The first partnership meeting of the FOOD ZONE project

13 Feb 2023

Representatives of the Municipality of Tivat, independent consultant for entrepreneurship Anja Radmilo and independent consultant for projects Ivona Petrović, participated on February 8 and 9 in the first meeting of partner organizations of the FOOD ZONE project. The organizer of the meeting was the Camara oficial de comercio e industria de Caceres from Spain. The Food Zone project was approved for funding under the Erasmus+ program, and the goal of this project is to support and improve food producers, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the tourist ecosystem, by developing regenerative gastrotourism experiences.

The meeting discussed the main focus of the project, more precisely the way to improve the skills of professionals in gastrotourism, in order for tourism to recover after the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Regenerative tourism is aimed at the transformation of tourism, not only for the purpose of reducing the negative impact on the environment and society, but also through the restoration of tourism, so that tourists and visitors leave their destinations in a better condition than they found them, for current and future generations. Gastrotourism can contribute to a transformational recovery by supporting small, local food producers and strengthening their market positions, contributing to the added value of tourism while promoting the preservation and development of local production, culinary traditions and knowledge. Strengthening local food networks also contributes to establishing more sustainable food systems.

The main objective of the project is to support the development of skills in food SMEs (owners/managers) and micro-enterprises (incl. specialized food producers, start-ups), as well as tourism experts, teachers and students. The aim is to improve GREEN/BLUE/DIGITAL skills to build more sustainable and regenerative and resilient businesses, which in turn contribute to more regenerative and resilient rural food and tourism. In addition to skills development, the goal of the project is to connect the food and wider tourism ecosystem and contribute to the improvement of innovation and sustainable transformation in the food (tourism) sector.

Main expected results of the project:

  • Analysis of examples of the best practices of regenerative tourism
  • Identification of challenges and obstacles for the development of regenerative tourism
  • Creation of a guide for creating the experience of rural gastrotourism
  • Training materials and online interactive course for small and medium-sized food businesses
  • Mixed pilot workshops with local producers and relevant actors in tourism
  • Guidelines for educators
  • Various activities related to the dissemination of information, use, results and sustainability of the project
  • Policy recommendations for educators, agricultural and economic chambers, public bodies, actors in tourism
  • Setting up a Food Zone (Blended Incubator) for innovative experiences of rural gastronomy tourism (including entrepreneurship and start-up support)
  • Food Zone campaign
  • Food Zone events (1 per partner country)

The leading partner of the project is Camara oficial de comercio e industria de Caceres (Spain), and other partner organizations, in addition to the Municipality of Tivat, are EURAKOM SASU (France), DOMSPAIN SLU (Spain), ETAIREIA TOURISTIKIS ANAPTIKSIS KAI PROVOLIS PERIFERIAS LEYKOSIAS LTD (Cyprus), LANARA Consulting, marketing in tourism, d.o.o. (Slovenia), UNIVERSIDADE DE AVEIRO (Portugal). The project will be implemented by April 2025, and the total budget of the project is about 250,000.00 euros, while the amount for the activities for which the Municipality of Tivat is responsible is about 30,000.00 euros.

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