Title – Name
Local Action Group (LAG) Gran Sasso Velino
Scope / Sector / Industry
Rural tourist trails
Country / Region
Italy, Abruzzo Region
Why is it good practice?
The action of the Gran Sasso Velino LAG is a good example of local sustainable management of the rural site, as it demonstrates how the use of a European program, such as the LEADER programme, can bring positive development results in the rural areas through the strategic management of the tourist products and services that it can offer.
How is it applied?
The Gran Sasso Velino LAG is a consortium created within the framework of the implementation of the LEADER programme and operates in the rural territory of the Abruzzo Region. Its aim is to promote rural development, improve the environment and landscape, increase socio-economic, tourism and cultural development and invest in the quality and well-being of the local community.
The LAG consists of 53 members, 5 of which are public bodies (the Chamber of L’Aquila, the University of L’Aquila, the Province of L’Aquila, the Municipality of Tagliacozzo and the Management Authority of the Gran Sasso Monti Della Laga National Park) and 48 are private partners (representatives from various sectors, e.g. agriculture, trade etc.). The LAG operates in an area, with a total area of 2,500km2, consisting of 51 municipalities, 37 of which belong to the L’Aquila area, 8 to the Carsolana area and 6 to the Subequana Valley.
The region is characterized by the Gran Sasso and Sirente-Velino mountains and the Aterno and Subequana valleys. It has a special diversity, including high mountains, forests, fertile valleys and small villages. Almost the entire area consists of protected areas, special protection zones, etc.
The higher geographical features greatly influence the socio-economic structures, opportunities and levels of the regions development, especially the development of the agricultural sector. The fact that a large part of the territory is protected and at the same time in the region there is a demographic shrinkage, aging of rural entrepreneurship, lack of services to support entrepreneurship and the population, these are some of the elements that make its development more difficult.
In the context of the above weaknesses, the Gran Sasso Velino LAG was established and in 2023 it prepared the Local Development Plan “Good Life”, with the aim of improving the sustainability of the rural area, promoting the environmental heritage, increasing employment and maintaining the balance in the labor market and the improvement of governance processes in order to create a “Good Life” region. LAG, through this strategy, intends to bring “prosperity” not only individually but also collectively.
The Local Development Plan includes three priority axes, one of which concerns the development of sustainable tourism (Priority: Tourism of Good Life). The aim of the priority is the development of non-conventional tourism and specifically the naturalistic/agricultural and mountainous tourism. Thanks to the presence of natural, cultural and artistic heritage in the area, it was considered important the creation of integrated experiential tourist routes, as a tool for managing seasonality and the tourist flows and for the extension of the stay. The “Good Life Tourism” priority is accompanied by the following 6 actions:
Action 1: Experiences
The Action 1 concerns the planning of integrated tourist trails in the area of the LAG and the encouragement of the experiential outdoor activities’ development, with the aim of expanding the tourist season and the stay. The Action promotes and encourages the ecologically sustainable development of the area, through the direct involvement of private entities and the indirect support of public bodies, which demonstrate attention and sensitivity to the principles of quality, natural protection and sustainable tourism.
Action 2: Experiences at altitude
The Action 2 concerns the creation of two ecological paths at altitude. In fact, the aim of the Action is to develop services and activities in the highlands of the massif, offering enjoyment and experiences not only to tourists but also to local communities, who often ignore the specificities and potential of the area they live in.
Action 3: Vertical experiences
The Action 3 aims to develop climbing tourism and includes the creation of an indoor climbing structure (climbing gym), suitable for competitive activities, which can host the main events of the sector, such as regional, national and international competitions. The Action involved the mapping of the Gran Sasso areas rocks and the creation of multi-day guided experiences/packages.
Action 4: Start UP project
The Action 4 aims to support the creation of new innovative, start-up businesses in the field of tourism sector and to guide business groups in their activities.
Action 5: Sustainable Mobility Project
The Action 5 envisages the creation of an integrated sustainable mobility system. Its aim is to encourage different forms of transport, including cycling and electric vehicles with zero impact, thanks to the use of renewable electric sources (photovoltaics). In particular, the project includes the creation of a network of shared electric bicycles with photovoltaic panels. The management of the project is expected to be assigned to a social cooperative, responding to employment needs.
Action 6: Marketing
The Action 6 includes initiatives that promote the Abruzzo region. The purpose of the Action is to promote its unique characteristics and at the same time to understand and strategically use the elements of the tourist market. The main aim of the LAG is to understand its tourist market and what behaviors it adopts.
Where is it applied?
The work of the Gran Sasso Velino LAG directly offers experiences to the visitors of the region and indirectly benefits the local community.
When did it applied?
The initiative concerning the developemnt of the touristic trails and experiential activities started with the submission of the Local Development Plan in 2023.
Results
The result of this effort was the creation of a tourism website for the Gran Sasso Velino region, which promotes the trails and outdoor activities and at the same time, the villages, the museums, the natural heritage, the local products and the cultural events. In addition, suggestions are given for accommodation, food and special experiences (eg wine tourism).
Other Information
The LAGs are local partnerships created in the context of the implementation of the European LEADER programmes. LEADER is the participatory and bottom-up approach used by the European Union in order to ensure the involvement of local communities in the development processes of rural, coastal and urban areas. The LAGs are made up of representatives of public and private local socio-economic interests, whose existence, tasks and objectives (promoting local development of a region) are laid down by European standards.
In the context of developing new actions, Gran Sasso Velino LAG participated in the EmbleMatiC cross-border project, the aim of which was to create and test a new tourist offer based on the characteristics of the mountains of the cross-border area and to create an alternative tourist proposal emphasizing sustainable and responsible management of tourist flows and the greater involvement of local residents and stakeholders.
Official website of Gran Sasso Velino LAG: https://www.gransassovelino.it/home
