Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experiences

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Italy-Croatia

Date of latest update: 2025-12-09

Description

Description (EN):

The SITE project faces as a common territorial challenge the diversification of tourist flows through the promotion of a more inclusive tourism ecosystem. In Europe, as well as in the Program Area, 25% of the adult population have some form of disability and the old-age index is 136 old people for every 100 young people, and these numbers are increasing. Moreover, almost everyone sooner or later in life experiences, directly or indirectly, difficulties related to permanent disabilities, temporary or situational circumstances, with the risk of being excluded from full participation in society and from travel because of the lack of accessible information, services and facilities. The raising demand for accessible tourism tailored to accommodate the highest number of people represents a key driver for this economic sector and a great business opportunity: more inclusive tourist destinations allow to expand and diversify the number of customers (including people with special needs and requirements such as families, children, elderly, and with disabilities) and overcome the seasonality of tourism flows. The SITE project aims to increase the attractiveness of tourist destinations in the Programme area and to foster tourism across the year through the cross-border dissemination of the culture of Universal Design (UD) in the tourism ecosystem by promoting social inclusion, participation and sharing also using ICTs to reduce barriers (architectural, sensorial, communicative) that limit access to people with disabilities or other needs, as families and the elderly, favoring non-discriminatory solutions. Project beneficiaries belong not only to tourist offer (professionals, private and public providers in the tourism industry who can increase the attractiveness of their services) and demand (tourists who can find more welcoming and inclusive destinations) representatives, but also to higher education and research organizations and NGOs (one of them participates in the project as Associated Partner). Project activities will lead to different outputs: training activities and cross-border visits to align the partnership and build in the Programme area an educated community on UD culture; tools such a catalog of theories and practices on UD , handbooks, and assessment instruments upon which a methodology to analyze, evaluate and manage a co-design process to improve multi-level accessibility in terms of communication, wayfinding and public spaces also through ICT is derived. This strategy is tested through the development and implementation of pilot actions to deliver four inclusive and innovative solutions. Project outputs and results are expected to provide useful indications to other tourist destinations (within and outside the Programme area) for the ex-ante and ex-post evaluation and enhancement of accessibility interventions respecting the UD approach. The project approach is centered on UD as a framework to create accessible, usable and understandable environments by the greatest number of people independently from their specific characteristics and abilities. UD principles will be the common thread with which to conduct research activities, accessibility assessment and co-design of innovative solutions for the creation of more inclusive tourist destinations, to go beyond the concept of disability of a person and focusing on the disabling environments (UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006). The project, following a participatory approach, will involve all partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries in a co-design process to develop more inclusive and place-based solutions, to raise awareness and to strengthen their analytical, management and design skills. The project setting approach symbolically follows what a tourist destination should do to become universally welcoming, focusing on three key moments in a tourist experience: the search for information before the departure, the ability to orient oneself once at the destination, and the possibility to enjoy public spaces or services. Through academic and market research, participatory workshops, joint analysis, study visits, hackathon and training the partnership will develop a joint strategy and innovative solutions and tools for enhancing accessibility in different contexts (transport hubs, museums, seashores, historical hamlets). The tourist locations in the program area face increasingly similar challenges and therefore a cross-border approach is needed in the exchange of information, expertise and good practices for the promotion of a global view to tourist accessibility, which does not yet exist between Italy and Croatia. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time not only in the Programme (cross-border) area but also at the transnational and inter-regional level that the shaping of inclusive tourist destinations and experiences looks for the benefits that can be obtained only by following the UD principles.

Actual Achievements (EN):

