Western Silk RoadRoadmapThis project is co-funded by the European Union $protocol:/e-unwto/doi/book/10.18111/9789284419494 - Friday, August 02, 2019 11:44:53 PM - IP Address:49.80.172.117 $protocol:/e-unwto/doi/book/10.18111/9789284419494 - Friday, August 02, 2019 11:44:53 PM - IP Address:49.80.172.117 Western Silk Road RoadmapCo-funded by the COSME programme of the European UnionPublication prepared in the framework of the cooperation between UNWTO and the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) of the European Commission (Grant Agreement SI2.729496) with the funding from the European Unions COSME Programme (20142020).$protocol:/e-unwto/doi/book/10.18111/9789284419494 - Friday, August 02, 2019 11:44:53 PM - IP Address:49.80.172.117 Western Silk Road Roadmap2Table of contentsForeword 4About this roadmap 6Chapter 1 Introduction 101.1 What is the Western Silk Road Tourism Development initiative? 121.2 What is the Western Silk Road? 141.3 Objectives 161.4 Vision 181.5 Western Silk Road Map 191.6 Key stakeholders 20Chapter 2 Western Silk Road research 222.1 Western Silk Road SWOT-analysis 252.2 Western Silk Road research instruments and current activities 302.2.1 Western Silk Road Tourism Academic Network 302.2.2 European Interdisciplinary Silk Road Tourism Centre 312.2.3 Western Silk Road University Challenge 31$protocol:/e-unwto/doi/book/10.18111/9789284419494 - Friday, August 02, 2019 11:44:53 PM - IP Address:49.80.172.117 Table of contents 32.3 Your role join us and contribute to the Western Silk Road research effort 322.3.1 Guidelines Western Silk Road SWOT-analyses on the national, regional and local level 322.3.2 Guidelines Western Silk Road focus group discussions 33Chapter 3 Untold Western Silk Road stories 343.1 Armenia and the Silk Road 363.2 Bulgaria and the Silk Road 383.3 Greece and the Silk Road 413.4 Italy and the Silk Road 443.5 Spain and the Silk Road 463.6 Turkey and the Silk Road 483.7 Expanding the scope of the Silk Road: the Vikings 503.8 Expanding the scope of the Silk Road: The Russian Federation 52Chapter 4 Western Silk Road Capacity Building 544.1 Western Silk Road Working Group 574.2 Western Silk Road Events and Heritage Map 584.3 Western Silk Road Capacity Building Workshops 604.3.1 1st International Western Silk Road Workshop 604.3.2 2nd International Western Silk Road Workshop 614.4 Moving forward: future areas of work 63Chapter 5 International framework and tourism trends 665.1 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 685.2 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 (IY2017) 695.3 European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 705.4 The Belt and Road Initiative 71$protocol:/e-unwto/doi/book/10.18111/9789284419494 - Friday, August 02, 2019 11:44:53 PM - IP Address:49.80.172.117 Western Silk Road RoadmapForewordThe Silk Road, the first global trade route in history, had a scope and importance far greater than the simple exchange of goods. The interconnected routes served as a vehicle for the fruitful exchange of arts, religion, cultures, ideas and technology.In the present day, and building upon a natural and cultural wealth spanning thousands of years, we are in a position to revive a route capable of transforming the way we think about and relate to travel. The Western Silk Road Tourism Development initiative, a joint project between UNWTO and the European Union, offers participating destinations the opportunity to realize such a commendable goal. The Silk Road initiative is increasingly attracting international attention, mainly due to the hard work of tourism stakeholders on the ground who, understanding the value of joint cooperation, have together made advances in areas such as marketing, transnational product development and travel facilitation. In connecting east and west through inclusive discourses, internalizing sustainable tourism practices within and between regions, safeguarding natural and cultural heritage through local engagement and participation, and seeking to strengthen tourism innovation and good practices, important steps are being made towards establishing the Silk Road as an internationally renowned, seamless travel experience.Confident of the immense opportunities for peace, prosperity and long-term sustainability that can arise from interregional cooperation on the Silk Road initiative, I would like to conclude with a message to all tourism stakeholders: let us work together in order to enliven the spirit of one of the most important tourism routes in history.Zurab PololikashviliSecretary-General, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)4$protocol:/e-unwto/doi/book/10.18111/9789284419494 - Friday, August 02, 2019 11:44:53 PM - IP Address:49.80.172.117 Foreword 5$protocol:/e-unwto/doi/book/10.18111/9789284419494 - Friday, August 02, 2019 11:44:53 PM - IP Address:49.80.172.117 Western Silk Road RoadmapAbout this roadmapThe Western Silk Road Roadmap has two main purposes: First, to provide interested tourism stakeholders with an overview of what has been achieved since the Western Silk Road Tourism Development initiative was launched in 2016, and