Fondazione Santagata, on behalf of the Municipality of Padova – Department of Culture and Tourism, is conducting a feasibility study and overseeing the development of the new Padova Card as part of the project “Phygital Padova: From Giotto’s Stars to the Cloud – Innovation, Knowledge, Emotion for Tourism”.
Context
The project aims to enhance Padova’s cultural heritage, with a particular focus on UNESCO sites and lesser-known attractions, to increase the city’s appeal and improve the management of tourist flows.
The new Padova Card will be an innovative digital tool designed to simplify access to cultural heritage sites and tourism services while promoting a more balanced distribution of visitors between major landmarks—such as the Scrovegni Chapel and the Basilica of Saint Anthony—and other cultural sites across the city.
The customizable “à la carte” tourism pass will allow visitors to tailor their experience by integrating access to UNESCO sites, including the “14th-Century Fresco Cycles of Padova” and the “Botanical Garden of the University of Padova”, alongside museums, events, and local tourism services.
Objectives
The initiative aims to:
- Develop an innovative and sustainable digital tourism card model
- Analyse current tourism trends in Padova and evaluate the performance of the previous Urbs Picta card
- Engage local stakeholders (institutions, tourism businesses, hospitality providers, and cultural operators) in the card’s design
- Establish an incentive system to encourage adoption and usage
- Define a governance and economic sustainability model for the card
Expected Outcomes / Impact
The project is expected to:
- Implement the new Padova Card with an innovative access system for cultural sites
- Optimise the management of tourist flows and highlight lesser-known cultural sites
- Improve accessibility and visitor experience across Padova’s cultural and tourism offerings
Partner
Municipality of Padova – Department of Culture and Tourism