The objective of the activities initiated during the initial phase was to establish a common understanding of Universal Design (UD) and to develop a unified methodology and tools to facilitate the growth of a more inclusive tourism ecosystem. The adoption of UD in tourism is essential to ensure the creation of inclusive and high-quality travel experiences. This approach not only benefits people with special needs, but also improves the overall travel experience for all, thereby supporting the broader goals of sustainable tourism development. Given that UD culture is not yet firmly established in Italy, Croatia, or other European countries, it was necessary to develop and provide an overview of the state of the art and systemise the most up-to-date knowledge relating to the following elements: meaning of accessible tourism and tourism for all; universal design and its applicability; past projects and best practices; instruments to be adopted for the programmed activities. The activities resulted in an analysis of demand and the necessity to implement UD in the context of tourism. In particular, the groups of people who would derive the greatest benefit from the adoption of UD were identified. 1) People with disabilities and impairments, who represent a substantial and growing demographic within the tourism sector. This group includes individuals with mobility issues, sensory impairments, cognitive disabilities, and other conditions that can affect their travel experience. 2. The elderly. The global population of the elderly is growing rapidly. By 2050, it is projected that one in six individuals will be aged 65 or above. This demographic is of particular importance to the tourism industry, as older adults often have the time and resources to travel. 3) Families with children represent a significant segment of the tourism market. Travelling with children, especially young ones, presents unique challenges that can be alleviated through UD. 4) People with food allergies and special dietary requirements represent an important and often overlooked demographic in the tourism sector. This group includes individuals who must adhere to specific dietary restrictions due to allergies, intolerances, or health conditions. Each partner provided materials and data useful for the study of the current situation. An overview of tourism trends since the onset of the COVID pandemic was also provided, noting a shift towards more responsible, sustainable, and quality tourism. There is a growing focus on quality, inclusive and sustainable tourism experiences. Accessible tourism is regarded as a model for future development, offering support to sustainable businesses and providing quality experiences for all travellers. A study was also conducted to assess the promotion of destinations that have committed to becoming more inclusive by adopting an UD approach. This outlined a conceptual model for moving from an 'ordinary' to an accessible/inclusive destination, and highlighted the importance of developing promotional tools. It was also beneficial to understand the experiences of previous EU-funded projects in accessible tourism, which have primarily focused on the target group of persons with disabilities, with some projects also addressing the elderly or children. It is notable that few of the projects mapped are fully aligned with the UD approach. However, without applying it to the entire tourism experience, as SITE intends to do, this will remain a challenge. This is a crucial point, as it allows for experimentation with new methods and the discovery of innovative accessibility strategies that are inclusive of all. The development of assessment methods and tools to investigate the accessibility of pilot sites has enabled a comparison of different methodologies and approaches typically used in other countries where UD culture is already established. This has highlighted a number of critical issues that we will seek to avoid in SITE. The activities, managed by LP as coordinator of WP1 and VEASYT as coordinator of WP2, were carried out thanks to the contribution of all partners, who provided valuable input in the form of knowledge, data and references. This enabled the team to keep track of the state of the art and to correctly set all tools. At last, all management activities for the establishment of the project and its subsequent operation were completed in a timely manner. Additionally, considerable effort was dedicated to the implementation of effective communication strategies, encompassing the creation of dedicated accounts on key social media platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, specifically for the project. This reporting period has been dedicated to the following activities carried out in cooperation: 1st visit to Fano; 1st visit to Sibenik; UD Training in Venice; webinar on UD. In addition, PPs participated in several other events where they disseminated the SITE project. 1st visit to Fano (12-13 September) was the first workshop planned and described in A2.3 to map the current situation of the pilot, to check adherence with UD principles of some specific elements, and to co-design improvements. The workshop has been organized by UNITS in collaboration with MoF, who hosted the activities. Two preliminary meetings were held with CMI as communication manager to agree on the following: agenda, areas and elements to be mapped according to AF, characteristics of the venue that would host the workshop, materials to be produced also to communicate and spread the event. UNITS prepared all materials for conducting the various steps during the two days. All PPs actively participated in the assessment and analysis of the real conditions of the areas, also providing useful insights for co-design. All the materials collected (answers to surveys, completed grids, post-its collected during co-design and all posters) were analysed and recorded in a dedicated report (and will be part of D 2.3.1), which contains a description of the activities and all the data. CROssing-ITA-SLOwly organised in Brussels (9 October 2024) UNITS took part to the event organized by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Local Policies and the Committee of the Regions, to foster innovative collaboration between different programmes (Interreg Ita-Slo, Interreg Ita-Cro) and to promote synergies. 