On 3rd July, the Europeana Communicators Community hosted a thought-provoking webinar titled “Cultural Heritage and Tourism in a Digital Sandbox: Can Our Sectors Just Get Along?”– part of a dedicated series exploring the intersections of culture and tourism. The event brought together around 40 professionals and experts from across Europe to reflect on the evolving relationship between the two sectors in the context of digital transformation.
Europeana, the EU’s flagship digital platform for cultural heritage, provides access to millions of digitised items from museums, archives, libraries, and galleries across Europe. It plays a key role in promoting cultural heritage as a driver for education, innovation, and tourism, and supports professionals working at the intersection of these fields.
The webinar explored how cultural heritage and tourism, long overlapping but often siloed, are now converging more meaningfully through digital innovation. Speakers stressed the importance of moving beyond mutual suspicion and embracing collaboration. With shared goals – engagement, storytelling, and sustainability – the sectors can amplify one another’s impact when they work in harmony.
Elena Dubinina, representing the European Association of the Via Francigena Ways (EAVF), shared practical insights from the ongoing EU projects. She presented the HIKE project, which takes a holistic approach by linking cultural heritage to physical activity and public health. Through scientifically grounded tools such as wellbeing questionnaires and health measurements, HIKE contributes to research on the health benefits of walking cultural routes. The project also fosters inclusivity and accessibility, making heritage experiences more engaging for diverse audiences.
Elena also introduced DETOUR, an SMP-funded project supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) along walking routes like the Via Francigena. DETOUR focuses on sustainability, digitalisation, and innovation – empowering local tourism actors to develop resilient, eco-conscious services and products. By doing so, it strengthens the link between local heritage and economic development.
The event concluded with a strong message: cultural heritage and tourism not only need each other – they can achieve remarkable things together. With trust, creativity, and the right digital tools, a more collaborative and impactful future is within reach.
Click here to watch the webinar.
