Slow tourism is no longer just a travel experience – it has become a powerful tool for the regeneration of local areas. Increasingly, walkers and cyclists are choosing routes like the Lycian Way in search of authentic and sustainable experiences. In this context, local businesses offering hospitality, food services, bike assistance, and territory-based activities play a key role in welcoming travelers and enhancing the cultural and environmental value of the route.
According to recent data, over 70% of travelers want their travel spending to positively impact local communities. At the same time, demand is rising for eco-friendly accommodations, zero-kilometer products, and plastic-free initiatives. This presents a major opportunity for businesses along the route to stand out by offering services that are environmentally conscious and support the well-being of the regions they cross.
The need to experience authentic and conscious travel is reshaping the way people explore the world. According to the Travel & Sustainability Report by Booking.com (2025), 75% of travelers want to travel more sustainably, 73% want their spending to benefit the local community, 69% aim to leave places better than they found them, and, for the first time, more than half (53%) are aware of the impact tourism has on the environment and local communities.
Moving in this direction, CRS joined the EU project DETOUR, alongside other historic routes in Greece, Italy, and Bulgaria. DETOUR supports slow tourism enterprises in their green and digital transition, improving the quality of services offered to walkers and cyclists.
Along the Lycian Way, this means building a sustainable hospitality ecosystem, where each business becomes an active player in a tourism model that regenerates rather than consumes. A form of tourism that leaves places better than it found them.
To support businesses and service providers working for the benefit of walkers and cyclists, DETOUR offers tailored training opportunities, open for registration until 15 July.
Click here to get more info: https://cultureroutesinturkey.com/lycian-way-news-blogs/open-call-train-the-trainers/
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