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.

In Italy, DETOUR has recently taken part in several external events and meetings: from B2B exchanges at the Rimini tourism fair, with stakeholders from the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Lombardy and Lazio, to the communication team’s UK tour along the new Via Britannica extension from London to Canterbury, meeting local institutions and tourism operators.

DETOUR has also been collaborating with the CROSS-RE-TOUR project about shaping the future of tourism, while discussions about the European cooperation and support for SMEs along walking routes were were conducted during the meeting with the Director of MATERIA, a cultural and community space that regularly hosts initiatives dedicated to local territories, walking experiences and slow tourism.

The approach of valorisation local SMEs was used at the recent event Sosta & Gusta, where more than 100 participants explored part of Stage 19 of the Via Francigena between Parma and the foothills of the Apennines. The walk connected participants directly with services that make the journey possible and attractive, including Ostello 19 – Massimo Tedeschi in Felegara and Caseificio Bertinelli, where visitors can discover local food production through experiences designed for walkers and tourists. The initiative combined hiking, local hospitality and food heritage along an 11-km section of the Via Francigena.

Finally, DETOUR has also been highlighted at the talk held on 21 September at the Festival of Podcasting 2026 in Milan, which included a dedicated session on journalism and territorial storytelling.

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. Accommodation providers, food producers, guides, experience providers, transport services and digital solutions all contribute to transforming a walking route into a complete and sustainable tourism experience. This is precisely the ecosystem DETOUR is working to strengthen, through training, mentoring, networking and direct financial support to SMEs, helping innovative ideas move from the drawing board to the trail.

[Credits: AEVF]