One of the tourism areas with high potential to empower travellers to make a positive change on their surroundings is that of transnational tourism, whether based around cultural or natural thematic threads. This diverse and novel phenomenon appeals to the emotions, intellect and senses of the modern-day visitor, who desires to live the culture and character of a place, connect with local communities, and pursue challenges and discovery as they travel. The UNWTO Silk
Road Initiative, gathering today 33 countries, is a contemporary example of a pioneering project in this field.

The marketing of such routes and networks is complex, with transnational tourism products facing several potential administrative and cultural challenges. However, overcoming these obstacles to create transnational networks can bring significant benefits to all stakeholders, including in terms of marketing, trade, education and community development. With this Handbook on Marketing Transnational Tourism Themes and Routes, the European Travel Commission (ETC) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) aim to provide an overview of six varieties of transnational tourism themes and routes, as well as practical guidelines both for managers of existing transnational routes and networks and for those seeking to create new ones.

This ETC and UNWTO Handbook on Marketing Transnational Tourism Themes and Routes aims at acquiring a deeper understanding of the transnational tourism themes and routes that are already proposed to travellers. Through illustrative case studies it furthermore provides practical guidance – especially for NTAa and NTOs – on the the creation and implementation of tourism routes, on marketing thematic tourism, including its development, management and promotion. The handbook will enrich UNWTO’s tools for innovation, and feed into the ETC’s ‘Destination Europe 2020’ strategy, contributing also to the development and promotion of its VisitEurope.com Internet portal.