EUROPEAN NETWORK OF VILLAGE TOURISM INTER-REGIONAL COOPERATION ALENTEJO | ARAD | LAPLAND | LOMZA | TRENTINO APOLÓNIA RODRIGUES | BRUSSELS | 26/ 1/ 2007 PROJECT COORDINATOR

A project which promotes sustainable development by using tourism as a catalyst instrument for integration and sustainability. Development of the concept Village Tourism – active participation of the local actors. Village as the element for local and regional dynamics. Development of the concept Imaginary Tourism(registered brand) – culture, magic, nature. Themes: Megalithic, Witchcraft, Shamanism, Palm Tree and Mountain Legends. EUROPEAN NETWORK OF VILLAGE TOURISM GENUINELAND THE PROJECT

THE REGIONS Arad Lomza Lapland Trentino Alentejo

Steering Committee – Coordinator + one member of each partner. Body supported by the Technical Secretariat. Technical Secretariat – Coordinator + one member of each partner. Each member has a component or part of it under his responsability. EUROPEAN NETWORK OF VILLAGE TOURISM GENUINELAND ORGANIZATION MODEL | INTER-REGIONAL LEAD PARTNER STEERING COMMITTEE COORDINATOR AND FINANTIAL DIRECTOR (the same) TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT

EUROPEAN NETWORK OF VILLAGE TOURISM GENUINELAND ORGANIZATION MODEL | REGIONAL REGIONAL LEADER WORKING GROUP OF THE VILLAGES Group coordinated by the leader of the project in the region, constituted by one element of each village integrated in the region. The choice is made over the most dynamic and mobilisation person. Ex.: GRUTA in Alentejo (mixed group with entrepreneurs, politicians, members of associations and technicians of the municipalities) WORKING GROUP PER VILLAGE Groups coordinated by the regional leader of the project that includes elements from the community and the member of the Working Group of the Villages. There are many as the number of the integrated villages in the Network.

Inter-Regional Intra-Regional BUSINESS PLAN Structure of the NETWORK > ER < Technical Structure Regional Institutional NetworkEntrepreneurial Network Institutionals Partners Entrepreneurial Partners Partner 5 Partner 1 Partner 3 Partner 4 Partner 2 Partner 6 Partner … Partner E Partner A Partner … Partner C Partner D Partner B Partner F 3 Partners ACR ER Lomza ER Trentino ER Arad > CER < ER Alentejo ER Lapland Lead Partner Technical Structure ACR Leader

COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. STUDIES AND PROJECTS Village Plans – development plan for each village. Business Plan – model of organization. Operational Marketing Plan – creation of a brand and image. TOURISM ACTIVITIES – Seminars, workshops, network of footpaths and events under the theme of the Imaginary Tourism (registered). EUROPEAN NETWORK OF VILLAGE TOURISM GENUINELAND ACTIVITIES

MARKETING STRATEGY – internal and external communication, participation in fairs, promotional material, press events, fam trips and educationals, website, organization of the product (packages)and workshops. Field trips among the regions and benchmarking trips to other regions. 200 free articles in the most important media. TRAINING ACTIVITIES – actions organized according the needs of the villages, information collected from the village plans. Fields: TICs, managementof small businesses, tourism activities, organization of events, restaurants, quality, sustainability, culture (Imaginary Tourism), tourism information, guided visits, marketing, participatory approach, etc. EUROPEAN NETWORK OF VILLAGE TOURISM GENUINELAND ACTIVITIES

REDE EUROPEIA DE TURISMO DE ALDEIA GENUINELAND RESULTS An important level of involvement of the community, entrepreneurs, politicians and other entities at local, regional and national level. Creation in each village the capacity to delineate and implement a plan for sustainable development. Recognition of the added value given by this project in these five regions. Credibility and visibility of the project recognized by the local, regional and national authorities and specially by the media.

REDE EUROPEIA DE TURISMO DE ALDEIA GENUINELAND RESULTS A growing interest by the entrepreneurs to investment in these regions. Creation of employment. Recognition of the importance in work in cooperation, the benefits in the product chain, the complementarities obtained at local level. Local cooperation turned to be true. Competitiveness of these destinations based in cooperation work. Creation of synergies. Benchmarking. Recognition of the importance of sustainability and responsible tourism. Networks as the future for tourism development in these regions and specially in which concerns rural areas based in small scale business.

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