1st visit to Sibenik (17-18 October) was the second workshop organized in collaboration with CoS, PP who hosted the two-days activities. As in Fano, the planning of activities and communication were agreed with UNITS and CMI. All PPs actively participated in the assessment and analysis of the real conditions of the areas, also providing useful insights for co-design. All the materials collected were analysed and recorded in a dedicated report (and will be part of D 2.3.1), which contains a description of the activities and all the data. Adriatic Sea Forum (25 October 2024): CMI participated at the RoundTable 1 – Sustainable Maritime Tourism, presenting the SITE project and UD principles to stakeholders. Universal Design International Conference held in Oslo (20-22 November) was the first opportunity to present SITE at a scientific conference (activity foreseen in WP4, specifically in D 4.2.1). UNITS presented a paper titled “Universal Design to build a more inclusive touristic ecosystem. The SITE project approach” with a dedicated speech as part of a panel on Tourism at the conference. The paper was published in the Conference Compendium of the Seventh International Conference on Universal Design (UD2024), Shaping a Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient Future for All. Training on UD: in November (26-28) VEASYT hosted all the project partners in Venice for an internal training on UD, then in the meeting agenda was also included a public event to disseminate the SITE project and the principles on which it is based, starting from the UD principle but also with the presentation of some useful tools for effective communication using easy language. The agenda was agreed with UNITS, which took responsibility for the more specific content on UD theory, while VEASYT took care of the communication content. The external training session was attended by the contact persons from the Veneto Region Managing Authority who, given the topics covered were of great interest and versatility, asked UNITS to organise a webinar for beneficiaries of other Interreg projects working on sustainable tourism. On 21 February UNITS therefore organized a morning webinar on UD attended by around 70 external participants. Although some activities will start in P3, PPs in coordination with UNITS also focused on the preparation of elements for WP3 and WP4 for creating the basis for key deliverables that will be produced there. VEASYT is working on text and language simplification of the materials provided by the PP. DURA and DBV started planning activities for the first visit to Dubrovnik (31-3rd April). MoF and CoS started with a market research among different technicians to be involved in planning the investments in the pilot area identified on the basis of the process and results of the Activity in WP3. CMI created a questionnaire to assess stakeholders' knowledge of UD. The questionnaire will be distributed in P3 to enhance awareness and dissemination efforts. FTHM started to prepare scientific publication, by presenting and submitting abstracts to scientific journals or for presentation at scientific conferences, all in line with the planned activity A4.2 and corresponding deliverable. This reporting period has been dedicated to the following activities carried out through cross-border cooperation: 1st visit to Dubrovnik; UD webinar on Effective Communication; organization of the Hackathon planned for the fourth period. In addition, PPs participated in several other events as documented in the 3rd communication report. Although some activities will be carried out in P4, PPs in coordination with UNITS also focused on the preparation of elements for WP3 and WP4 for creating the basis for key deliverables that will be produced there and in P5. 1st visit to Dubrovnik (1-3 April 2025) was the third workshop organized in collaboration with DURA and DBV, PPs who hosted the three-days activities. As in Fano, the planning of activities and communication were agreed with UNITS and CMI. All PPs actively participated in the assessment and analysis of the real conditions of the areas, also providing useful insights for co-design. All the materials collected were analysed and recorded in a dedicated report (and are part of D 2.3.1), which contains a description of the activities and all the data. Training on UD (10 June 2025). UNITS, CMI and Veasyt organized the second webinar on UD and Effective Communcation attended by around 33 participants. Mid-Term Review (24 July 2025) all PPs contributed to the preparation of the meeting which took place online. Dissemination: UNITS + CMI were involved in organising and managing a scientific dissemination event as part of the Trieste NEXT festival which took place at the beginning of P4. FTHM and UNITS continues to prepare scientific publication, by presenting and submitting abstracts to scientific journals or for presentation at scientific conferences, all in line with the planned activity A4.2 and corresponding deliverable. FTHM presented SITE project also by promoting the scientific book devoted to the accessible tourism “Breaking barriers : designing inclusive tourist destinations” ((https://urn.nsk.hr/urn:nbn:hr:191:906613). TGs meetings: PPs conducted meetings with local and regional authorities as target groups and introduced them to SITE project and expected results in order to initiate cooperation on future implementation of UD principles in planning of tourism and other infrastructure. PPs linked to pilots continued with market research for investment planning and implementation of works in the pilot area identified based on the process and results of the activity in WP3.

