Lead Partner Tuscany Region and the other partners from the Balearic Islands (ES), East Flanders (BE), South Limburg (NL), Region of Crete (Greece) and Latvia participated in the first thematic seminar on innovating European Tourism organised by the BRANDTour project on the 9th of May high on the hills of Florence at the headquarters of project partner Toscana Promozione Turistica.
Approved by the European Commission in the framework of the Interreg Europe's territorial cooperation programme, BRANDTour is endowed with 1.5 million euros for the seven partners. Started in January 2017 and ending in December 2021 the project will allow the partners to carry out various actions for the promotion and diversification of the tourist offer in less known destinations and in the low season.
The event included a half a day public seminar to present the project and a restricted working meeting to kickoff the more technical activities of the project. The seminar saw the participation of stakeholders of the tuscan tourism sector, such as the tuscan chambers of commerce, universities and research centers, and other interest groups. The variety of the partners tourism systems where showcased, ranging from mature regional destinations like the Balearic Islands and Tuscany, to smaller yet excellent destinations such as South Limburg, Region of Crete and Gent, and the growing tourism market of Latvia.
The restricted working meeting of the Steering Commitee approved the work program for this year that will begin with a study of the tourism contexts of each region and will continue with the identification of good practices and the exchange of experiences among the participating regions. The BRANDTour objective to develop more competitive tourism products, with greater added value and thematic experiences linked to local excellence and a more personalized and more identitarian offer was reviewed.
BRANDTour aims to maximize the economic potential of tourism by improving the promotion and marketing actions of tourism and the development and diversification of new tourism products that, in a personalized way, can satisfy potential customers and increase flows in low season (e.g. winter) in alternative destinations.
Through interregional cooperation, tools will be developed to increase visibility in the market of the partners’ destinations, and to value tourism, natural and cultural attractions through better marketing, branding and communication actions.
In addition, BRANDTour will promote innovation in tourism, by increasing synergies between the private and public sectors, creating a more personalized package of tourist packages and products that help diversify supply and boost local value chains and excellence for the thematic development of products oriented to the tourist experience.
BRANDTour is structured in three parts: analysis of territorial tourism contexts, exchange of good practices and experiences in tourism policy, and definition and implementation of innovative action plans at the regional level. It will last 36 months for the first phase (analysis and exchange of the partners’ experience) and 24 for the second one (implemenation of innovative action plans).