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
Kick-off of the 7 selected DETOUR in Bulgaria
After the DETOUR Consortium Meeting, the city of Plovdiv hosted the kick-off at the Boris Hristov House of Culture to present the seven funded projects under the European project DETOUR. A total of 175,000 euros in direct funding (25,000 euros per project) is being invested in transforming local ideas into real tourism products, digital solutions and collaboration networks along the Sultan’s Trail.
DETOUR Consortium Meeting in Plovdiv
On 1–2 October 2026, the DETOUR partners met in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, for the Consortium Meeting hosted by the Management Organization of Thrace Tourist Region. Representatives from all the partners of the project gathered for two days of exchanges, technical discussions and joint planning at a key stage of the project. The meeting also looked ahead to DETOUR’s final year, with several key dissemination activities already planned.
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.
Our Partners