Project outputs: Strategy for the implementation of more inclusive communication and for the improvement of wayfinding systems and public spaces in accordance with the principles of the UD(EN)
Training on Universal Design principles(EN)
Development and implementation of communication tools, wayfinding systems and public spaces.(EN)
Creating inclusive and welcoming tourist destinations - solution for tourism decision-makers(EN)
Website: https://www.italy-croatia.eu/web/site

Thematic information

ICT and digital society Tourism Social inclusion and equal opportunities

Priority: (VI-A_I-Hr_4) Culture and tourism for sustainable development

Priority specific objective: RSO4.6. Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO4 A more social and inclusive Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights

Type of intervention: 165 Protection, development and promotion of public tourism assets and tourism services

Partners (8)

Lead Partner: Università degli Studi di Trieste

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 999842051

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 00211830328 | 80013890324 | dia@pec.units.it (EN)

Department: Dipartimento di Ingegneria e Architettura

Address: Piazzale Europa, 34127 Trieste, Italy

Department address: Via Valerio, 34127 Trieste, Italy

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.units.it

Total budget: EUR 317 718.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 317 718.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 100.00%

Sveučilište u Rijeci, Fakultet za menadžment u turizmu i ugostiteljstvu

Name: Sveučilište u Rijeci, Fakultet za menadžment u turizmu i ugostiteljstvu

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 942487600

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 85799845149 | 85799845149 | dekanat@fthm.hr (EN)

Address: Primorska, 51410 Opatija, Croatia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.fthm.uniri.hr/en/

Total budget: EUR 221 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 176 800.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 44 200.00

Comune di Fano

Name: Comune di Fano

Department: UOC Europa-Turismo

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 926900476

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 00127440410 | 00127440410 | comune.fano@emarche.it (EN)

Address: Via San Francesco , 61032 Fano, Italy

Department address: Via De Cuppis , 61032 FANO, Italy

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: https://www.comune.fano.pu.it/

Total budget: EUR 279 940.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 279 940.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 100.00%

Contractors:

Name: Globe Inside srl
VAT registration or tax identification number: 02628520344
Name: Studio GL - Giuseppe Loiacono
VAT registration or tax identification number: 01838080503
Name: CAROUSEL SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: 00865350425
Name: YankeediMenghini Stefano&C.Sas
VAT registration or tax identification number: 00967210410
Name: Abe Hotels srl
VAT registration or tax identification number: 00987870417
Name: Francesca Giommi
VAT registration or tax identification number: 02470650413

VEASYT srl

Name: VEASYT srl

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 952343867

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 04088680279 | 04088680279 | info@pec.veasyt.it (EN)

Address: Dorsoduro, 30123 Venezia, Italy

Legal status: private

Organisation type: SME

Website: https://veasyt.com/

Total budget: EUR 265 554.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 265 554.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 100.00%

Arcadya Srl

Name: Arcadya Srl

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 01247280322 | 01247280322 | arcadya@pec.it (EN)

Address: piazza Carlo Alberto, 34123 Trieste, Italy

Legal status: private

Organisation type: SME

Website: http://www.centralmarketingintelligence.it

Total budget: EUR 228 088.35

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 228 088.35

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 100.00%

Zračna luka Dubrovnik d.o.o

Name: Zračna luka Dubrovnik d.o.o

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 883013408

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 63145279942 | 63145279942 | Hrvoje.Spremic@airport-dubrovnik.hr (EN)

Address: Dobrota , 20213 Cilipi, Croatia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Infrastructure and (public) service provider

Website: https://www.airport-dubrovnik.hr/

Total budget: EUR 250 000.08

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 200 000.06

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 50 000.02

Contractors:

Name: LJEKARNA ČEBULJC
VAT registration or tax identification number: 42593340245
Name: NAUTIKA d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 51387086899
Name: JADRANSKI LUKSUZNI HOTELI D.D.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 22797775374
Name: PLATANUS D.O.O.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 54030208881
Name: GLOBALDIZAJN d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 25627314080

Dubrovačka razvojna agencija DURA

Name: Dubrovačka razvojna agencija DURA

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 972014400

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 80026201761 | 80026201761 | mhrnic@dura.hr (EN)

