Promotion of Crafts and Gastronomy, as Relevant Components of the Cultural Heritage of the Carpathian Euroregion

Three universities and three business organizations have paired to propose an innovative approach in promoting the heritage and touristic potential of crafts and gastronomy in Hungary-Romania-Ukraine cross-border region. At a time of globalization and cultural uniformity, heritage and creativity of crafts and gastronomy are co-creators of regional identity. As such, they are perceived as strategic “spices”, seasoning tourism development. Positioned at the intersection of Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe, this area has recognizable cultural areas but, as in other parts of the world, immaterial heritage suffers from two syndromes: Dying Out of Traditional Crafts and Gastronomy, and Lack of Visibility. The solution is offering local producers access to markets, and tourism’ growth provides an excellent opportunity to this. As a vehicle for linking local producers with markets, we propose mapping a touristic cross-border cultural route on crafts and gastronomy. Innovative here is not the idea of a route, but that of backing it on a detailed anthropological analysis and then, targeting the special category of “cultural tourists”, through a very well targeted communication campaign (digital social environment, events). The anthropological analysis will highlight the common cultural heritage, helping perceive the region more as a common cultural area, than as a sum of local cultures. This will pave the way for the second step, where the thematic route will be a targeted instrument, promoting the region not as a list of destinations, but as a common tourist destination. The increase of regional market’ volume of traditional products will provide employment and funds for heritage’ preservation, strengthening regional cooperation, bringing closer communities and thinning the dividing lines between the three countries. During implementation we intend to inform at least 20.000 persons about the project activities (mainly about the route), with an overall reach of 500.000.