The ERNEST final conference was held in Florence, Italy on June 27th, 2012. The conference summarized the ERNEST project which aimed to develop sustainable tourism in the Tuscany and Catalonia regions. The project partners developed strategies to spread tourism from unique resources like thermal baths in Tuscany and the Escornalbou Monastery in Catalonia to surrounding villages. Activities included researching local identities and energy use to create new tourism services and reduce environmental impacts. Operational plans outlined improving attractions, creating tourist products and experiences, and reinforcing local identities to increase year-round sustainable tourism.

1. ERNEST final conference - Florence, June 27th, 2012
T.C.T&C
COMPETITIVE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF
TOURISM IN TUSCANY REGION
Thermal bath and Culture of Tuscany hills & Catalogna

2. Progetto Ernest
Agenda
• Brief Summary
• Project Partners and Regions involved
• Overview and priority objectives
• Progress of activities
• Next steps
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3. Progetto Ernest
Brief Summary
In many countryside territories in the European region the tourism has
a low implantation, and basically based on a unique touristic resource,
without any involvement of the villages around it. Therefore, it is
needed to implant a methodology or strategy to spread this touristic
activity to the proximities in order to make the touristic activity more
sustainable, economically, socially and environmentally.
The specific touristic resource in Chianciano (Tuscany) is the
thermalism and in Catalonia is the Escornalbou Monastery.
In this context, the priority goals of the territory are the following:
The active enhancement and conservation of the characteristics of the
identity of the territory (rural, gastronomic and farming culture, art,
wine, entertainment culture…);
The development of forms of cooperation between operators and
economic stakeholders and institutions of destination. 3

4. Progetto Ernest
Project Partners and Regions involved
Chianciano Terme
 A.A.S. Associazione Albergatori Servizi
 SIMAR TOURSIT SAS – Villa ricci Riudecanyes
 GIULIACCI SERGIO - Hotel Tirrenia
 SANTA&IGINO SRL- Ambasciatori
MUNICIPALITY OF
 ALBERGO MODERNO SRL RIUDUCANYES
 PENSIONE DEL BUONO DI DEL BUONO ASSUNTA E C. SAS
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 HOTEL S. CATERINA DI PINZUTI AMLETO & C. SNC
 PENSIONE EDY SNC DI GUIDOTTI ELI & C.

