1. GRANDS SITES OCCITANIE
Innovative Business models for smart destinations
29th of June 2018

2. The regional « Grands Sites Occitanie» policy

3. 2 main cities Toulouse Montpellier
JJ/MM/AA
Where we are
South part of France
Mountains : Pyrennes
Massif Central
Mediterranea
Rhone
2 main cities Toulouse Montpellier
Rural area

4. A POLICY OF excellence
The regional « Grands Sites Occitanie» policy : challenges and opportunities
Redistributing tourist flows to fight against the negative impacts of mass tourism
Distributing the touristic activity on the region’s entire territory to enhance job and wealth creation
Highlighting our region’s cultural and historic heritage to ensure its durability
Developping Occitanie’s visibility and attractiveness, highlighting the region’s touristic, natural and cultural destinations
Stabilizing and creating jobs in the tourism, cultural and environment sectors.

5. A POLICY OF excellence
The regional « Grands Sites Occitanie » policy : the key actions of the Regional Scheme for Tourism and Leisure Development
Structuring the touristic strategy by improving the offer of products, services and infrastructures and the tourist reception, in order to comply with visitor expectances.
Developping a network of « Grand sites Occitanie» in order to encourage visitors to discover the other sites and products available in the region.
Promoting the appropriation of « Grands sites Occitanie » by locals and touristic sector stakeholders to encourage them to become ‘ambassadors’ of the regional territory.

6. A « Grand Site OCCITANIE »: characteristics
A widely known touristic site characterised by :
An outstanding architectural and/or natural heritage ;
Or a cultural site and/or event benefitting from an international influence
One or several representative core places
Major visite sites
And an influence zone
A territorial project, with partnerships :
A local governance
A destination strategy
An action plan
A strong commitment in the regional « Grand sites Occitanie » policy

7. « Grand site OCCITANIE» certification process
July 2017: launch of the call for proposals
Two deadlines for the submission of applications: 30th of September 2017 and 31st of January 2018
Call for proposals
Analysis of the applications
Joint working group with the partners to improve the applications
Certification
« Grand site Occitanie » contract signature
Regional communication strategy
Financial and implementation coaching
Action plan follow-up
Implementation
Touristic flow
Economic activity
International visibility
Assessment

8. Assessment of the call for proposals
The Grands Sites Occitanie now cover a great part of the region: mountains, rural areas, sea side...
Specific thematics covering major elements of the region’s cultural and historic heritage
New collaborations and partnerships between territories
39 certified sites and soon 40

9. The regional « Grands Sites Occitanie» policy : operational implementation

10. « Grand site OCCITANIE» contract
Defining the GSO perimetre :
Representative core places
Influence zones
Choose the major visit sites
Identify the strategic lines of the GSO destination project
GSO contract
Identifying the structured territorial partnership with :
A local authority leader
A tourist office leader
Heads of the representative core places
By associating the differents levels of local authorities, one can formalise the involment of the partners.
Setting up the GSO roadmap :
Identification of projects
Action plan
Assessment

11. THE GOVERNANCE GSO committee
Entreprises
Technical supervisorTourism Office leader
Major touristic sites
Tourisme Offices network
Repesentative core places
Project supervisor
Inside of the governance The GSO committee
Governance principles :
Setting up of the stakeholders
Follow-up of the action plan
Assessment

12. The tourisM office LEADER of the gso
T O LeaderGSO
Tourism entreprises
Visit sites supervisors
Regional tourism offices
One Tourism Office leader per GSO in charge of :
Signing the GSO contract
Developping the stakeholders network
Coordinating the territory OT of the GSO
Sharing the regional communication policy 

13. A regional policy in favor of the gso
A regional policy organised in three lines :
 Support to the territories for the implementation of their action plan :
Support to the touristic investments
Support to the strategic analysis (digital strategy, communication strategy…), pre-operational, conception and faisability studies
Support to the OT pluriannual action plans
 A communication strategy implemented by the Region to ensure the visibility of the« Grand Sites Occitanie » and promote them
 Bringing an expertise to the territory and to the project holders

14. The regional « Grands Sites Occitanie » policy : value chain

15. The value chain THE SITE THE DESTINATION Added value
Protection
Conservation
Qualification
Adaptation of the destination
Labelling of the destination
Natural and cultural heritage
Smart touristic destination
Legislative texts
Communication Interpretation
Organisation of the public reception
Collaborations with tourism sector staholders
Actions
tools