second, to guide the development of future tourism activities linked to this project.Recognizing the tourism potential of Silk Road heritage scattered throughout Europe and its close vicinity, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG Grow) of the European Commission (EC), agreed to work together to explore and make the most of the available potential. During the project implementation period, an exploratory Western Silk Road research, the first of its kind, was developed from which two capacity building workshops evolved. Of didactic nature and practical structure, this roadmap summarizes the main findings of the research and the two workshops, and aims to close existing capacity building gaps among participating stakeholders by laying forth a common tourism development plan. Compared to when the project commenced, the partners now have a much better understanding of the value of transnational collaboration and of the work that needs to be jointly addressed in order to overcome some of the main challenges identified, which are:11 In this context see also: World Tourism Organization and European Travel Commission (2017), Handbook on Marketing Transnational Tourism Themes and Routes, UNWTO, Madrid.6$protocol:/e-unwto/doi/book/10.18111/9789284419494 - Friday, August 02, 2019 11:44:53 PM - IP Address:49.80.172.117 About this roadmap Lack of awareness about Western Silk Road heritage:With very few exceptions, pre-existing information on European heritage linked to and branded as part of the Silk Road was scarce and, if at all available, isolated in its local approach and dimension. Prior to the Western Silk Road research, the potential and possibility of transnationally linking available heritage received little attention. The research has been successful in raising awareness on the tourism potential of the European Silk Road, whereas the workshops proved necessary in discussing and agreeing upon common objectives and an overall vision for the Western Silk Road. The roadmap, by uniting all these elements an overall vision, objectives and a description of the key areas of work, will allow for a common course of action and ensure the long-term sustainability of the project. Lack of research focused on Western Silk Road heritage:Initial difficulties to mobilise stakeholders to participate in the research led UNWTO to devise and implement additional tools, such as engaging universities through analytical research papers (SWOT-analyses), engaging destinations (on a national, regional and local level) through focus groups, and by collecting additional data through telephone and personal interviews. As the workshops brought to light, destinations and universities are eager to continue to produce much needed research information. Moreover, the project partners now understand the value of the project and are committed to work on a collaborative basis. The roadmap contains research guidelines aimed at supporting such a collaborative spirit. Coordinated stakeholder approach toward common initiatives:The continued input, endorsement and participation of Western Silk Road stakeholders will ensure the long-term success of the Western Silk Road project. Formerly limited by little reciprocal awareness and a missing platform to collaborate, the workshops played an important role in creating a sense of unity. Supported by the establishment of a Western Silk Road Working Group, the roadmap presents a way forward in terms of future management and project growth.7$protocol:/e-unwto/doi/book/10.18111/9789284419494 - Friday, August 02, 2019 11:44:53 PM - IP Address:49.80.172.117 Western Silk Road Roadmap8In line with the situation described above, the roadmap is divided into three principal areas or chapters. The first chapter provides the reader with an overall introduction: overall questions as to what the Western Silk Road and the Western Silk Road Tourism Development initiative is, are followed by an outline of the main areas of work, the projects central objectives, the overall vision and the presentation of the main stakeholders involved.The second chapter is focused on the academic research sustaining the Western Silk Road project. A summary of the main results of the Western Silk Road research is provided together with an outline of research activities currently taking place. Two sub-chapters, one focused on how to individually contribute to the research effort and a second presenting the Silk Road heritage of individual destinations, close the area dedicated to academically assessing the Western Silk Road.Based on the research, the third chapter discusses the capacity building aspects of the Western Silk Road. The Western Silk Road Working Group is presented, and a brief summary of the two capacity building workshops are also contained therein. The chapter closes with an assessment of potential future areas of work.To close this roadmap, a brief recount of current global trends shaping the tourism industry, together with brief information on the project partners. $protocol:/e-unwto/doi/book/10.18111/9789284419494 - Friday, August 02, 2019 11:44:53 PM - IP Address:49.80.172.117