The main objective of the project was to promote and strengthen youth employability in the tourism sector, providing them with concrete professional opportunities after the pandemic. It aimed to transform young people into active actors in their territories by training them as promoters and guardians of local cultural and natural heritage through the development of sustainable tourism activities. In this perspective, the project sought to enhance young people’s knowledge of European heritage and raise their awareness of its value, while motivating them—particularly those living in rural or remote areas—to consider a career in the tourism sector. It equipped them with the skills necessary to act as local guides within a non-formal learning framework. Furthermore, Ecoroutes aimed to promote a culture of sustainable tourism, based on respect for the environment, the valorization of local cultures, and support for local economic actors. Through this approach, the project also sought to stimulate economic activity in rural areas by creating synergies with small businesses and local stakeholders in the tourism sector.
We applied for this project to address a situation that remained concerning after the COVID-19 pandemic, marked by youth unemployment and the precariousness of their professional integration. Although unemployment rates had slightly decreased, in 2022, at the time of writing the project, many young people were still experiencing the socio-economic consequences of the health crisis, with limited access to stable employment, mostly restricted to temporary contracts with low wages. In this context, it was necessary to strengthen youth employability, particularly in rural or remote areas. The tourism sector represented a relevant opportunity, offering employment possibilities and the development of transferable skills. However, the sector was increasingly oriented towards mass tourism, with negative impacts on the environment and local communities. Through the Ecoroutes project, we aimed both to promote youth employment after the pandemic and to encourage sustainable tourism, by training young people as local guides capable of responsibly promoting the natural and cultural heritage of their territories.