This article forms part of a series of publications under MEDUSA project to promote less-known natural and cultural touristic assets in our partner territories Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Puglia (Italy) and Catalonia (Spain). Enjoy reading and hope to welcome you soon to one of the wonderful places you will get to know here. 

Maria Luisa Caringella, project manager of MEDUSA project, on behalf of the Department of Tourism, Economics of Culture and Valorization of the Territory of the Regional Government of Puglia (Italy) has been responsible for coordinating the upcoming Global Market Research and Analysis Report on Adventure Travel during almost the first half of MEDUSA project implementation. This complete research combines 12 individual reports and encompasses all five Medusa territories of implementation (Catalonia - Spain, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, and Puglia - Italy).

Therefore, this research analyzes and catalogs Puglia region’s attractions in the pilot areas that had been selected for the project. 

The research shows how Puglia’s beauty ticks every box. It’s an inventory of the region’s cultural and environmental tourism sites and the adventure activities available to those visiting Puglia. It is intended to serve as the basis for the development strategy and enhancement of adventure tourism services and programs in Puglia.

Which pilot areas has been selected in Puglia for the implementation of MEDUSA project? Which reasons are on behalf of this decision?

Puglia has been among the fastest growing tourism destinations in Europe over the past ten years. This is due to the wide range of reasons to visit Puglia and the structured and strategic approach that has been taken to integrating culture and tourism. The diversity of its natural habits, its cultural heritage, and the adventures offered mean that adventure tourism can potentially thrive in the region, although this potential has still to be realized.

Specific selection criteria have been identified for pilot area selection, taking both project guidelines and regional strategies into account:

• Natural parks & protected areas: which aims to deal with areas that are homogeneous in terms of their geographical, cultural, economic and social structure and overcome administrative barriers.
• Mix of known & unknown areas: in order to present a representative and diversified sample.
• Mature organizations as referent stakeholders: for improving the project effectiveness and fortifying local stakeholders’ involvement and commitment.
• Pilot areas distributed across the region: so that it will be possible to test sustainable tourist models in areas with specific peculiarities.

Taking the criteria listed above into account, we selected pilot areas on a path along the region from north to south. Selected pilot areas are:

1. Umbra Forest, Lesina Lake Reserve, Verano Reserve and Tremiti Islands [Gargano]
2. Alta Murgia National Park [Murgia]
3. Terra delle Gravine of Taranto Regional Natural Park [Taranto & Gravine]
4. WWF Nature Reserve of Torre Guaceto [Torre Guaceto]
5. Regional Natural Park of the Otranto-Leuca Coast and Tricase Woods [Otranto-Leuca]

How Puglia Region will benefit from the MEDUSA project?

The Puglia region pilot areas mentioned above will be included in a sustainable development process aimed at improving territorial management. The process will incorporate local stakeholders and adventure tourism packages will be on offer. We hope that it will be springboard for these areas of exceptional environmental value. 

The project will start with a process of participation and co-creation of products in line with regional and national tourism and cultural development strategies. During this phase, we will utilize the territorial planning linked to protected areas. One of them is the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, with which the EUROPARC Federation has certify natural reserves, parks and marine protected reserves.

Specific quality standards will thus be adopted, not only to improve the management of the territories, but also to strength and concretize the relationship between managing bodies, operators and communities.

It will be a unique operation, adopted for the very first time on a regional scale. The goal goes beyond the specific objectives of the MEDUSA project: to create favorable conditions for the growth of several areas and to generate alternative and innovative tourist attractions that can be visited year-round.

Which are the following project actions to be implemented in Puglia Region?

We are currently organizing a cross-border seminar to present and discuss with relevant adventure tourism stakeholders, the results obtained in the above-mentioned research. The seminar will take place on the 16^th March, 2021.

At local level, we are starting the process of incorporating the protected areas’ managing bodies and the stakeholders working within their areas of expertise. There will be seminars and thematic meetings that will help organizations’ push to certify of their territories and meet the criteria of Phase 1 and Phase 2, of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (CETS).

All of this will then lead to the creation of an action plan, to kick start adventure tourism programs and future tourist packages in line with both the project objectives and the territories’ regional sustainable development processes. In concrete, various training and workshops will be carried out in Puglia Region, in addition of the concessions of up to 50,000 € in subgrants to Puglia stakeholders for the creation or improvement of sustainable adventure tourism products.