On 20 January 2021, the Libertas International University in Zagreb organised the final conference of the project ArhKonTur – Archaeological Conceptual Tourism Guiding, which focusses on educating tourist guides specialized for archaeological sites in Croatia. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the conference was held online.

During the conference, results of the project were presented and a discussion on cultural and archaeological tourism was held concerning post COVID-19 strategies and the interpretation of archaeological sites as part of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.

The topic of archaeological sites as part of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe was addressed in a keynote speech by Mr Stefano DOMINIONI, Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA) and Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes. His intervention was followed by a presentation on the “EUSAIR (EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region) as a model of cooperation in the region” by Ms Senka DANIEL, Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sport. The session was completed by presentations of best practice examples by experts form routes within the region. Mr Ramon Montes BARQUIN, Prehistoric Rock Art Trails; Mr Hrvoje POTREBICA, Iron Age Danube Route (candidate for certification 2020-2021) and Mr Antonio BAROONE, Phoenician’s Route, presented their outstanding initiatives and projects.

The ArhKonTur project addresses the issues of cultural and archaeological tourism, with a special focus on heritage sustainability as well as social sustainability in Croatia. Its target group are unemployed archaeologists, language teachers, journalists etc. aged under 25 or above 55. The result of the project will be a specific training model and manual to increase competences in the archaeological and tourism sector.

Find out more on the ArhKonTur project on the website of Libertas University.

A video of the conference is available on YouTube.