NECSTouR Working Group Leader on Cultural Tourism - Mr José Luis Maestro, Galicia Region - presented the Barcelona Declaration "Better Places to Live, Better Places to Visit", as a good example on how to balance Tourism and Cultural Heritage preservation.

The intervention of Mr Maestro was part of the 3rd International Conference on Tourism and History (IIIT&H 2019) who has been organised in Faro (Portugal) and Caxias do Sul (Brazil), on the 28th and 29th of March 2019.

The conference was aimed to reflect on the relationship between Tourism and History based on the touristic use of cultural heritage (tangible and intangible) of the countries pertaining to the Hibero-American space, emphasizing the cultural heritage classified by UNESCO as “World Heritage”.

The NECSTouR example presented by Mr Maestro was the Barcelona Declaration "Better Places to Live, Better Places to Visit", launched in Barcelona last month of April, in the framework of the European Year for Cultural Heritage 2018.

"Better Places to Live, Better Places to Visit". As Mr Maestro had the opportunity to present during his presentation, the Declaration seeks to demonstrate what tourism and cultural heritage sectors can achieve by working more closely together, for the benefit of European citizens and cultural heritage as well as businesses, visitors and destinations.

Balance Culture and Tourism. Together with the main European organisation of both sectors - Europa Nostra, the European Travel Commission and the European Cultural Tourism Network, with the support of the European Heritage Alliance 3.3. -  the Declaration assumes a collective commitment towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), summarised in five key-principles:

• 1. Smart and Inclusive Governance: “What is good for residents is good for visitors”
• 2. Adding Value to the Sense of Place: “Residents are part of the cultural / tourism experience and the best ambassadors of their territory and identity”
• 3. Using a Holistic Vision for Marketing and Preservation: “Promote hidden cultural heritage while being prudent in promoting overexposed ones”
• 4. Balancing Place, People and Business: “Better measure to better manage “
• 4. Connecting People to People: “Citizens' and Visitor’s' search for new and transformative Experiences"

Call for support. As reminded by Mr Maestro, this Declaration aims to remain an open initiative, welcoming all stakeholders willing to engage with this commitment. Join the initiative here

Other initiatives presented by Mr Maestro were the Cultural routes of the Council of Europe and the future developments of the Camino de Santiago.