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.
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
From funding to action, supporting innovation along the Via Francigena
DETOUR has entered one of its most important phases: the selected collaborative projects are now receiving funding and starting their activities. At the same time, the project is increasingly visible beyond its own events, bringing the topics of SMEs, long-distance trails and sustainable tourism into wider tourism networks. These encounters reflect a key idea behind DETOUR: rediscovering territories at a slower pace is only possible when there is a strong ecosystem of businesses and services behind the trail.
DETOUR receives Inspiring Practice Award at the Council of Europe Cultural Routes Forum
As part of the “Inspiring Practices of Cultural Routes” at the 15th Advisory Forum on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, held in Yerevan, Armenia, from 23 to 25 September 2026, the DETOUR project received an award for the development of sustainable cultural tourism. The event brought together over 250 representatives of Cultural Routes, national authorities, international organisations, universities and the heritage and tourism sectors.
Kick off meeting for innovative projects along the Via Francigena in Italy
On 9 September 2026, eight Italian projects selected for financial support via DETOUR Open Call met at the Tuscany Region headquarters in Florence for a kick off meeting. The event marked the beginning of a new phase for DETOUR, with the selected SMEs now starting the implementation of their innovative projects along the Via Francigena. The selected initiatives address a wide range of topics, including accessibility, digital innovation, food experiences and territorial revitalisation.
Our Partners
