Pollino National Park
(Calabrian side)
This project includes the requalification of the members of environmental tourist service cooperatives in the Calabrian side of the Pollino National Park. In this context, the architectural and monumental emergencies in the Calabrian villages of the Park were found out and studied in order to receive governmental and regional funds for the restoration of the most interesting buildings which could then be used for tourist activities: fruition, cultural activities, gastronomy and quality reception. These services are addressed to social tourism visitors and groups interested in a "soft" hospitality in the inhabited areas of the Pollino National Park, according to some consolidated models of "hotel-village" or bed & breakfast. The "hotel-village" project promotes tourism, offers new vital opportunities for the village, contributes to the economical development of the population and creates new working opportunities for young people.

The needs of the area

• Restoration of the unused structures, services for the building and in the building;
• Intermediation in the offer of services for the tourist-visitors;
• Relationships with tour-operators;
• Consultation and service agency for the tourist-visitors (promotional office);
• Cultural activities ("tour" in the villages of the Park);
• Legal, fiscal and commercial assistance for ecocompatible young economical activities.

Pollino N.P. :
San Donato of Ninsa,Orspomarso Mountains

Description of the intervention

• Study the architectural, historical and monumental emergencies of the 32 municipalities in the Calabrian side of the Park, subjected to restrictions, finding out the exploitation opportunities;
• analyze the existing experiences about the use of the architectural heritage (organization and operation) at a regional level and outside the region and the role of the relevant Authorities;
• verify the opportunities to receive EU, national, regional, provincial and local funds for the restoration and use of the buildings for ecocompatible activities;
• give a general view of the possible tourist activities: aspects related to the management of some new activities;
• improve the competencies for the promotion and marketing of the activities and for the techniques of communication and tourist promotion to help establishing the communication and information relationships with the specific target of customers;
• organize and re-qualify adequate services and eco-tourist reception in the old town centers of the Calabrian Pollino (as an offer of board and lodging with typical food) to receive the funds and public help. These services should also be put in practice in order to strengthen and qualify the actions of the cooperatives involved in the project;
• define the patterns to continue the activities after the course, taking into account the needs of the participants and clarifying their needs and expectations;
• guided visits in the main Historical Centers of the Calabrian and Lucanian Pollino;
• training sessions in local companies already working in the field;
• guided visit of the historical Centers in Calabria which are in the van of progress in the restoration policies.

Results

• Re-qualify people working for companies and for the members of cooperatives of environmental tourist sector in the Calabrian side of the Pollino National Park;
• start the restoration and re-use activities of the historical buildings in the Calabrian villages of the Park with the formulation of various proposals, such as: cultural activities, gastronomy and quality reception for visitors and Italian and foreign groups of schools, associations, social and cultural structures;
• increase the contracting capabilities of companies and cooperatives that received useful incentives and tools to exploit the development of opportunities represented by the qualified tourist flows that respect the human and environmental values and the opportunities related to the promotion of hospitality in the restored and enhanced old centers of the Calabrian municipalities in the Pollino National Park.