The background of the project
Covid-19 crisis impacted severely on tourism performance sector. According to Eurostat (2020) Tourism statistics – nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments “In 2020 compared with 2019, 1.5 billion less nights (-52 %) were spent in EU tourist accommodation”. The reduction of nights spent is significant in participating countries with reduction percentages in nights spent at tourist accommodation (BG -53,1%, GR -55,8%, IT -68,5%, CY -76,1%, RO -60,3%). The tourism ecosystem covers a wide range of activities including: travel, transport, hotels, food, culture and contributes around the 10% of EU GDP (COM/2020/550 final.) and is particularly crucial for the participating countries, in which tourism sector contributes significantly in the GDP. Globally, according to the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) the Covid crisis impacted on 2020 with a loss of 60 to 80% compared to the 2019, and this create new challenges for the European framework for tourism Europe, the world’s No. 1 tourist destination (COM(2010) 352 final).
An opportunity is offered – according to Eurostat (2020) – in domestic tourism, increased despite the crisis in Slovenia, Malta, and Cyprus. Domestic and proximity tourism represent an opportunity also for the achievement of sustainable and green goals related to the European Green Deal, with a special mention to the relaunch the proximity tourism and valorization of rural areas, which implies briefer and greener trips. Culinary tourism plays an important role in attracting people toward rural areas, and a modernization and valorization processes of food production and transformation companies is needed in order to impact positively on businesses, in line with “the Farm to Fork Strategy: for a fair healthy and environmentally” COM/2020/381 final at the core of the European Green Deal will encourage food security, sustainable food production, shift to healthy and sustainable diet, combating food frauds, and the promotion of sustainable diets (EUR-Lex – 52020DC0381 – EN – EUR-Lex (europa.eu). According to the World Food Travel Association, food and beverage expenses account for 15 to 35% of all tourism spending, contributing in the performance of rural area businesses (2017). And also, important reviewers have introduce much frequently aspects related to sustainability in their procedures, for example, The Michelin Guide introduced for 2021 the Green Star, awarding sustainable and green restaurants.
The main target groups of our project are HoReCa SMEs and professionals in rural areas, VET centers and trainers.
The ecological transformation and the priorities set by the European Green Deal can represent an important framework for the promotion of proximity, culinary and ecological tourism in the European Area. Anyhow, companies and workforce in rural areas and isolated places can access to dedicated trainings with more difficulty due to the distance and the lack of personalized content, really based on the needs and peculiarities at local level. Their limited access to dedicated training impacts also negatively on the economic performance, which represent an important resource, also for the employment of the population. Moreover, quantitative for needs analysis, whose goal is to collect data on big samples, rarely understand the specific peculiarities in rural areas, where the total number of HoReCa SMEs may be very limited. Our project will dedicate one project result in producing a Qualitative Needs Analysis Methodology suitable for understanding deeply the needs of the target groups in a tailor based banner, the needs analysis will be projected to be replicable, allowing experts and researchers to gather additional data.
The objectives
Our project have the goals of favoring culinary and proximity tourism through a set of flexible and digital results, translated in 7 languages (EN, IT, RO, BG, FR, TR, GR)
1. Qualitative Needs Analysis for SMEs and NGOs involved in the promotion of the local territory through culinary and proximity tourism
2. The Digital Course for the empowerment of culinary and proximity tourism
3. International Open Network for Culinary and proximity Tourism
The partnership will provide a flexible set of tools for supporting HoReCa SMEs in rural areas in increasing their capacity to favor Culinary and Proximity Tourism, according to rules and guidelines of the European Green Deal, through the provision of flexible VET courses in line with their needs, overcoming main barriers for the continuous access and engagement of these businesses in their continuous VET education. HoReCa SMEs in rural areas will benefit moreover of an international network for the promotion of culinary and proximity tourism, favoring an increased awareness of European Issues related to proximity, culinary and sustainable tourism.
Moreover, we want to provide these tools to VET centers in order to stimulate them in replicating courses in culinary and proximity tourism, which will be supported by the provision of flexible VET digital materials, a model for the needs analysis, a clear definition of competences under ECVET for competences related to culinary and proximity tourism.
