La juventud europea crea turismo cultural

<< Background >>We submitted this project because we identified several critical needs that must be addressed in order to promote cultural tourism in rural areas of Europe, especially among young people. Firstly, there is significant depopulation in rural areas, which contributes to a vicious circle of economic decline and lack of opportunities.Young people in rural areas often lack opportunities to develop creative and entrepreneurial skills that could be critical to revitalising their communities. Lack of access to educational and training programmes tailored to the specific needs of the rural environment limits the potential of these young people to generate innovative initiatives that take advantage of the cultural and natural resources of their communities.Another identified need is the disconnection between young people and the local cultural heritage. This disconnection not only prevents the valorisation and preservation of this vital resource, but also contributes to a feeling of disengagement and lack of cultural identity among rural youth.The project aims to foster the creation of opportunities for young people to develop skills in creativity and entrepreneurship.<< Objectives >>The general objective of the project is to promote cultural tourism as a key tool to revitalize rural and remote areas facing high levels of depopulation and economic and social depression. It therefore seeks to provide a training opportunity for young people residing in these areas to acquire the necessary competencies and skills to enable them to identify and take advantage of entrepreneurial opportunities in the field of cultural tourism. It is also intended to encourage creativity in these young people and link it to a process of innovation in the rural environment through non-formal education methods linked to technologies. At the same time, youth workers are trained in these techniques.In this way, it aims not only to attract population and generate economic activity but also to create quality employment that contributes to sustainable development and social cohesion in these communities. Finally, the project aims to transform cultural tourism into a catalyst for positive change, promoting the rooting of young people in their territories and improving the quality of life in rural areas affected by depopulation and the economic crisis.<< Implementation >>The project has implemented a number of key activities. Firstly, it participated in the event ‘Tirana Youth Capital 2022’ to exchange ideas and promote youth participation at European level.In addition, the identification of best practices that can serve as inspiring examples for young people in rural areas has been carried out. This activity is crucial as it provides role models and effective strategies that young people can apply in their own communities to promote sustainable and cultural development.Another significant activity was the creativity training course, focused on the development of cultural tourism in rural areas, which took place in Castellón.A collaborative platform has been piloted for young people, who tested and validated its functionalities as a tool for the promotion and development of cultural tourism in their respective areas.Five local seminars were held to discuss strategies and share project progress with local communities. An international meeting was also held in Turkey with representatives of local councils from rural areas.<< Results >>The main concrete outputs are three key intellectual products that aim to foster creativity and entrepreneurship in cultural tourism in rural areas. Firstly, a training manual for young people has been developed, specifically designed to foster creativity in the development of cultural tourism projects in rural environments. This manual provides practical tools and examples of good practices that will help young people to conceive and implement their own initiatives in this sector. Secondly, a Collaborative Platform and a virtual interactive network has been created to function as a meeting and collaboration space for young entrepreneurs, tourism experts and other actors interested in the development of cultural tourism. Guidelines for policy recommendations on the development of cultural tourism in rural areas, addressed to policy makers and institutions involved in the promotion of tourism, have also been elaborated.As for the young people who have participated in the piloting of the platform, they have acquired competences related to creativity, entrepreneurship and project management in the field of cultural tourism.