Address: Branitelja Dubrovnika, 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Sectoral agency

Website: http://www.dura.hr

Total budget: EUR 281 958.04

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 225 566.43

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 56 391.61

Contractors:

Name: EVENT LAB D.O.O.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 09978447101

Grad Šibenik

Name: Grad Šibenik

Department: Department for Economy, Entrepreneurship and Development

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 940196169

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 55644094063 | 55644094063 | gradonacelnik@sibenik.hr (EN)

Address: Trg palih branitelja Domovinskog rata , 22000 Šibenik, Croatia

Department address: Petra Grubišića, 22000 Šibenik, Croatia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.sibenik.hr

Total budget: EUR 232 350.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 185 880.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 46 470.00

Contractors:

Name: ECOFLEX - M.A.F.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 28827926326
Name: ADRIA GRAĐEVINSKI PROJEKTI doo
VAT registration or tax identification number: 60270698471
Name: VF-PROJEKTI I SUSTAVI jdoo
VAT registration or tax identification number: 31749234899
Name: Kontranapad d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 01766660212
Name: Konzum d.d.
VAT registration or tax identification number: HR62226620908
Name: Visiani grupa j.d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 31816934749
Name: West vision d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 33516482489
Name: EDUCA PRINT CENTAR D.O.O.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 64606800724
Name: Šjora-obrt za usluge u turizmu
VAT registration or tax identification number: 31424864000