Specifically, the partners will:
1. be able to provide VET courses in the field of culinary and proximity tourism
2. be able to support the population living in rural areas
3. contribute in achieving their mission, which include relevant aspects of the project: the promotion of ecological attitudes and behaviour, the promotion of sustainable tourism,
4. improve their network through effective cooperation with partners, associated partners, members target groups, organisations adopting the project’s results, companies in the field of tourism and associated partners
5. improve their linguistic competences through an international cooperation
6. increase their level of internationalization, through the implementation of activities in foreign countries
7. improve their research competences in qualitative analysis, culinary and proximity tourism promotion
Activities
We will implement the following activities:
1) Management and monitoring: including production of plans and reports related to financial, activity, quality, sharing and promotion, risk activity
2) Creation of an Impact study including indicators of impact, subdivided at local, regional, national, and international level
3) Creation of 3 project’s results (Qualitative Needs Analysis, MOOC, International Network)
4) 3 Transnational Project Meetings (Marseille, Paphos, Sofia) including 3 brief workshops for the staff members
5) 7 Multiplier events, with minimum participation of 350 people, in 7 countries
6) Videorecording of the 7 multiplier events
The connection between projects activities and objectives can be summarized as follows
The creation of the Qualitative Needs Analysis model included in R1 will ensure a re-usable model for qualitative analysis for SMEs in the touristic sectors, which will provide higher potential for rural areas to understand their real needs on the market and provide knowledge for the promotion of culinary and proximity tourism in rural areas. Through the exploitation of this result, VET centers will be also more able to determine the real training needs for SMEs in the touristic and hospitality sectors.
The production of The Digital Course for the empowerment of culinary and proximity tourism (R2) will increase the knowledge of workers in the hospitality and tourism sectors, through a flexible tool, exploitable in any geographical location and adapting to the pace and time availability of the learner. The broad provision of educational materials connected, and exploitable in several modalities (presentation file, word, audio file, videolectures) will provide a flexible environment for learning, tailor based learning based on the needs analysis performed in R1. A wide and flexible set of learning materials can support strongly VET centers wanting to produce courses for the promotion of culinary and proximity tourism in rural areas, can use the educational materials produced in the course, or also integrate materials in blended versions, by offering a wide set of tools.
The international network will provide an open strategy for companies located in rural areas in order to favor the exchange of good practices among members of the network (R3), through the use of this network, the users will increase their linguistic competences with interaction performed in English, favoring also a strategy for creating new and relevant content, performing peer support, and
– The organizations will be able to provide VET courses in the field of culinary tourism
– The organizations will be able to support the population living in rural areas
– NGOs and Organization will contribute in achieving their mission, which include relevant aspects of the project: the promotion of ecological attitudes and behaviour, the promotion of ecological tourism, favoring gender equality, etc
– The organizations will improve their network through an effective cooperation with partners, associated partners, members target groups, organisations adopting the project’s results, companies in the field of tourism and associated partners
– The organization will improve their linguistic competences through an international cooperation
– The organizations will increase their level of internationalization, through the implementation of activities in foreign countries.
The impact
“The European Network for the Promotion of Culinary and Proximity Tourism in Rural Areas” will determine several tangible digital results which can help all members of the target groups in the promotion of culinary tourism. All brief workshops held during the transnational project meeting and the multiplier events will be videorecorded, edited and uploaded in the official website of the project in order to be re-exploitated by the members of the target groups.
The official website of the project will be kept open also after the project’s lifetime ensuring proper sharing and dissemination materials of project’s materials and extension of the impact to members of the target group.
Project results
1) A transnational research for the needs analysis and operative guidelines for VET courses providers – including an operational approach, in 80 members of the target groups, with expected exploitation by 500 participants
2) The Digital Online Course, with 8 modules, and a model of competences using the ECVET terminology, piloted in 80 participants, with expected final participation of 1000 participants
3) The International Open Network for the Promotion of Culinary and Proximity Tourism, with at least 300 users registration
Other tangible results
1) Educational materials of the brief workshop implemented during the First Transnational Project Meeting “The promotion of culinary and proximity tourism through ethical marketing”
2) Educational materials of the brief workshop implemented during the Second Transnational Project Meeting “Culinary strategies for the reduction of Food Waste”
3) Educational materials of the brief workshop implemented during the Third Transnational Project Meeting “Social responsibility”
Official website of the project – 24 articles
Official Facebook Page of the project – 24 posts
E-mail campaign based on existing e-mail database of 100.000 people and a strategy for creating a newsletter database related to the project
Management Plan and reports
Quality Plan and reports
Dissemination Plan and reports
Risk Plan and reports
Impact Study
1 Sustainability plan
Implementation of 7 multiplier events including at least 350 participants
7 Educational Materials used during the sharing and promotion events
7 Educational Materials used during the multiplier event
7 Videorecordings of the multiplier event
The Sustainability plan will guarantee the maintenance and extension of all project’s results also after the project’s lifetime