Capacity Building - Pafos, Cyprus

On June 17, 2024, a capacity building event for the SMARTIES for SMEs project took place in Pafos, Cyprus, hosted at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry conference room. 

The event began with an introduction to the SMARTIES project by Nicolas Tsifoutis from the Pafos Regional Board of Tourism. This session provided an overview of the project's objectives and goals, setting the stage for the day's activities. 

Following the introduction, a focus group discussion and questionnaire session was led by Ksenija Keča and Vlasta Klaric of Libertas International University. Participants engaged in meaningful discussions, sharing insights and experiences related to sustainability, digitalization, and regenerative tourism. 

After a brief coffee break, the event resumed with a presentation by Antonio Barone, Director of The Phoenicians’ Route - Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. He introduced the SMARTIES Capacity Building activity and elaborated on the five key thematic areas: regenerative tourism, innovation in the culture and tourism sectors, and the green transition. Emanuela Panke, an external expert from The Phoenicians’ Route - Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, concluded the session with a presentation on leveraging wine and gastronomy tourism for sustainability. 

The event provided a platform for stakeholders to explore innovative ideas and collaborative approaches, laying the groundwork for future initiatives aimed at enhancing the sustainability and competitiveness of tourism SMEs in the Mediterranean region.