The problem

Understanding the impact of tourism and maximising the economic advantages it brings are challenging issues facing decision-makers in small and medium-sized European towns. Making the most of cultural tourism can be a way to foster urban revivals, as well as to improve the quality of the city environment and the lives of local people. To achieve good results, careful management is required, practitioners in this field currently lack the tools to do the job effectively.

Overview:

PICTURE will develop a strategic urban governance framework for the sustainable management of tourism in small and medium-sized European cities. The framework aims to:

• Ensure the conservation and enhancement of historic or popular buildings
• Improve the quality of life for city dwellers
• Assess the effects of tourism on the social, environmental and economic health of cities
• Identify and benchmark existing innovative schemes for the sustainable development of tourism
• Give local authorities and decision-makers the tools to assess tourism’s impact

Contribution to policy development:

PICTURE will:

• Strengthen the ability of the tourism sector to plan actions and strategies
• Help town planners to gauge the value of their cultural heritage and develop its use in a sustainable fashion
• Offer accurate ways of monitoring the economic and social impact of tourism policies

Project deliverables

• Series of reports on the effects of cultural tourism – July 2005 to March 2006
• Final version of the strategic urban governance framework for cultural tourism – February 2007
• Final plan for using and disseminating knowledge gained through the project – February 2007

Dissemination

• PICTURE website to be uploaded with results of the projects – February 2007
• Produce leaflets outlining PICTURE’s aims and objectives – May 2004 – and results – May 2007
• Online technical advice manual – throughout project
• Guidelines for practitioners, such as planners, policy makers, tourism professionals –
  end of each year
• International workshop, seminars and publications – August 2006

Technical information

Project acronym: PICTURE
Project’s official full title: Pro-active management of the Impact of Cultural Tourism upon Urban
Resources and Economies
Research priority: The protection of cultural heritage and associated conservation strategies
Specific webpage: http://www.pictureproject.net/
Proposal/contract no: 502491
Start date: 1/02/2004
Kick off meeting: February 2004
Completion date: 1/02/2007
European Commission scientific officer: Michel Chapuis (michel.chapuis@ec.europa.eu)

Coordinator:
Name: Université de Liège
Abbreviated Name: LEMA
Address: Department of Architecture and Urban Studies - Chemin de Chevreuils, (Bât. B52)- Sart Tilman, 4000-Liege
Country: Belgium
Tel: +32 4 366 21 11
Website: www.ulg.ac.be/

Partners

Name: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmBH
Abbreviated Name: ITAS
Country: Germany

Name: Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Academy of the Sciences of the Czech Republic
Abbreviated Name: ITAM
Country: Czech Republic

Name: Queen’s University Belfast
Abbreviated Name: QUB-ARCH
Country: United Kingdom

Name: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Abbreviated Name: UAM
Country: Spain

Name: Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei
Abbreviated Name: FEEM
Country: Italy

Name: European Institute of Cultural Routes
Abbreviated Name: EICR
Country: Luxembourg

Name: City of Bergen
Abbreviated Name: OWHC
Country: Norway

Name: Council of Syracuse
Abbreviated Name: SYR
Country: Italy

Name: Conseil d’architecture, d’urbanisme et d’environnement de l’Oise
Abbreviated Name: CAUE
Country: France

Name: Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England
Abbreviated Name: EH
Country: United Kingdom

Name: C.O.C Conseil
Abbreviated Name: COC
Country: France