By Giancarlo Malacarne, Gardony

DELTA 2000 is a Local Action Group of mixed composition which includes Public Bodies and Professional Associations of the Provinces of Ferrara and Ravenna, as well as local economic actors operating in the two Provinces WHO WE ARE PUBLIC PARTNERS Province and Municipalities of Ferrara Province and Municipalities of Ravenna Consortium of the Regional Park of the Po Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Artisanship and Agricolture of Ferrara and Ravenna. PRIVATE PARTNERS Trade, Industrial, Agricoltural and Tourism Associations Enterprises and cooperatives acting for local development

LOCATION Po Delta Area In the northern part of Italy between Venice and Florence, in the Po Delta Park

Emilia-Romagna Po Delta Park covers some of the most productive and rich in biodiversity areas in Italy. The Park includes the country's largest protected wetlands, areas of great ecological value. It is a territory rich in natural environments, housing hundreds of plant and animal species. THE PO DELTA PARK The fauna of Parco del Delta del Po is undoubtedly one of the most valuable elements of the protected area. Besides the Park's 460 Vertebrates species, the birds of the Po Delta represent an extraordinarily precious heritage, with more than 300 reported species during the last decades, 150 of which are nesting and more than 180 wintering. The flora: authors about specific areas attest to the presence of at least 970 species, and it is possible to estimate the specific diversity of the area at about species. The Park is peopled by extremely specialised plants linked either to the beaches and dunes (psammophilous plants) or to the wetlands (hydrophytes) and their banks (helophytes); wetlands include lagoons and brackish lagoons (halophilic plants), marshes and fresh water wetlands.

SOME DATA OF THE AREA POPULATION: MUNICIPALITIES INVOLVED: 19 TOTAL SURFACE: 1.671,83 km 2 DENSITY OF POPULATION (inhabitants/km 2 ): 59,39 NATURA 2000 (CIS & SPZ) SURFACE: ha = 32,2% LEADER+ surface. POPULATION IN WORKING AGE: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: 9%

OUR STRATEGY The main aim of our Agency is promoting local resources and economic activities in an harmonic and integrated way in order to start a local development process based on the self-representation of local communities. The LEADER Programme focuses on the following themes: enhancement of natural and cultural resources, including the sites of EU environmental interest of NATURE At local level the focus theme is the enhancement of natural and cultural resources of the Delta in Emilia-Romagna. DELTA 2000 is currently managing a Local Development Plan that is financed by the Leader Programme , but in the past was financed by EU Initiative Leader + ( ), as a completion of previous programmes.

OUR SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES - Reinforce the environmental heritage of the Delta by embedding it in the structure of a territorial ecosystem model - Improve, organise and create a network of all resources in terms of environment, history, culture and landscape - Support the differentiation and improvement of the entrepreneurial offer in all its aspects - Support the access of the local system of the Po Delta to national and foreign markets - Reinforce and widen cooperation networks.

ACTIVITY SECTOR Agricolture and Fisheries Environment Industry and handcraft Human resources Tourism and Culture Cooperation ACTIVITY SECTOR Agricolture and Fisheries Environment Industry and handcraft Human resources Tourism and Culture Cooperation OUR ACTIVITIES DRAWING UP AND MANAGEMENT OF EU PROJECTS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ECONOMIC PROMOTION COOPERATION PROJECT TERRITORIAL PROJECT TERRITORIAL MARKETING INFORMATION AND UPDATING STUDY AND RESEARCHES PILOT PROJECTS

The construction of the “ecotourist product” …what did we start from? The project idea came from DELTA 2000 LEADER II local development plan, whose transnational cooperation strategy was aimed at enhancing the natural and cultural heritage of the Po Delta area by structuring new marketing strategies and tourism products such as: birdwatching, cycling tours, nature tourism for schools, cultural tours 1996 – 2000 I.C. LEADER II, Mis. C Methods of integration between tourism and the environment - LAG partner ECAD, East Cork – IRL Participation at BBF Brochure, contacts with T.O., etc But the Delta is the ideal habitat of birds, with over 317 bird species, about wintering birds and nesting birds. The area also covers 11 Wetland Areas of International Importance listed in the Ramsar Convention (Iran 1971), 18 Sites of Common Interest (EU Directive 92/43/CEE) and 16 Special Protection Areas (EU Directive79/409/CEE) for bird safeguard

With LEADER+ the project idea has been improved and carried on by the definition of a project proposal for the creation of a network of European wetlands which has been spread among LAGs and National Leader Network Units at international level in order to seek possible partners for the definition and realization of the project. LEADER + 1. Analysis of 40 sites devoted to bw (strengthness, weaknesses, definition of a strategy) 2. Guidelines to update accessibility, services, to enjoy nature sites…. Management and Availability Plan of 2 Po Delta Park sites A project to set up 4 birdwatching sites outside the Po Delta Park Area Realization of the first Birdwatching professional guide (Where to go birdwatching in the Po Delta) and the organization of the International Po Delta Birdwatching Fair

The tourism companies are not completely organised to welcome birdwatchers ……………SO…….. 1. Training 2. Meeting and creation of working groups 3. Setting up of regulations to welcome bws 4. Call for proposal reserved to tourism company to encourage the birdwatching offer --> purchase of binoculars, spyglasses, fitting out of points of view, creation of packages, creation of promotional material One of the most important goal achieved from this activities is the creation of professional guides companies in Po Delta

