Rural lifestyle – Creating attractive rural lifestyle destinations
Creating attractive rural lifestyle destinations
We see that the Central Baltic area has several relative attractions and specialities witch relays on the current trend of authentic lifestyle and sustainability. The tourism sector is may be changed forever in a result of these exceptionally time we`re living in 2020. The potential of these attractions is huge. Now, perhaps more than ever, there is a market demand for attractive tourism products that base on nature, small-scale production, authentic lifestyle and sustainability. These are all attributes that can be easily associated with rural tourism.
Project partners are:
Lead partner – Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia; University of Helsinki, Ruralia Institute, Finland; Lohja City, Finland; Enterprising Archipelago, Aland, Finland; Söderhamn Municipality, Sweden; NGO Estonian Rural Tourism, Estonia; Gauja National Park Tourism Association, Latvia; Latvian Country Tourism Association "Lauku Celotajs", Latvia.
The project is co-funded from Interreg Central Baltic 2014-2020 programme 917 248,81 euros.
Duration: 1.06.2020 – 31.12.2022
Project Summary:
There is a clear market demand for attractive tourism destinations that can respond to the latest travel trends: authentic lifestyle and sustainability. This provides the Central Baltic region with the opportunity to develop its rural tourism potential. The region can count on several traditional activities related to an authentic rural lifestyle. These activities have the potential to attract tourists by offering them the opportunity to immerse themselves into the local everyday life. These activities entail voluntary work camps, hands-on handicraft and cooking workshops, farming, berry and mushroom picking, fishing, home visits, pop-up cafes and other cultural events.
To better market this regional potential, a cluster of Rural Lifestyle (RL) destinations Söderhamn, Sweden; Aland & Lohja, Finland; Estonia; Latvia) will be established. The cluster will attract travel agencies and tourists from Asia and Europe to enable local tour operators to approach their overseas counterparts with a variety of activities and tour packages.
Project aims:
- Establishing and developing a cluster of Rural Lifestyle destinations for better market the regional tourism potential.
- Attracting travel agencies and tourists from Asia and Europe to enable local tour operators to approach their overseas counterparts with a variety of activities and tour packages.
Project results:
- A coherent SMART network of Rural Lifestyle destinations.
- Destinations introducing product provision based on authentic rural local lifestyles, offer attractive products for FIT tourists and are marketed jointly.
- Joint image for rural lifestyle products and destinations.
The network of "RL Destinations" established by the project will be enabled and further expanded during and after the project lifecycle.
Please visit the project Facebook: Rural lifestyle – Creating attractive rural lifestyle destinations.
Lea Sudakova
Lecturer of the Estonian University of Life Sciences,
Leader of the INTERREG Central Baltic Programme project Rural Lifestyle
+372 5204112