18/11/2025

The Central Adriatic Sea carried out an onsite assessment within the ADRIJOROUTES project, welcoming a delegation of leading international tour operators from the cruise industry.

The goal of the three-day trip was to test and further valorise a selection of ADRIJO Points of Interest (POIs) and thematic routes connected with the ports of Ancona and Pesaro, and to present the wider cultural and tourism potential of the Marche Region and the Adriatic area.

Validation of ADRIJO destinations

The onsite assessment focused on several key destinations already featured on the ADRIJO multimedia platform, including:

• The Old Port of Ancona, with its architectural, maritime and cultural heritage;
• the Conero Riviera, Sirolo and Portonovo;
• the Frasassi Caves, one of the most iconic natural sites of the region;
• Urbino and the Ducal Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site;
• The variety of local and cross-border enogastronomy.

These field visits allowed project partners and participating operators to evaluate the attractiveness, accessibility and narrative potential of the destinations, contributing to the fine-tuning of ADRIJOROUTES’ cross-border itineraries.

Presentation of local development plans

During the visit to the Port of Ancona, guests were presented with the Authority’s strategy for cruise development, including the new terminal at quay 15 and the future terminal at Molo Clementino within the new Port Masterplan. The discussion highlighted how improved port infrastructure and quality visitor experiences are essential to strengthening the Adriatic cruise offer.

Enhancing cross-border cooperation

The phygital trip, carried out in collaboration with local Institutions and key territorial tourism and maritime stakeholders, showcased the unique blend of cultural, historic, natural and gastronomic experiences available to cruise passengers arriving through the ADRIJOROUTES network.

By testing POIs and collecting feedback from cruise-sector specialists, the activity significantly contributes to the project’s objective of promoting integrated, sustainable and culturally rich tourism routes linking eight Italian and Croatian ports.

The onsite assessment confirms the role of ADRIJOROUTES in fostering a stronger cross-border tourism identity and in supporting the visibility of the ADRIJO platform as an innovative digital gateway to the Adriatic’s shared heritage.