INCULTUM · Project

Turning Overlooked Rural and Peripheral Areas into Profitable Cultural Tourism Destinations

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Imagine small towns and rural areas that tourists never visit — places with amazing history, food, and landscapes but no tourism strategy. INCULTUM ran 10 real-world pilots across Europe to figure out how local communities can turn their overlooked cultural and natural heritage into tourism income without ruining what makes the place special. They built IT tools to track visitor patterns and tested participatory models where locals decide how tourism works in their area. Think of it as a playbook for turning "middle of nowhere" into "hidden gem worth visiting."

By the numbers

Real-world pilot cases tested in living territories

Consortium partners involved

European countries represented

Industry partners in consortium

Project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Rural and peripheral areas across Europe sit on untapped cultural and natural heritage that could drive tourism income, but they lack the tools, data, and community engagement models to make it happen. Traditional tourism development is top-down and ignores local knowledge, leading to either overtourism in popular spots or zero visitors in hidden gems. Regions need tested, replicable approaches to build sustainable cultural tourism that benefits local economies without destroying what makes places unique.

The solution

What was built

INCULTUM produced 19 deliverables including tested participatory tourism models from 10 pilot sites, self-developed IT applications for tourism data analysis, machine-learning tools for tourism research, policy recommendations for sustainable cultural tourism, and the INCULTUM network designed for replication and multiplier effects across European peripheries.

Audience

Who needs this

Regional tourism boards managing destinations outside major citiesTravel-tech startups building platforms for rural or cultural tourismLocal authorities in peripheral areas seeking economic development through tourismCultural heritage organizations looking to monetize sites sustainablyEU Structural Fund managers seeking proven models for tourism investment

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Tourism & Hospitality

any

Target: Regional tourism agencies and destination management organizations

If you are a regional tourism agency struggling to attract visitors beyond your capital city — this project tested 10 pilot models across 10 European countries for developing cultural tourism in peripheral areas. INCULTUM created participatory tools and IT applications that help local communities co-design tourism experiences, giving you replicable blueprints for turning overlooked areas into viable destinations.

Travel Technology

SME

Target: Tourism platform developers and travel-tech startups

If you are a travel-tech company looking to expand into underserved rural and cultural tourism markets — INCULTUM developed self-built IT applications and machine-learning tools for analyzing tourism patterns in peripheral areas. These tools tap previously unused data sources to understand visitor behavior in places where traditional tourism data is scarce, tested across 10 pilot locations.

Regional Development & Public Sector

enterprise

Target: Local authorities and regional development agencies

If you are a local authority trying to generate economic activity in peripheral regions — INCULTUM tested bottom-up community engagement models across 10 pilots in 10 countries that turn residents into active tourism co-creators. The project identified specific drivers and barriers for success, plus policy recommendations for using Structural Funds to support sustainable cultural tourism development.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement INCULTUM's tourism development approach in our region?

The project data does not include specific implementation costs. However, INCULTUM was an Innovation Action with 15 consortium partners across 10 countries, and the project specifically addresses how Structural Funds can be leveraged for scaling. Contact the coordinator for cost estimates based on the 10 pilot experiences.

Has this been tested at scale or just in academic settings?

INCULTUM ran 10 real-world pilot cases in living territories and communities across Europe, making this well beyond academic theory. Each pilot co-created customized solutions with local communities and assessed outcomes for future full implementation and scaling up.

Who owns the IP — can we license the IT tools and methods?

The project was coordinated by Universidad de Granada with a 15-partner consortium. Based on available project data, INCULTUM developed self-built IT applications and machine-learning tools. IP ownership and licensing terms would need to be discussed with the consortium, likely under standard Horizon 2020 IP rules.

How does this comply with EU tourism and cultural heritage regulations?

INCULTUM was specifically designed to produce policy recommendations for sustainable cultural tourism. The project analyzed pre-conditions for scaling solutions and created recommendations aligned with EU Structural Funds requirements and sustainable development goals.

How long would it take to adapt this for our region?

The project ran from May 2021 to April 2024, producing tested models across 10 pilot locations. Based on available project data, the pilots identified both drivers and barriers for participatory tourism models, which means adaptation timelines depend on local conditions. The INCULTUM network deliverable was designed specifically for replication and multiplier effects.

Can this integrate with our existing destination management systems?

INCULTUM developed IT applications that exploit previously untapped data sources and combine them with official statistics. Based on available project data, the tools use advanced econometric methods and machine-learning, suggesting they can process standard tourism data formats. Integration specifics would require technical discussion with the consortium.

Consortium

Who built it

The INCULTUM consortium includes 15 partners from 10 countries (Albania, Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Slovakia), giving it broad European coverage. With 7 universities and 1 research organization providing academic depth, plus 2 industry partners and 5 other organizations (likely tourism agencies or NGOs), the mix is weighted toward research. The 13% industry ratio and only 2 SMEs suggest the commercial exploitation path will depend heavily on post-project partnerships. The coordinator, Universidad de Granada in Spain, is an academic institution — meaning a business looking to adopt these solutions would need to work through the university's technology transfer office or connect with the industry partners directly.

UNIVERSIDAD DE GRANADACoordinator · ES
PROMOTER SRLparticipant · IT
UPPSALA UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
UNIVERSITA DI PISAparticipant · IT
UNIVERZITA MATEJA BELA V BANSKEJ BYSTRICIparticipant · SK
COPENHAGEN BUSINESS SCHOOLparticipant · DK
SYDDANSK UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
UNIVERSIDADE DO ALGARVEparticipant · PT

How to reach the team

Universidad de Granada (Spain) — reach through university technology transfer office or project website contact form

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSIDAD DE GRANADA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the INCULTUM team to explore tourism development tools for your region? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction and help you navigate the available solutions.

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