Cross-Border Experience for a Sustainable Tourism Development in the Programme Area
Tourism represents a sector of major importance for the whole Mediterranean economy. However, it is a very complex industry with a highly fragmented value chain, which faces difficulties when providing customers with total holiday experiences in lesser-known destinations. In order to face this challenge, the Municipality of Brindisi and the Regional Center for Development and Cooperation will organize the Adriatic Experience Academy. This will be the opportunity for 40 entrepeneurial minds to transform an activity, a passion or a vocation into experiences towards new tourism strategies, sustainable and capable of generating widespread benefits for territories and communities. EXCELLENT will be implemented by organizing two workshops in two countries and one incoming event with travel bloggers with the purpose to foster mechanisms of networking, capacity-building, education and product validation. The objective is to meet the traveller’s need and create real value for the territories in which the ideas of the candidates will be put into practice. Expected results and impacts are enhanced cross-border cooperation in the field of sustainable tourism, accessibility, visibility and market uptake of less-known traditions and experiences, developed participative and well-integrated strategies of sustainable tourism, boosted human and managerial skills and capabilities, improved image, on-line presence and competitiveness, fostered methodologies of product development and destination management for local communities and public organizations and improved quality of life in the involved destinations. The project is based on co-designed strategies and participative approach to transfer to other territories similar to Brindisi the positive results already achieved by adding further value thanks to the knowledge and the experience to be shared by communities, organizations and companies such as Airb&b, who will support the COMBR in the organization of its activities in Italy.