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management

Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experiences

Partners and Projects info

Municipality of Fano

Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experiences

Partners and Projects info

VEASYT srl

Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experiences

Partners and Projects info

Arcadya Srl

Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experiences

Partners and Projects info

Dubrovnik airport Ltd

Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experiences

Partners and Projects info

Dubrovnik Development Agency DURA

Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experiences

Partners and Projects info

City of Sibenik

Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experiences

Partners and Projects info

University of Trieste

Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experiences

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experiences

Project acronym: SITE

Project ID: ITHR0200313

Project start date: 2024-03-01

Project end date: 2026-08-31

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

DANOVA - Innovative transportation services for blind and partially sighted passengers in Danube Region (Danube Transnational Programme)
(EN) | The DANOVA outputs and deliverables will be exploited in order to include lessons learned and to produce assessment grid for accessibility of people with different kind of disabilities of tourist destinations:
1. Capitalisation Strategy which summarises the results and experiences of the project, training programme, innovative ideas in accessibility for blind and partly sighted passengers and will be exploited by SITE project.
2. Transnational evaluation report (especially section 11, Quality improvement measures) which summarises challenges and lessons learned through pilot action implementation per each pilot action site (8 sites). Results of pilot action implementation, problems faced and lessons learned will be exploited by SITE project.
As one of the most important challenges identified was easy access of data for blind and partly sighted when planning the trip (will be tackled by SITE in WP 2) as well as wayfinding in airport terminal areas and urban public areas with recommendations for improvement graded per type of infrastructure (will be tackled in WP 3 by SITE project). This will be exploited for the population of passengers with reduced mobility (not only for blind and partly sighted passengers) and also for families with small children. (EN), Tourism4All - Development of a crossborder network for the promotion of the accessible tourism destinations (INTERREG Italy Croatia) (EN) | The goal of the TOURISM4ALL project, where the Tourist Board of Šibenik was one of the partners, and who is also the Associated partner on the SITE project, aimed to develop and promote a cross-border network of accessible tourist destinations. Through improving the accessibility of natural and cultural sights and designing and promoting new tourist products, the social inclusion of people with reduced mobility, the elderly and people with disabilities was encouraged. The activities included the development of a joint methodology, capacity building and expansion of competences in the accessible tourism sector, development of new services, and preparation and implementation of joint tourism promotion of the involved destinations. With this project, it was determined that accessible tourism aims to create an inclusive tourism product, taking care that every guest in the tourist destination feels welcome and is treated professionally and without discrimination. Through the project, the TOURISM4ALL manual was created, which contains instructions on how to behave, what you need to know and what equipment and technical aids to use when you encounter: deaf and hard-of-hearing guests, blind and partially sighted guests, people with reduced mobility, people with intellectual disabilities and disorders. behavior and people with dietary restrictions, intolerances and allergies. (EN), WONDER - Child Friendly Destination (INTERREG ADRION cod. n. 1090) (EN) | The UD approach is based on the principle "Design for all". "All" means not only disable people, not only people with special needs, it means simply "people". The target of the WONDER project have been the children and their families and it let the partners able to better understand their needs and desire in order to improve the tourism servicies and products in each city involved, establishing a network of Child/Family Friendly Destination" recognizable with a dedicated brand at international level. The adopted slogal was "A city suitable for children is a city suitable for all": this principle completely fits the UD approach and the Principle 1: Smart and Inclusive Governance - “What is good for residents is good for visitors”, of the Barcelona declaration ("Better places to live, better places to visit). (EN), COME-IN! Cooperating for Open Access to Museums (INTERREG Central Europe) (EN) | COME-IN! was developed to increase the capacities of small- and medium-sized museums making them accessible to a wider public of people with different kinds of disabilities. The project achieved this change through its COME-IN! Guidelines, the training handbook for museum operators and introducing an innovative promotional tool, the COME-IN! Label to award museums complying with accessibility standards. SITE will benefit from a range of COME-IN! results, including the DEFINITION OF COMMON ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS, and will consider as a good practice the HANDBOOK FOR MUSEUM OPERATORS. (EN), LAirA (INTERREG Central Europe) (EN) | LAirA (Landside Airport Accessibility) addresses the specific and significant challenge of the multimodal, smart and low carbon mobility integration of airports in the mobility systems of Functional Urban Areas (FUAs) of Central Europe (CE).
SITE will specifically benefit from the following results that emerged from the activities: the Final report in Understanding needs of passengers for mobility (behaviours and habits); report II on Analysis of Multimodal Mobility in FUA Towards Dubrovnik Airport (as a LAIRA project partner, also Dubrovnik Airport has been the subject of analyses); the document "Wayfinding at airports" which will be considered as a starting point for addressing WP3, which deals precisely with pilot wayfinding systems. (EN), QNeST – Quality Network on Sustainable Tourism (ADRION cod. 225) (EN) | QNeST project foresees the launch of an Adriatic-Ionian vision and strategy for the development of new quality tourist solutions, based on co-design processes between key-stakeholders at local and joint levels and on the capitalization of existing good practices related to the most interesting features of a sustainable tourism.
Paying attention on the abilities to preserve and promote the cultural heritage mainly linked to traditional crafts, to carry out environmental sustainable initiatives, to promote and enhance food traditions on Mediterranean Diet and to strengthen the development of accessible services. there are specific synergies with the pilot actions developed in the Province of Pesaro and Urbino (where the city of Fano si located). It consist of a route designed for all types of tourism, with a particular focus on physical and sensory stimuli, disabled people , families with children and the elderly. It is designed for those who seek sensations and emotions connected to nature and the landscape. A series of accessible routes now enables enjoyment of natural sites, popular and peasant traditions, a system of museums and the beaches, making the panorama rich and varied. Nature routes are also accessible to people with reduced mobility using a “Joelette”, a single-wheeled wheelchair. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 2 076 608.47

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 661 286.77

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 89.40%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 1 661 286.77. Co-financing rate, 89.40%.
Others: Amount, EUR 218 260.07.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Infrastructure investments:

I3.3 - Making Fortress accessible - EUR 80 000.00 - country: Hrvatska (HR), town: Šibenik, street: Zagrađe, 21, postal_code: 22000, Jadranska Hrvatska (HR03), Šibensko-kninska županija (HR034)
I3.1 - Seaside and beaches for all - EUR 50 000.00 - country: Italia (IT), town: FANO, street: Lungo mare Sassonia and Torrette di Fano, postal_code: 61032, Marche (ITI3), Pesaro e Urbino (ITI31)

Deliverables:

