Holy Grail Route Wins FOTUR 2025 Tourism Award in Valencia

The Way of the Holy Grail in Europe, a major European cultural itinerary, has been honored with the prestigious FOTUR 2025 Tourism Award during a gala celebration at the Palau Alameda in Valencia. This event, marking the 50th anniversary of the Federation of Leisure and Tourism (FOTUR), brought together key institutional and professional figures from the Valencian Community's tourism and culture sectors. The award recognizes the project's role as a strategic initiative that unites heritage, identity, tradition, and territorial development on a European scale. Key players present at the gala included Dr. Ana Mafé García, president of the cultural itinerary and an international expert on the Holy Chalice; Mr. Jesús Gimeno Peris, Secretary of the entity; and Mrs. Liubov Daniel Albariño, International Director of the project. Their attendance underscored the academic and strategic importance of this endeavor, which aims to enhance the cultural projection of the Valencian Community internationally.

The gala, presented by Maje Martínez, featured institutional speeches from notable figures such as María de los Llanos Massó Linares, president of Les Corts Valencianes, and Marian Cano, Minister of Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism of the Generalitat Valenciana. They emphasized a tourism model deeply connected to cultural identity, innovation, and social cohesion. The event celebrated various emblematic projects from the Valencian scene, with The Way of the Grail highlighted as a symbol of culture, tradition, and territorial structuring. The celebration concluded with remarks from Víctor Pérez, president of FOTUR, who noted the gala's role as a vital meeting point for the sector, followed by networking opportunities that showcased local products and fostered collaboration among entities.

The Way of the Holy Grail is a long-term cultural and touristic project that traces the documented and symbolic route of the Holy Chalice, traditionally identified with the Holy Grail, which is guarded in the Cathedral of Valencia. This itinerary connects territories across the Mediterranean basin and Europe, including the Middle East, Italy, France, and Spain, with a focus on Aragon and Valencia. It serves as a tool for territorial structuring and sustainable development, promoting European values like cultural cooperation, intercultural dialogue, and peace. Supported by an International Scientific Commission for the Study of the Holy Grail, the project aims to achieve certification as a European Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, positioning Valencia as a benchmark in cultural, spiritual, and knowledge tourism. This recognition reinforces its alignment with sustainability and heritage enhancement, contributing to tourism deseasonalisation and the dynamization of rural areas.