photo courtesy of University of Pisa.

One of the Pilots of the INCULTUM project, aiming and empowering sustainable cultural tourism in peripheral areas with communities engagement, is coordinated by the University of Pisa and is set in the beautiful landscape of the Garfagnana in Tuscany.

On 17th July 2021, the INCULTUM inaugural event for the Pilot was held in Saint Pellegrino and Saint Bianco Sanctuary, organized by the Departments of Political Science of Pisa University, in collaboration with private and public local stakeholders: the Priest of San Pellegrino in Alpe, Fondazione Area, Fondazione Campus of Lucca, the Municipalities of Castiglione di Garfagnana and Frassinoro, the Provinces of Lucca and Modena.

The event also served to cast the first stone for the programme of touristic promotion implemented by the Pilot. The current scenario of development and enhancement of the mountain village of San Pellegrino in Alpe is expressed through the organization of multiple tourist and cultural promotional activities of  the area, which are aimed to different target users. In order to achieve the priority purpose of the project, which is the regeneration of an inland village with high unexpressed tourist potential, although rich in historical and natural attractions, the Pilot is developed on three lines of action:

1. Educational activities aimed to middle and high schools students, in order to raise awareness of a sustainable use of local cultural and natural heritage. Specifically, there will be thematic guided tours inside the Ethnographic Museum that will highlight  historical peculiarities and ancient traditions of rural communities which inhabited the area.
2. Training activities for local stakeholders, such as tour operators, tourism professionals and public bodies. The training courses will be carried out for providing useful skills and tools to implement inland areas and mountain village destination management strategies, in the framework of integrated, sustainable and responsible tourism increasing.
3. Cultural and tourist activities aimed to visitors and residents. The realization of tourist trips is specifically characterized by immersive enjoyment tools for tourist experiences, both inside the Ethnographic Museum and outside. Theatrical narration activities are also oriented to the strengthening of local collective memory re-appropriation processes, in support of the historical and cultural identity of the territory. The calendar of events in 2022 is already annonced.

Finally, the rich natural heritage, which has always characterized the mountain village of San Pellegrino in Alpe, can be enjoyed through the creation of sustainable tourist itineraries, such as hiking trails and guided tours, which will be made available to different targets, on the occasion of the above mentioned activities carried out on site.

Web Site: https://santuariosanpellegrino.it/

Facebook: @santuariosanpellegrinoinalpe

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Discover all the INCULTUM Pilots: https://incultum.eu/pilots/