Who are the main knowledge providers?

At the core of the EUROPETOUR initiative are five European networks with a proven track record of developing and improving the relationship between culture, tourism and heritage:

Cultural tourism network “kira” in Baden württemberg, germany

KIRA is a cultural tourism network in the rural northern parts of the German state Baden-Württemberg. Its stakeholders work in tourism, culture, the local economy and municipalities. Since 2011, the network provided qualification to 350 staff focusing on cooperation, product development, digital PR & marketing. One of its major outcomes were the first-ever publication of national guidelines for the use of social media in cultural tourism for rural municipalities. 

KIRA stands for regional development in its entire area and aims at empowering local people, small culture and tourism businesses as well as tourism agencies in order to achieve access to a wider range of visitors and markets. Cultural tourism is an attractive opportunity to generate local income by clever management of its historic facilities and treasures.

Find out more at the  KIRA network homepage.

Polish-german network “klosterland” in the border region of German brandenburg & polish Zachodniopomorskie

Everywhere in Europe, one stumbles upon mystical places of worship from the distant past. The diverse questions about their modern use are reflected in the diversity of the monasteries and the cultural and touristic activities they offer. Monasteries aren’t limited by their walls, they are a firmly rooted cultural and societal aspect of life. 
So as not to lose track and miss out on the best offers, the “Klosterland” network keeps visitors informed about the cultural highlights, museological happenings and the numerous fairs, festivals, guided tours, exhibitions and culinary events taking place within these medieval walls.

Find out more at the Klosterland network homepage.

moldavian churches network in BUcovina, romania

In the north of Romania, the very heart of the Carpathian Mountains, is a place where paradise is no longer lost: Bucovina. At the intersection of nature and history, every new day brings another wonder. Bucovina’s world famous monasteries are among its most fascinating features. They are gems from medieval times, and are among only a few in the world that have frescoes painted on the outside.

Bucovina Tourism Association is a professional association in the tourism sector. Its main goal is to promote Bucovina area as a tourism destination to national and international tourism markets. It is a non-governmental organisation, founded in 2001, and supported by the local tourism services providers, travel agencies, cultural institutions and local craftsmen.

Find out more at the Moldavian Churches network homepage.

creative tourism network “kreativ reisen österreich” in Austria

The network “Kreativ Reisen Österreich – Creative Tourism Austria” currently spans 50 members all across Austria, including single (crafts) businesses, regional cultural tourism networks and destination management companies. The organisation is set on developing creative cultural tourism, taking place mostly in rural areas and small towns of Austria. It does so by providing information & booking facilities for its members through their shared homepage, Social Media and blog activities, and offers consultancy and training to those interested in learning ever more.

Find out more at the Kreativ Reisen Austria homepage.

future for religious heritage network: The only European religious heritage network

Future for Religious Heritage (FRH) is a European-wide network which was set up in 2011 to promote, encourage and support the safeguard, maintenance, conservation, restoration, accessibility and the embellishment of places of worship, their contents and their history. FRH welcomes all faiths and is non-confessional. It represents and brings together more than 130 members consisting of religious heritage institutions, universities, NGOs, charities, governments and individuals from about 40 different countries. It works actively to connect with sectors that can help strengthen religious heritage conservation in modern society by building and supporting ground-breaking, multilateral and international partnerships. 

Find out more on the Future for Religious Heritage network homepage.