The Tourism 4.0 project has strengthened the competitiveness and sustainability of tourism SMEs through professional support for the adoption of digital technologies, including training programs, financing, and assistance for digital transformation, promoting innovation and networking. During the years 2022 and 2023, the international consortium has worked on different operational stages to train companies, implement financing schemes, and evaluate the results. Highlighting the importance of digital technologies to improve business models and services in post-Covid tourism and thus enhancing the commercial opportunities of tourism SMEs. This collaborative effort has been the result of the effort and active participation of the associated companies in each phase of the project, contributing to its success.

The project involves the participation of 10 leading European actors in innovation and tourism, including organizations representing the tourism sector in 6 countries, with an aggregate membership base representing over 20,000 travel and tourism companies in Europe (from small accommodations to 5-star hotels, and travel and tour operators).

Partners

Project of Tiempo Activo SL

The Tourism Cluster of Extremadura concludes the CulTourData project with a final event to showcase results. We are delighted to have the support of Ana Isabel Domínguez, Director General of Tourism of Extremadura, and Jorge Suárez, Councilor of Culture of Cáceres.

We extend our gratitude to all the entrepreneurs who have supported and accompanied us in each phase of this project. Their support has been essential to achieve the results obtained.

We are excited to continue collaborating in building the future of tourism and culture. Let’s keep growing together and celebrating these shared achievements!

On a day filled with emotions and nature, the VI Hiking Route “El Paraíso de Brovales” took place on January 21st in Brovales, Badajoz. This wonderful event, organized by El Paraíso de Brovales – Rural Accommodation, has been recognized as the best private hiking initiative in Extremadura.

One of the highlights was the presentation of the prestigious “Paraíso de Brovales” Route Award to Vicente Pozas. This recognition, granted by the Tourism Complex, was presented by the Mayor of Jerez de los Caballeros, Raúl Gordillo, in a ceremony attended by more than 1200 people.

The VI Hiking Route not only provided an unforgettable hiking experience in nature but also offered dozens of gifts and surprises to the participants. All attendees came together for this event, solidifying it as a memorable day in the rural world of Extremadura.

DANCING HISTOR(Y)IES GOES ON: NEW STEPS AND ACTIVITIES

Dancing Histor(y)ies, the European project aimed at linking communities and cultural heritage through dance, continues with new activities and the definition of the Model for the enhancement of cultural heritage sites through performing arts, community engagement, and support for territorial development.

Last Study Visits

Dance companies have ended the round of study visits in the heritage sites that will host the DH Festival in Summer 2024, visiting Tharros and Ostia Antica in Italy and Volos in Greece.

Study visits have been key to start connecting the dance companies with the local territories, heritage sites and communities. Explorative walks in the heritage sites, storytelling experiences, performances attendance, meeting with local stakeholders and technicians and, most of all, in person meetings with the local communities have allowed participants to get together and start dialoguing about the artistic processes that will be at the core of the next year of activities.

Dance companies, local communities and the management of the heritage sites have started sharing stories, perspectives, challenges and opportunities to co-create the next DH Festival performances, with the unique approach of merging local heritage, communities’ stories and artistic interpretation and interventions. We can’t wait to start co-creating!

Partners’ meeting in Volos

Partners have met in Volos (Greece) on the occasion of the last study visit on 26-27 November.

They have assessed the first 6 months of the project, drawn conclusions on the research and site visits phase and planned next activities to transit to the second phase of the project, the practical implementation of the Model in the different Countries through the organisation of the DH Festival in the selected sites.

In particular, they have shared an overview of the DH Festival and started brainstorming about its features, deciding which Dance Companies will perform in which Sites and reflecting about the implementation of the co-creation workshops with the local communities.

As per the next steps, during December and January the heritage sites will work with their local stakeholders, communities and selected dance companies to define the main features of the DH Festival and to plan the concrete steps for its implementation. The new year will kick off the artistic co-creation workshops and the local activities with the communities; again, we can’t wait to see how these will become concrete!

The Model is almost ready!

The aim of the project is to create an efficient model for valorisation of heritage sites through performing arts, community engagement and territorial development to be disseminated and exploited at the European level, in which the material cultural heritage of the sites and the immaterial heritage of local communities involved are fused together through the creativity of dance.

The Dancing Histor(y)ies Model is the product of the collective work of an expanded network of 13 partners from 11 countries in the European Union.

For its implementation partners followed a two-way research process adopting both a bottom-up and an up-down approach in order to collect data from various sources of information, both from the research results and the experience of each partner.

The DH model is the final step of the following processes:

• Local Needs Analysis: partners and stakeholders identified the various needs they face in the management and valorisation of archaeological sites through performing arts and community involvement activities.
• Best practice research and selection at EU level: the collection of good practices has served as possible solutions and examples to follow in future initiatives.

The results and findings of these processes led to the conclusion that an efficient model for valorisation of heritage sites through performing arts, community engagement and territorial development should consist of the following components:

• Discover (and respect) the Site
• Find the Facilitator able to bridge the communication amongst the different stakeholders involved in the project, namely the heritage site management, the local communities and the dance companies.
• Local Engagement
• Artistic Production
• Territorial Development
• Communication Channels

And the following transversal activities: Gender Equality, Accessibility, Environmental Sustainability, Social Inclusion, Continuity.

The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

All the information about the Final Conference of our CulTourData project. Where we have connected tourism, technology and cultural creative companies in unique projects. Where we will present the final works of the Observatory for European Capitals of Culture, a policy laboratory and where our companies will have the opportunity to present their projects together with those of 5 other countries.

For more information, visit the CulTourData website: https://reg.eventmobi.com/cultour-data-final-conference-en

The Extremadura Tourism Cluster celebrates the incorporation of the company “Montijo Tour” as a new partner. Cluster members benefit from the collaboration of the sector in our region to be able to take part in projects, information on technology and innovation and exclusive services.

Montijo Tour is a retail travel agency, both inbound and outbound, run by Elvira Prieto Molano. It has been open to the public for twenty-two years, based in Montijo, Badajoz. Its commercial activity focuses on selling and organising all kinds of trips and tourist services aimed at the end public. Since its foundation, they have been working as a travel agency, but since 2021, they started to offer incoming services in Extremadura.

They work with all types of public, always giving the best quality in their services. They are not characterised by being an agency that is sought after for price, but their strong points are focused on personalised attention and an exclusive and different packaging.

A dynamic company, always in a process of change and adaptation, in fact, they are currently transforming their brand image to transmit dynamism, digitalisation, freshness and power of attraction as a company in the tourism sector in Extremadura.

Likewise, they carry out commercial activities outside Spain in different territories such as Portugal, Latin America, Asia, Europe, depending on the requirements of their clients. These activities consist of contracts with international incoming agencies, netwroking with international companies, projects, advertising, website for Portuguese public, among others.