The Phoenicians’ Cultural Route is the network of the great nautical courses which Phoenicians used since the twelfth century B.C. as their main trade and cultural lines of communication in the Mediterranean Sea. These routes became an integral and basic part of the Mediterranean culture.

The Phoenicians’ Cultural Route was incorporated into the programme of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe in 2003 as an international route crossing three continents, 18 Mediterranean countries and more than 80 towns of Phoenician – Punic origin and culture. These cities and towns were the stopping places on a journey along the whole of the Mediterranean Sea through which people exchanged goods, knowledge and experience. The Council of Europe created a good basis of work by establishing and developing the Phoenicians´ Cultural Route.

An ad-hoc Working Group comprising public and private sector stakeholders and international organizations, met twice in January and May 2016 to develop a roadmap and action plan for the implementation of the Programme. The latter aims to develop tourism itineraries and other supporting actions based on the Cultural Route that the Council of Europe has established so far.

The event would be a good opportunity for UNWTO, the Council of Europe (EPA-EICR) and the Ministry of Tourism of Lebanon to present 3 pilot cultural route tourism itineraries and discuss them with stakeholders and specifically tour operators.

These tourism itineraries will be differentiated from what is currently offered on the market since they will aim at fostering intercultural dialogue, involving local communities, including cultural events, favor cities and providing a holistic experience to tourists. Additionally the tourism itineraries will be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, transnational, with a common theme and with a start and end date and place.

Objectives:

1) Raise awareness of the importance and potential of the Council of Europe certified Cultural Route and the tourism itineraries along the Phoenicians´ Route

2) Encourage public and private sector stakeholders to connect and discuss possible joint activities and partnerships especially in developing tourism itineraries

For more information please contact Lili Kfoury (ecsr@unwto.org).

Attendance confirmation and registration:

Please note that in order to be able to attend the event, you are kindly requested to:

    1) Fill in the registration form on the website of the World Travel Market to be able to enter the venue on the 7th  of November. Kindly click here for registration.

    2) Fill in the attendance confirmation form in order to secure your spot at the presentation and workshop. Kindly click here for attendance confirmation.

Documents

• Meeting Note
• Agenda
• Draft Pilot Tourism Itineraries along the Phoenicians´Route Report
• Pilot Tourism Itineraries along the Phoenicians´ Route Brochure
• Phoenicians´ Route Cultural Tourism Programme Brief Note
• Comments Sheet

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