EU RURAL TOURISM
- Start date: 01/09/2022
- Project end date: 31/08/2024
- Project duration: 24 months
- Total project budget: €1,299,644.47
HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
Rural tourism, ecotourism, agrotourism, and sustainable tourism respond to European and global tourism demand trends, which are increased by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which generates additional demand for similar services.
Traditionally based on local or regional demand, this sector now has the opportunity to extend markets by working on a transnational basis through the creation of a Rural Tourism Eurocluster.
THE PROJECT, OBJECTIVES, ACTIVITIES
Co-funded by the European Union’s COSME programme, EU Rural Tourism was created with the aim of meeting trends in European tourism demand worldwide, increased by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, which generates additional demand for similar services. Services such as rural tourism and similar services like ecotourism, agrotourism and sustainable tourism are responding. Traditionally based on local or regional demand, this sector now has the opportunity to expand markets by working together on a transnational basis in the EuroCluster Rural Tourism ERT.
The ERT combines the concept of professional organisations (consortium partners: Venetian Cluster, ADI Harghita, NCA, Euracademy, Ruraltour and TSAC. Associate partners: Ecoclub and LFD) working in the field with a broader understanding of the cluster concept. The project therefore offers a unique opportunity to grow activities from local to regional, national and international levels. At the same time, it creates a critical mass of European rural tourism services with a vision of internationalisation in more than 15 countries that are supported by this form of collaboration.
ACTIVITIES.
- Establish a cooperation mechanism between regional tourism clusters, professional organisations in rural Tourism, local development agencies, and transnational knowledge networks in the field of rural Tourism.
- Create a critical mass of at least 190 SMEs in at least 15 countries that have received a homogeneous re- and up-qualification in digital and green transformation together with improved soft skills.
- This in turn constitutes a viable transnational network of advanced rural tourism services with visibility in the market and sufficient choice for international and worldwide customers. It can then be upscaled in the future based on the general concepts, methodologies, and the experiences gained
As a response of this generic need, we will offer 12 specific support areas with highest needs of improvement from the fields of: digital, green and soft/social competences:
- Digitalization of the processes in SMEs
- Digital marketing and promotion
- Marketing intelligence, data analysis, marketing strategy based on data
- Sustainable management practices for SMEs
- CO2 management and reduction to address climate change
- Sustainable mobility
- Gastronomy and food based on local supply chains
- Social-cultural skills (attend visitors from different cultural background)
- Experience generation for visitors (includes development of corresponding products)
- Inclusive Tourism / Visitors with special needs
- Integration with the local community
- Interpretation techniques for cultural, historic, natural etc. resources
PARTNERSHIP.
- Venetian Cluster
- Adi Hargita
- National Cluster Association
- Euracademy
- Ruraltour
- Tsac
- Ecoclub
- Longarone Fiere Dolomiti
Project website: http://www.euroclusterruraltourism.eu/