Evaluation plan
Risk and Quality plan
Communication strategy
Market research about the potential of Universal Design for tourism
Report on recommendations for branding and promoting accessible tourism and inclusive solutions
Report on past project results
Living catalogue of theories, practices and past projects’ results from UD perspective
Report on common methodology and tools
Transnational report on Pilot significant texts comprehensibility and website accessibility
Improvement strategies for Pilots’ communication, action report, translations, and post evaluation
Transnational Report on the mapping and co-design processes to improve wayfinding and public spaces
Report on the co-designed public spaces and Hackathon winner solution(s)
Video content about the Hackaton in Fano
Pilot actions for implementation of co-designed solutions
Pilot actions report and ex-post evaluation
KPI Indicators to analyze usability of pilot wayfinding and public spaces after the interventions
Training materials for stakeholders in pilot project areas
Training materials for education of stakeholders from other tourist destinations
Presented minimum 3 scientific and/or professional papers on project topic
Report on final international capitalisation conference
Conference Proceedings from the final capitalisation conference
Brochure for destination planners: implementing UD in planning tourism infrastructure

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyAdriaticIonianRegion As as also granted by the presence of FAIC as associated partner, the SITE project is fully consistent with some of the actions suggested by the 2020 edition of the EUSAIR action plan in the 4th pillar (Sustainable Tourism), both in topic 4.1 (Diversified tourism office) and in topic 4.2 (Sustainable and responsible tourism management). The action "Initiative to improve quality for sustainable tourism offer" considers of interest “a tourism offer addressing specific targets of tourists, such as: seniors, youth or people with disabilities”. Likewise, the action “Improving accessibility for Adriatic-Ionian tourism products and services’’ aims “to adjust tourism products and services in the Region to the needs of both residents and visitors with special access needs (i.e. senior groups, young people and schools, disabled people, families with low income)”. As described in section C.2.1, the implementation of these actions through the SITE project fosters the creation of “a ‘critical mass’ across the Region of 'year-round' accessible destinations, attractions, sights and tourism-related quality services, more tourists can be expected to be attracted while tourism flows could be maintained also in the low season”. The same target is sought in the action “Expanding the tourist season to all year-round” that seeks to alleviate seasonality in the AI region, and expands the tourist season by promoting off-season tourism and new target markets including senior and accessible tourism. In addition, the stakeholder participatory processes and training activities envisaged in SITE clearly support the action “Training in vocational and entrepreneurial skills in tourism” that advocates for new and qualified skills in sustainable tourism. An initial implementation of these actions as envisaged by SITE is essential for a more complete and effective development of synergies with EUSAIR flagships such as AIR Cultural Routes, CulTourAir, DES_AIR, and Green mapping for the AI region.
EuropeanGreenDeal The European Green Deal (EU Green Deal) is a strategy to achieve the sustainability of the EU economy, in particular by turning climate and environmental challenges into opportunities in all policy areas and by ensuring a just and inclusive transition. The SITE project is fully in line with the plans and goals of the European Green Plan. It also contributes to sustainable development as well as strengthening resistance to climate change, which is one of the key goals of the European Green Deal. Also, one of the key elements of the Green Deal refers to cleaner buildings and the construction sector, and the reforms aim to optimize the development of innovative financing in the construction sector and promote energy-efficient investments. By implementing pilot activities, i.e. infrastructure investments that are part of the SITE project, special attention will be paid to the use of solutions, materials and equipment that respect energy sustainability. Environmentally efficient building materials will be used, and if necessary, equipment with lower energy consumption will be installed. The Green Deal also proposes a zero pollution action plan, therefore it is important to note that the project does not produce negative effects on the environment, significant emphasis is placed on establishing a sustainable project management model, networking and capacity building. Special attention was paid to the sustainable management of the project in order to reduce paper consumption and respect the principles of green public procurement. Consideration will be given to the rational use of all energy sources, taking into account climatic conditions.
Other Transition Pathway for Tourism
The SITE project's objectives and results are in line with recommendations of Transition Pathway for Tourism, official document issued by EU Commission in February 2022, on future development in the field of tourism. More precisely, the project directly fosters „Inclusiveness and accessibility, including for persons with disabilities”, as one of the elements important for designing all future tourism strategies (p 8).
Moreover, Transition Pathway for Tourism additionally highlights the elements of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (to which the EU and all the Member States are parties) and the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030, stating that:
