On Thursday, April 4, and Friday, April 5, 2024, the Third Project Meeting of the SusTour initiative—titled “Joint e-course on Sustainable Management of Tourism Destinations” and funded by Erasmus+ under the KA220-HED framework—was successfully conducted in Corfu. The two-day event was hosted by the Ionian University and took place in two locations: the Senate Hall at the Ionian Academy (home to the Rectorate of the Ionian University) and the Meeting Room of the Department of History and the Department of Archival, Librarianship, and Museology at the Ionian University (72 Ioanni Theotokis Street).
On the first day of the meeting, Thursday, April 4, discussions centered on the progress of the project’s implementation. The event commenced with a brief welcome address by Professor Christina Beneki, Vice Rector for Research and Development at the Ionian University and a member of the project team. The first session was dedicated to an in-depth examination of the third work package (WP3), with a particular focus on the research conducted in three partner countries by three universities to identify existing curricula or courses related to sustainable tourism and tourism destination management. Additionally, the methodology for developing a unified 100-hour online course—set to be delivered at Sapienza University of Rome, the University of Granada, and the Ionian University—was presented. Finally, a comprehensive discussion was held on the upcoming activities under the fourth work package (WP4), including the scheduling of the pilot course across the three universities and the planning of the fourth working meeting, which will coincide with the third dissemination event in Granada in early July 2024.
On Friday, April 5, discussions focused on administrative, procedural, and financial matters related to the first work package (WP1). Promotional and communication strategies under the fifth work package (WP5) were also reviewed. Following the conclusion of the two-day working sessions, the Second Hybrid Open Publicity Action (Multiplier Event) took place in the afternoon. This event was attended by a hybrid audience of stakeholders relevant to the project’s theme. The keynote speaker was Professor Konstantinos Andriotis from Middlesex University of London, a distinguished academic specializing in Tourism Policy. Additional presentations were delivered by:
a) Dr. Luca Reitano, Project Manager, Sapienza University of Rome
b) Mr. Spyridon Halikiopoulos, Deputy Mayor for Tourism, Sustainable Tourism Development & Public Relations, Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands
c) Assistant Professor Alkmini Gkritzali, Ionian University
d) Assistant Professor Ioannis Poulios, Ionian University
Furthermore, brief contributions were made by:
a) Associate Professor Fernando Martinez de Carnero Calzada, Scientific Manager of the Project, Sapienza University of Rome
b) Professor Simona Perone, Sapienza University of Rome
c) Mr. Angelos Koskinas, Assistant Head of the Ionian Islands Regional Directorate, Ministry of Tourism
The project meeting was attended both in person and remotely by representatives from all project partners. The consortium comprises the following institutions:
a) Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza – Coordinator (Italy)
b) Euricon EPE (Greece)
c) Universidad de Granada (Spain)
d) Ionian University (Greece)
e) CNA - Confederazione Nazionale dell’Artigianato e della Piccola e Media Impresa (Italy)
f) Cámara de Comercio de Granada (Spain)
The Ionian University participates in the SusTour project through its Department of Tourism, with Assistant Professor Naoum Mylonas serving as the scientific coordinator.
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