The ULTREIA_Sudoe project is a European initiative that seeks to revitalise the rural areas of south-west Europe through the enhancement of the Pilgrims’ Roads to Santiago de Compostela. Funded by the Interreg Sudoe programme, the project will run from 2024 to 2026, with a total budget of 1,407,300 euros, of which 75% comes from ERDF funds.
Main objectives
ULTREIA_Sudoe aims to boost inland tourism and activate rural areas through the enhancement of natural and cultural resources, especially agri-food traditions and crafts, linked to the Pilgrims’ Roads to Santiago. The objective is to generate a shared strategy for the enhancement of natural and cultural material and immaterial resources on the Pilgrims’ Routes to Santiago, as well as the productive capacity for crafts, creativity and agri-food production, in order to bring them closer to tourists and pilgrims and guarantee respectful, conscious and authentic tourism and sustainable economic and social development.
Planned actions
To achieve these objectives, the project will implement various actions:
Diagnosis and design of transnational strategy: An analysis of needs, risks and opportunities linked to the Pilgrims’ Routes to Santiago will be carried out to define common lines of action for the socio-economic development of the area.
Development of digital tools: Geolocalised databases and flow management systems will be created to support the management of the Pilgrims’ Routes to Santiago.
Implementation of pilot actions: Hubs of dynamisation of the Routes of Santiago and Stops on the Way will be established to promote the diversity of local production and the digital transformation of the pilgrim and tourist experience.
Transnational collaboration
- The project involves several entities from Spain, France and Portugal, including:
- Fundación Camino Lebaniego (Spain)
- Fundación Santa María la Real (Spain)
- Agence française des chemins de Compostelle (France)
- Município de Vila Pouca de Aguiar (Portugal)
- Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (Portugal)
This collaboration seeks to ensure the sustainability of the project and keep the cooperation between the entities involved alive beyond its completion in 2026.
In short, ULTREIA_Sudoe is an ambitious project that aims to revive inland tourism and revitalise the rural areas of south-western Europe through the enhancement of the Pilgrims’ Roads to Santiago, promoting sustainable economic and social development in these territories.
