CULTURALITY contributes to international debate on heritage and tourism in Aix-en-Provence
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On 31 January 2026, two members of the University of Oviedo team of the CULTURALITY project participated in the International Conference “New Challenges for Underwater Nature and Cultural Heritage Tourism during the Ocean Decade”, held in Aix-en-Provence, France. The conference brought together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to reflect on evolving models of cultural and nature-based tourism in the context of climate change, sustainability transitions and shifting relationships between communities and their own heritage.
CULTURALITY took part in the Special Session “Horizon Europe TOURAL”, organised within the cluster of Horizon Europe projects focused on tourism, cultural heritage and sustainable development. This session created a shared space to present ongoing research and exchange perspectives on how European-funded initiatives are rethinking tourism practices across different territories.
During the session, Ángel Antonio Rodríguez Martín, member of the University of Oviedo team, presented the paper “Touching the Land: Rural Craft as a Tool for Deep Experiential Tourism”, co-authored with a colleague as part of the project’s research activities. The presentation explored the concept of post-extractive tourism, an approach that moves beyond models based primarily on consumption and resource exploitation, instead foregrounding care, reciprocity and meaningful engagement with the landscape. Drawing on CULTURALITY’s work with rural artisans, the paper argued that craft practices can foster forms of deep experiential tourism rooted in first-hand material knowledge, local identity and long-term territorial resilience.
In addition to the paper presentation, the team also presented a poster entitled “CULTURALITY: Craft-Based Approaches to Rural Resilience”, offering an overview of the project’s objectives, methodology and territorial focus. The poster was primarily designed by Enrique Meléndez Galán, member of the University of Oviedo team. Lucía Pérez Fernández attended the conference as the poster representative and joined the discussion following the session, engaging with participants and responding to questions about the project’s framework and ongoing activities.
The conference provided an important opportunity to situate CULTURALITY’s research within broader international conversations on heritage, sustainability and tourism innovation. It also reinforced the value of collaborative spaces such as the TOURAL cluster in strengthening connections between sister projects. These exchanges are continuing to develop productively, with further joint dissemination activities and events already being planned.
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https://unescochair-mca.org/international-conference-new-challenges-for-uw-nature-and-cultural-heritage-tourism-during-the-ocean-decade/
