The project “QNeST – Quality Network on Sustainable Tourism” aims to valorise the common and quality features of the cultural, traditional and environmental heritage of the Adriatic-Ionian area. Through the realization of a transnational model of participative interaction between private and public stakeholders such as local and traditional operators, tour ism service providers, craftsmen, sectorial experts, local communities, institutions and cultural, social and environmental associations, the project will contribute to: improve and spread a common awareness on quality and sustainable tourism among different types of actors in Adriatic Ionian area; manage the local seasonality demand of tourism through the design and implementation of joint de-seasonal solutions; valorise the less well-known destinations through the fruition of new and updated routes between coastal areas and hinterland; facilitate the start-up and enhancement of tourist services through the promotion of joint marketing activities and the exchange of good practices at local and transnational levels.

In order to reach its objectives, QNeST project foresees the launch of an Adriatic-Ionian vision and strategy for the development of new quality tourist solutions, based on co-design processes between key-stakeholders at local and joint levels and on the capitalization of existing good practices related to the most interesting features of a sustainable tourism.

Paying attention on the abilities to preserve and promote the cultural heritage mainly linked to traditional crafts, to carry out environmental sustainable initiatives, to promote and enhance food traditions on Mediterranean Diet and to strengthen the development of accessible services, QNeST project will launch a common brand, representative of quality standards for a sustainable tourism, and will stimulate the creation and the promotion of a quality network of Adriatic Ionian actors and economic operators, active or indirectly linked with the tourism sector.

Finally, QNeST will ensure the implementation of the common strategy through the launch of demonstrative and innovative initiatives able to: promote the quality network and the common brand; stimulate the exchange of information among the network members also through a collaborative ICT platform; improve the fruition, at local and transnational levels, of new routes and best practices, evocative of a common awareness for the development of a qualitative and sustainable tourism.