Italy, Greece, Türkiye and Bulgaria.
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DETOUR project celebrates its first anniversary: one year of boosting entrepreneurial opportunities along Europe’s walking routes
As the DETOUR project marks its first anniversary in November 2025, it is a perfect moment to reflect on its achievements over the past twelve months. Since its launch in November 2024, the project has built a strong international network committed to fostering entrepreneurial opportunities in the Mediterranean regions connecting four walking routes.
Our Partners
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