„people with disabilities have the right to equal access to tourism (travel, hospitality, cultural activities). Accessible and inclusive tourism is a key to helping all people participate fully in society. It is therefore important to ensure the supply of accessible tourism facilities in all destinations and provide clear and accessible information about them to travellers planning and reserving their stays and activities. According to Eurobarometer study 499 in 2021, 39% of EU citizens considered that information on the accessibility of tourism services was rather difficult or very difficult to find, and this share was higher among older people “
Ease of access to information on tourist destinations and their offer is one of the key problems identified by this project, and targeted by activities and results of WP2.
Also, Topic 25 of the Document (p 28) is titled: “Enhancing accessible tourism services” and is focused on raising awareness of the importance of accessibility in tourism and improving the supply and visibility of accessible tourism services- all of which are addressed by the documents, pilot projects and solutions planned for the development within project SITE.
Other Sustainable & Smart mobility strategy - Putting European transport on track for the future
The SITE Project also contributes to the EU mobility strategy, especially “Flagship 9 Making mobility fair and just for all” in terms of addressing the following challenge outlined in the strategy: „Mobility remains… not sufficiently accessible for people with disabilities or reduced mobility, and those with low IT-literacy. The Commission will therefore ensure that possibilities under the just transition mechanism are fully explored to make this new mobility affordable and accessible in all regions and for all passengers including those with disabilities and reduced mobility.“ One of the project partners on project SITE is Dubrovnik airport, therefore issues related to the accessible mobility will be tackled by project activities and results.
Other Croatian Sustainable tourism development strategy until 2030.
This act of strategic planning of Croatian tourism for the period until the year 2030 is directly stating that fostering inclusive and accessible tourism for all will be one of the goals for future period of the development of sustainable tourism in Croatia. Project SITE is directly contributing to the development of practices oriented towards increasing accessibility of tourist attractions to persons with disability but also all other tourist with special needs by using principles of universal design. Additionally, results and outcomes of project SITE will indirectly contribute to one of the key goals set in the Strategy: extension of tourist season and increase of quality of tourist services
Other Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030
The Disability Rights Strategy 2021-2030 aims to address the various challenges faced by people with disabilities. It aims to make progress in all areas of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, both at the EU and member state levels. The SITE Project directly contributes to achieving the following objectives according to which persons with disabilities in Europe, regardless of gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, are assured: enjoyment of equal opportunities, equal access to participation in society and the economy, and non-discrimination. This new enhanced strategy takes into account not only the various disabilities, including invisible ones, but also takes into account the risks of multiple disadvantage faced by women, children, the elderly, refugees with disabilities, and people with socioeconomic difficulties-a universal approach that goes hand in hand with that proposed by SITE. SITE can also be included among the best practices mapped under the first Faro initiative related to the opening of a AccessibleEU, the European resource centre to increase the coherence of accessibility policies.
Other iNEST - interconnected North-Est Innovation Ecosystem
Financed by Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), the iNEST project is aimed at accompanying digital and ecological transitions in the North-East's main areas of specialisation: the industrial-manufacturing, agricultural, maritime, mountain, construction, tourism, culture, health and food sectors. The interconnection of local ecosystems in the macro-region will make it possible to work on a common vision for the benefit of the economy and citizens, with local strategies of intelligent specialisation to be united in a shared mission for the North-East
The hub dedicated to 'Tourism, Culture and Creative Industries', led by Ca'Foscari University Venice, the academic body from which the VEASYT spin-off was born, intends to address, for the first time, the complexity of the tourism phenomenon from an ecosystem perspective, looking for new approaches to tackle complexity.
Four research areas have been identified to address the most pressing issues in the tourism sector. SITE falls under the specific one concerning building sustainable business models, a line that aims to promote sustainable tourism, with innovative business models based on 'experience design', demonstrating how they contribute to the circular economy, accessibility, diversity and inclusion.

Deliverable (other than infrastructural investment) areas:

Hrvatska (HR), Dubrovnik, Od Rupa, 3, 20000
Hrvatska (HR), Čilipi, Dobrota, 24, 20213

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 081 - Participations in joint actions across borders, Measurement unit:
RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:

Delivered output indicator(s):

(RCO81) Participations in joint actions across borders: 83.0

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSAIR

EUSAIR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSAIR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Italy-Croatia

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-12-09

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

76 / 76 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

486 / 486 (100%)

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Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experiences

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Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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