From 18 to 20 October 2025, the Italian city of Viterbo hosted the first DETOUR “Train the Trainers” workshop for the Italian key tourism stakeholders. The event brought together 12 tourism, culture and cross-sectoral professionals from across Italy for three days of workshops, field activities, and group sessions focused on digital and green transition, environmental awareness, accessibility, and sustainability in tourism.

Participants had the opportunity to exchange best practices, develop joint ideas, and prepare to become future trainers for SMEs by strengthening their skills in facilitation and mentoring for the upcoming DETOUR SMEs training, scheduled for January to April 2026.

The event also highlighted the importance of capacity building and networking among local stakeholders, particularly for SMEs operating along the Italian Via Francigena and other slow travel routes. Participants could exchange best practices, develop joint ideas, and explore how to adapt their business strategies to changing travel trends and the growing demand for responsible and experience-based tourism. The workshop emphasized the importance of capacity building and networking among local stakeholders, particularly for SMEs operating along the Italian Via Francigena and other slow travel routes. In addition, project partners EsCo, the Municipality of Fidenza, the European Association of the Via Francigena Way, and the Sultan’s Trail were invited as speakers to share ideas, insights, and reflections on how to best support and enhance the innovative projects of the SMEs that the future trainers will be working with.

Beyond the training sessions, the programme also included a series of cultural activities and site visits curated by AEVF and the Municipality of Viterbo, aimed at showcasing the city’s cultural heritage and hospitality, and at facilitating the exchange of best practices with local SMEs active along the Via Francigena.

The DETOUR project continues now with the next phase dedicated to supporting SMEs through tailor-made European training programmes.

📅 Applications are open until 24 November 2025 at this link

The next DETOUR workshops will take place in November in Greece, Türkiye and Bulgaria.