Project Summary

The “Quality Network on Sustainable Tourism” – QNeST project – aims to promote and fulfill the economic potential of the common and exceptional features of the cultural, traditional and environmental heritage of the Adriatic-Ionian area. 

By means of a transnational model of participative interaction between private and public stakeholders such as local and traditional operators, tourism service providers, craftsmen, sector experts, local communities, institutions and cultural, social and environmental associations.  

The QNeST project envisages the launch of an Adriatic-Ionian vision and strategy for the development of new quality tourism solutions, based on co-design processes involving key-stakeholders at local and higher levels and the capitalization of existing best practices related to the most interesting features of sustainable tourism.

Focusing on the ability to preserve and promote cultural heritage linked to traditional crafts, to carry out environmentally sustainable initiatives, to promote and enhance food traditions associated with the Mediterranean Diet and to strengthen the development of accessible services, the QNeST project will launch a common brand, representative of quality standards for sustainable tourism, and will stimulate the creation and promotion of a quality network of Adriatic-Ionian actors and economic operators, active in or indirectly linked to the tourism sector. Finally, QNeST will ensure the implementation of the common strategy through the launch of demonstrative and innovative initiatives designed to: promote the quality network and the common brand; stimulate the exchange of information among network members by means of a collaborative ICT platform; improve the use, at local and transnational levels, of new routes and best practices; raise awareness regarding the development of quality and sustainable tourism.

Main project objectives to be realized are:

Brand for the promotion of a quality sustainable tourism
Public-private transnational network in the tourism sector
Common Strategy and ​Action Plan for the development of quality in sustainable tourism
QNeST digital system of transnational cooperation for sustainable quality tourism
– New fruition of quality tourist routes

Project Action Plan and main outputs

Co-designed QNeST Strategy and Pilot Action for a transnational network (WPT1)

  • Establishment of the model for quality tourism in cultural and traditional heritage, the Mediterranean diet, sustainable environment, accessibility and social well-being
  • Execution of baseline studies and identification of best practices in sustainable tourism
  • Participative workshops for the launch of a transnational strategy and an action plan in the quality tourism sector

Quality Brand, Common awareness and Network on Sustainable Tourism in the Adriatic-Ionian Region (WPT2)

  • Training in sustainable quality tourism for private and public stakeholders
  • Creation of a QNeST Brand and launch of a transnational quality network
  • Transfer of Brand to private stakeholders adopting tourist solutions based on the promotion of cultural and traditional heritage, the Mediterranean diet, environmental sustainability, accessibility and social well-being

Demonstration initiatives for pilot routes and sustainable fruition (WPT3)

  • Creation of a collaborative and promotional digital platform of the quality network
  • Launch and use of co-designed Adriatic-Ionian Itineraries and routes in the fields of Sustainable Quality Tourism

Communication (WPC)                                                                                

  • Organization of local and transnational events and quality tourism fairs
  • Promotion and dissemination through multimedia and social network campaigns