• Name: ITINEREM, Historical Route of the Great Country Houses of the Mediterranean Sea
  • Institution: Asociación Cultural Patrimonio Histórico del Mediterráneo
  • Address: Damas Calvet, 2, 2º - E07011 - Palma – Islas Baleares, Spain
  • Contact: Diego Zaforteza mail: dzaforteza@itinerem.com phone: 00-34-672.394.431
  • Sustainable initiative kick-off: 2015
  • Goals: The aim of this project is to provide a model for other EU countries to follow through the promotion of the historical and cultural heritage found in old country houses and rural establishments around Europe. To be awarded the Cultural Route of the Council of Europe certificate.
  • Features: Management, co-ordination and development of the Historical Route of the Great Country Houses of the Mediterranean Sea as a tourist product. Enhancing cultural and natural heritage through a distribution of sustainable products and services in order to be self-financed in the short term
  • Results: Regarding ITINEREM three axes, the following results can be highlighted:
    1) The following actions have been carried out in the citizen participation program:
    1a) Implementation of training programs in schools such as La Salle Manacor School. There are also pre-agreements with other four schools in Mallorca. In addition, a proposal for intergenerational exchange have been presented has been submitted to the Ajuntament de Manacor related to the possessions
    1b) Cultural training programs for adults.
    1c) Organization of activities to promote rural heritage among residents of Mallorca.
    2) After the development of dissemination events in town halls and associations, the University of the Balearic Islands, the Confederation of Business Associations of the Balearic Islands, the Social Work of the Caixa de Balears Foundation "Sa Nostra" and the Cluster of Technological Innovation in Tourism of the Balearic Islands.
    3) A joint offer of sustainable products and services for residents in a first phase has been developed. In a second phase it will be prepared addressed to tourists.

Projects and Actions:

  1. Citizen participation program. The objective of this program is to promote cultural education and put in value the tangible and intangible heritage represented in Mallorca with the “possessions” (historic rural houses), which characterize Mallorca as a Mediterranean rural society. This training is addressed to Mallorca citizens and includes actions to recover the intangible heritage through generational exchange activities in which the elderly share with their children and grandchildren the inherited traditional knowledge.
  2. Awareness program to strengthen cultural tourism network.  Campaign to promote the integration of new members into the project both the owners of the historical rural houses as key actors as professionals, companies and town halls. The objective of this action is to encourage among residents of Mallorca the idea that their possessions are their main tangible and intangible assets.
  3. Cultural tourism: Elaboration of a joint offer of cultural tourism products and services, including experiences between tourists who visit us and the local population (workshops in the field and animal husbandry, activities related to traditional culture, activities gastronomic, etc.).

Future Projects:

Among the future projects forseen, we can highlight the following: A) Program to enhance the value of memory, history and European heritage. B) Cooperation program in research, development and innovation (R + D + I). C) Program of cultural and educational exchanges aimed at young Europeans. D) Program of contemporary cultural and artistic practices. E) Sustainable cultural tourism development program.

Certifications and Awards:

I) Finalist in the CAEB Business Innovation Awards. II) Banco Santander Award 2016. III) Prize for the best Cultural Route 2017 selected by the users of the TURINEA web portal delivered in FITUR 2018

Country: Spain