The current crisis, seen as an opportunity to rethink tourism, has been the subject of hundreds of webinars in recent months. But beyond the debates, some destinations have also set an example.
This is the case with Perpignan-Méditerranée Tourisme, which received the CreativeFriendlyDestination label, awarded by the international CreativeTourismNetwork® last May, for the creation of a creative tourism program offering both quality experiences for tourists and generating a value chain for the entire territory.
The program presented by Perpignan-Méditerranée Tourisme has indeed won over the CreativeTourismNetwork®, both for the diversity, authenticity and originality of the experiences offered and for the positive impact of its creation process, relying on the active involvement of administrations and experts in creative tourism, as well as that of local stakeholders from the craft, culture, creative industries, gastronomy, enology sectors, to just name a few.
The efficiency with which the program is set up is also worth highlighting. Indeed, from the spring lockdown, local and national tourists have been able to indulge in this proximity tourism, by living exotic experiences, close to their homes.
Joining a human pyramid (castell), discovering the aromas of each Roussillon grape variety, learning about local cuisine, sketching the landscapes that have fascinated renowned artists, are among the activities that have already been validated by these travelers in search of cultural and human values during the summer season.
For the end of year celebrations, Perpignan-Méditerranée Tourisme and its partner, the B-Holidays agency, have also developed a catalog of experiences to offer, so that these traditions and creative know-how are passed on like so many gifts.
Further expansion phases of the program will take place in the coming months.
More generally, the CreativeTourismNetwork congratulates Perpignan-Méditerranée Tourisme both for the quality of the experiences created, and for its strategy, making tourism a lever for sustainable development. Caroline Couret, director of CreativeTourismNetwork®, in fact underlined “the enhancement of the destination, making the diversity of its know-how, a differential element, and thus contributing to a cross-sectoral dynamism of the local economy and more particularly during the off-season. ”
An approach that aims, in the short term, to revive the tourist activity through local tourism, while positioning itself on international markets with a view to recovery.
As a result, synergies with CreativeTourismNetwork® member destinations around the world will be unveiled soon.
