The project ENSEMBLE kicks off from Iseo

ENSEMBLE (Europe as a Nation for Sustainability, Equality, Mobility, Better Life and Environment) – the project on sustainable tourism, which was awarded a European grant of 310,000 euros through the call for Network of Towns in the CERV program (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) – kicks off from Iseo.

The initiative – promoted by the association nEUlakes, chaired by the president of Visit Lake Iseo Riccardo Venchiarutti, together with the Mayor of Manzanares El Real Luis Labrador Vioque as vice-president – aims to develop tourism, addressing global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity safeguard and sustainable mobility promotion. Among the main objectives of the project is the exploration of alternative forms of sustainable tourism to counteract overtourism, with particular attention to cycle tourism and walking trails.

The first event is set on Lake Iseo, from the 19th to the 22nd of February, with the participation of the institutional representatives of the five partners (Manzanares El Real, Spain; Imatra, Finland; Skt. Gilgen, Austria; Bohinj, Slovenia e Lake Iseo, Italy – the project leader) and it will feature a mix of institutional moments and visits to discover the territory and its beauties.

During the event, new members will be officially welcomed into the association: Le Bourget-du-Lac, a French municipality located near Lake Le Bourget in the Savoy region, and Skradin, a Croatian town located along the river Cherca, a hundred kilometers from Split, which is known for the nearby waterfalls.

On Wednesday, February 21st, from 10 to 12, there will be a meeting for local stakeholders dedicated to the topics of sustainable development, slow mobility, bike paths and walking trails. Among the speakers, Professor Roberto Savona from the University of Brescia, the Mayor of Le Bourget-du-Lac Nicolas Mercat, and the manager of Outdooractive Italy Norbert Kofler. Main topic: cycle tourism and walking trails, already at the top of the selection criteria for tourist destinations. In Italy alone in 2022, according to a study by ENIT, cycle tourism was linked to 33 million presences, registering a doubling in the three-year period 2019-2022, as highlighted in the report “Viaggiare con la bici 2023” (Traveling by bike 2023) by Isnart-Unioncamere.