On January 22–23, 2025, the kick-off meeting of the DETOUR project was hosted by the Antalya Provincial Tourism Management (ATM) with support from the Culture Routes Society (CRS).

The meeting opened at the Governor’s Office with a warm welcome from Antalya Governor Hulusi Şahin, who expressed strong enthusiasm for connecting the cultural routes of the Eastern Mediterranean within a unified project aimed at fostering sustainable tourism. He highlighted the vision of a future where trekkers could journey seamlessly along cultural routes stretching from Rome to Antalya.

Key addresses were delivered by Dr. Candemir Zoroğlu, Director of Antalya Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, and Filippo Botti, Manager of Administrative Services at the Municipality of Fidenza, the project’s lead coordinator. Both speakers underscored the importance of DETOUR in supporting local development and advancing the green transition.

Funded by the EU Single Market Programme (SMP), DETOUR is a three-year initiative with a €2 million budget dedicated to empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in rural areas along four iconic walking routes: the Via Francigena (Italy), the Lycian Way (Türkiye), the Sultan’s Trail (Bulgaria), and mountain trails near Mount Olympus, Kissavos, and Mavrovouni (Greece). The project brings together eight European partners, and by 2027, DETOUR aims to train 32 tourism stakeholders and 80 SMEs, while providing up to €25,000 in funding to support 32 innovative SME projects designed to transform tourism offerings along these routes.

The meeting focused on preparing a comprehensive survey targeting SMEs operating along the walking routes, intended to evaluate their current practices, challenges, and needs. The insights gathered will serve as the basis for developing tailored training modules that equip stakeholders and SMEs with skills in sustainability, digitalization, and innovative tourism strategies. Partners also planned upcoming information days to raise awareness and encourage local business engagement in the project.

Participants had the unique opportunity to hike along the Lycian Way, a stunning 710-km trail along Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast, and visit the archaeological site of Olympus—an ancient Lycian, Roman, and Byzantine city dating back to 200 BCE, offering a rich glimpse into the region’s history.

The next DETOUR project meeting is scheduled for autumn 2025 in Italy and will be hosted by the Municipality of Fidenza in partnership with the European Association of the Via Francigena.