Altea will develop four pilot actions through the European Footprints project to reduce tourism’s carbon footprint and improve connections between neighbourhoods divided by the railway tracks.
The Casa de Cultura hosted a study visit by the programme’s partners on 27 and 28 October, with the Italian city of Ravenna leading the project.
Altea is taking part alongside Veszprém in Hungary and Dubrovnik in Croatia as one of three cities chosen to adapt solutions tested in Ravenna to their own local circumstances.
Four trials focusing on mobility and data
The first action will raise public awareness of the railway’s effects on mobility, safety and the way people live alongside one another.
The second will identify specific improvements to overcome that barrier and connect neighbourhoods more effectively, while the third will coordinate the town’s different European projects.
The fourth involves improving an existing app to measure visitor numbers in places such as the plaza de la Iglesia and recommend visiting times, routes and outlying car parks.
The approach combines a more balanced distribution of visits with mobility alternatives and the search for tourism that has less impact on everyday life in the town.
The railway at the centre of discussions
European Projects councillor Germán Manjón linked the work to the intention to request a tram-style transformation of the railway that would lessen its impact and make it easier for people to move around.
This continues municipal work carried out under the URBACT programme.
Representatives from Invat·tur and Turisme Comunitat Valenciana also took part in the opening day, with Tourism students from IES Bellaguarda among the audience.
During the meeting, partners and experts walked around the railway, Altea de Dalt and the plaza de la Iglesia to identify problems and opportunities for a future green and social corridor.
The second day was used to share each city’s progress, establish the next steps and explore local heritage.
EuroAltea, the council’s European Projects Office, coordinates the town’s participation; the partners will continue working over the coming months through online meetings and sessions exploring the issues in greater depth.
Footprints is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the European Urban Initiative.
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