Romea Strata leads the new european project SMARTWAYS to enhance historic routes

The Romea Strata European Association (AERS) is thrilled to announce the kick-off of SMARTWAYS (Smart Cultural Heritage Resources for Destination Management along Historic Routes), a project designed to strengthen the digitalization enhancing the cultural heritage along historic pathways.

The one-year project is funded by the cascade funds of the Horizon Europe project Echoes, European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage (Grant Agreement No. 101157364) with the participation of AEVF Associazione Europea Vie Francigene, GVAM Guias Interactivas SL, ARGE Pilgern in Kärnten and  Turaida Museum Reserve.

Digital innovation for slow tourism

As Lead Partner, AERS will drive the implementation of SMARTWAYS with a clear objective: to digitalize the cultural heritage along specific sections of the Romea Strata and the Via Francigena. By making this data accessible, interoperable, and reusable, the initiative aims to stimulate sustainable and mindful cultural tourism while offering personalized experiences to both pilgrims and tourists.

The beating heart of the initiative is the immense data asset already developed within the previous project, rurAllure: thousands of geolocated points of interest rich in:

• in-depth historical information
• multimedia content
• thematic narratives
• references to both the tangible and intangible heritage of the regions crossed.

Open and accessible data: the FAIR principles

SMARTWAYS will transform this valuable dataset into an advanced digital resource, perfectly aligned with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and integrated with European standards for digital cultural heritage.

Through professional data processing by skilled technicians, the data will become easily accessible and reusable, ensuring its long-term availability across diverse platforms and creating a massive, publicly open digital library for:

• Destination managers,
• Travel designers and tour operators,
• Cultural institutions and digital platforms.

The Impact on the Territory. Through this enhancement process, SMARTWAYS will drive the creation of practical tools for pilgrims and tourists: interactive web maps, guided digital itineraries, and storytelling paths designed to accompany travelers on a journey of discovery through lesser-known places that are extraordinarily rich in history, culture, and identity.