OTHER IMPORTANT EUROPEAN COOPERATION PROJECTS Development and improvement of the “ecotourism product” in Po Delta area through EU cooperation projects: 2001 I.C. EQUAL – Project work “Structuring of birdwatching as touristic offer in Po Delta area” "Wetlands and rivers: management and sustainable devepment of the Tisza area" – Tacis Cross Border Small Projet facility ( ) – TACIS N.A.P. – Network Adriatic Parks - INTERREG/CARDS-PHARE. ( ) Projects currently in progress - Territorial Cooperation UE : DATOURWAY Transnational strategy for the sustainable territorial development of the Danube area with special regards to tourism (SEE program) SLOW TOURISM (Italia-Slovenia Programme) All these projetcs have been co-financied by local public bodies and local entrepreneurs

Slow tourism DELTA 2000 embraced the idea since 2007 (Birdwatching & Slow Tourism Events) The SLOWTOURISM Project financed by the European Union and by Italy and Slovenia within the cross border Italy-Slovenia cooperation program develop a strategy for a combined development of slow tourism putting all the interventions in the areas characterized by the element of water What are the slow tourism products?* There are some tourism products that are “naturally slow” Nature tourism, Cycling, Trekking, Horse riding, River tourism, etc. This doen’t mean that other traditional touristic offers cannot have a slow characteristic for example –During a city break, the seightseeing bus tour is not slow, instead walking/cycling on theme-based routes is slow; in winter, alpine skiing is not slow, instead, snow shoeing is slow. *Survey conducted by Professor Stefano Dall’Aglio, ECONSTAT, WP 2 – Analisys of the contest, Slow Tourism Project

The Slow tourist’s profile - Segments 14% Culture & Wellness Mostly women, years old, with partner. Educational level: medium and low. They stay in: Emilia-Romagna e Veneto. Place of origin: Italy. Favourite activities: Visiting art/culture resources; Museums; Events; Tasting typical products; Courses in local culture; Going to Spa. Stay: in medium and high level hotel. Typically 1 week stay. Curious about everything 18% Mostly women, years old (38 on the average), families. Economic level: medium. They stay in: Emilia-Romagna. Place of origin: Italia. Favourite activities: All, except generic. Stay: in medium level hotel or apartments. Typically a weekend or 2 weeks stay. Living the hinterland 16% Mostly women, years old (45 on the average), with family. Economic level: high. They stay in: FVG. Place of origin: Italy. Favourite activities: Visiting cultural and natural resources, wildlife, rural life; Museums; Tasting typical products; Walking. Stay: in B&B, without board. Typically a weekend or 1 week stay. Discovery & Movement years old (42 on the average), Degree. They stay in: FVG. Place of origin: Austria/Germany. Favourite activities: Generic/cultural visit; Museums; Trekking, Water sports. Stay: in medium level hotel (3*); B&B. Typically, 2 weeks stay. 13%

Rural Relax Men, years old (42 on the average), Tendentially with partner. Economic level: medium. They stay in: FVG and Slovenia. Place of origin: Rest of Europe. Favourite activities: Tasting typical products; Staying in agritourism. Stay: in Agritourism, B&B, Medium low level hotel. Typically 1 week or long weekend stay. 10% The Slow tourist’s profile - Segments Very sporting Men, years old (33 on the average), Students, alone and with friends. High educational level. They stay in: Slovenia. Place of origin: Slovenia and Austria/Germany. Favourite activities: Cycling/mountain biking, Water sports, Sailing, Air sports, Winter sports. Stay: in campsite, B&B. Typically, 1 week stay. 9% Just Nature Men, 50+ years old, (45 on the average). High economic level. They stay in: Emilia-Romagna. Place of origin: Tendentially Italy. Favourite activities: Visiting parks, reserves; Watching wildlife; Walking/Trekking. Stay: in High and low hotel; Apartment. Typically, 2 weeks stay or longer. 12% Total Relax Men, 50+ years old, (46 on the average), with partner. Retired. They stay in: Veneto. Place of origin: Rest of Europe and of the World. Stay: in Agritourism, Low level hotel; Without board. Typically, 1 week stay. 9%

…LAG as organizer of destination management

Some aspects of the “destination management” function 1. The governance With all the local stakeholders: Province of Ravenna, Province of Ferrara, Emilia- Romagna Po Delta Park, Emilia- Romagna Region, local governments, all of them are represented in the LAG 2. Specification of the strategy based on available resources: natural, cultural, environmental…

3. Creating a network of operators Some aspects of the “destination management” function Creation of business networks to improve reception and hospitality for ecotourists 4. Structuring of the territorial offert development of new services, information, equipment, routes

Some aspects of the “destination management” function 5. Marketing and communication Improve marketing offer for the national and international market. Tourist events, participation in trade fairs, special promotions, production of promotional material…

Some suggestion for Gardony area using the occasion offer by I.C. Leader or other european funds from other Programme 2 and integrating naturalistic and environment touristic offer with cultural, wellness, enogastronomic tourism

Thanks for your kind attention! Mr. Giancarlo Malacarne DELTA 2000 TEL