5. Progetto Ernest
Overview and priority objectives
THE ACTIVE ENHANCEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF IDENTITY FOR THE HILLS OF TUSCANY AND
RIUDCANYES AREA
•Research and analysis of the cultural, environmental and social characteristics of the
territory and related events and initiatives in the tourist destinations (rural, gastronomic,
and farming culture,…);
•Research and analysis of the expectations and preferences of tourists compared to the
characteristics and cultural identity of both destination
RATIONALIZATION AND REDUCTION OF ENERGY AND INCREASED USE
OF RENEWABLE ENERGY (ONLY TUSCANY PROJECT)
•Research, data collection and analysis of energy consumption of tourism businesses;
•Analysis of the characteristics of the territory, urban planning and zoning of the area in
question;
•Analysis of possible actions to reduce energy consumption
DIFFUSION TO CONSORTIA /ASSOCIATIONS
•Dissemination of results through meetings and seminars with regard to local
actors and businesses of the destination
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7. Progetto Ernest
Progress of activities – Chianciano Terme
Activities carried on
Research report on the expectations of tourists' preferences with
respect to identity and cultural characteristics of the destination
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8. Progetto Ernest
Progress of activities – Chianciano Terme
Activities carried on
Research report on the characteristics of significant local identities
through which potential tourism services and offers can be developed
Heritage and History
20-25
10-19
1-9
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9. Progetto Ernest
Progress of activities – Chianciano Terme
Activities carried on
Research report on the characteristics of significant local identities
through which potential tourism services and offers can be developed
Local identities
and food
20-25
10-19
1-9
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10. Progetto Ernest
Progress of activities – Chianciano Terme
Activities in progress
•Report with energy consumption for individual companies and
estimates of energy consumption in the tourism sector in Chianciano;
•Report of energy saving measures which are applicable for tourism
business;
•Report with actions for the production of energy from renewable
sources
Average consumption of Average consumption of Average consumption of
electricity. gas natural. water.
1,47 kWh/pax 1,34 mc/pax 1,01 mc/pax
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11. Progetto Ernest
Activities still in progress– Chianciano
Terme
• Operational planning for the development of interventions for the
reduction and rationalization of energy consumption of the tourist
businesses
• Operational planning for the development of energy production from
renewable sources by businesses and local stakeholders in the
destination
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12. Activities still in progress – Chianciano Terme
• Operational planning for the development of new tourism
services for the enhancement of the local identity for the
Tuscan tourist destination
• Study of several touristic routes as:
• Park and natural area routes
• Historical and Heritage routes
• Local identities, local culture and foods routes
• Sports and active tourism routes
• Operational planning for the positioning, communication and
promotion of new tourism services and offers for the Tuscan
tourist destination results
• Intercept new customers interested in thematic tourism
products such as
• Culture and local identities
• Nature and landscape
• Sport and active tourim
• Thermal bath
• Discovery of local value and treasure
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13. Riudecanyes
MUNICIPALITY OF
RIUDUCANYES
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14. Progetto Ernest
ESCORNALBOU BARONY TERRITORY
• 4 municipalities physically structured around a strategic
point, the Hill of Escornalbou with a Castle that is an
important touristic resource, while there is not a solid
touristic activity at the villages around.
• OBJECTIVE: disseminate the
touristic activity through the Duesaigües
territory and through the year
by creating touristic products L’Argentera
Riudecanyes
based on the landscape
characteristics.
Escornalbou Hill
Vilanova d’Escornalbou
Food or bike paths
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15. Progetto Ernest
PRINCIPAL RESOURCES:
EVALUATION RESULTS tranquility, diversity of landscapes, diversity of
cultural and heritage resources and local
products with protected designation of origin
RESULTS (oil DO Siurana,hazelnuts).
IDENTIFICATION
LANDSCAPE
ELEMENTS/R
ESOURCES
TOURISTIC
RESOURCES
POTENTIAL TOURISM:
TOURISTIC
IDENTITY
Health/wellness tourism: tranquility,
VALUE
CREATION
CREATION beauty views, favorable climate, clean air,
CATALAN METHODOLOGY
relaxing atmosphere.
TOURISTIC
TOURISTIC
Recreational tourism in the
IDENTITY/
ACTIVITY EVALUATION OF
THE RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT
STRATEGY nature: enjoy activities in the nature, out of
everyday environments.
SHARED ERNEST METHODOLOGY
Agricultural tourism: experience of living
the traditional rural life and its culture.
NEEDS OF MANAGEMENT:
20 Main touristic services: their tourists do not come from the Castle. The relation between the castle
and the surroundings territories needs to be strengthened.
1 Main cultural site: Actions should be taken to improve its yearly time table.
4 Main sport sites: Few touristic activities related, it needs to increase their attractiveness.
5 Main heritage/history sites: Need to increase their attractiveness, also for the Escornalbou Castle.
3 Main natural sites: Few touristic activities related, it needs to increase their attractiveness.
7 Main local identity sites: Not touristic activities related. All together can offer a touristic activity
through all the year and for different type of tourists. 15

16. Progetto Ernest
OPERATIONAL PLAN: 3 WORK LINES
1. ESCORNALBOU BARONY
BRAND CREATION 11 ACTIONS PLANNED
Creation of a logotype and a common image
IMPROVING THE GLOBAL Creation of a common promotional website
Creation of a common promoter
TERRITORY Creation a Common Geocaching touristic product
ATRACTIVINESS
2. CREATION OF TOURISTIC 10 ACTIONS PLANNED
Fix and creation of hiking, bike and horse paths
PRODUCTS AN Creation an olive oil tourism activity pack
EXPERIENCES Create aquatic active sport offer at Riudecanyes reservoir
Organize 5 thematic days, at each municipality and at the
IMPROVING THE YEARLY Castle, with different cultural themes (sport in nature,
traditional jobs, olive oil tradition and historic railway)
TIME TABLE
8 ACTIONS PLANNED
3 REINFORCE THE IDENTITY Publication of excursions’ book around the Escornalbou
Barony territory
IMPROVING EACH Organize a concrete traditional festival at the Castle
Create a cultural/history route based on the Barony history
RESOURCE ATRACTIVINESS Create a common label for all the traditional products
produced inside the territory
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17. Progetto Ernest
GEOCACHING
Geocaching is a new tourist or ludic form that is
being nowadays used internationally and it
consists in hiding an object in a specific point
of the territory in order to make other people
find it, giving the GPS coordinates as the only
reference.
The hidden object can be anything: a present, a
notebook, or a track to keep playing.
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18. Progetto Ernest
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19. Thermal bath and Culture
of Tuscany hills & Catalogna
www.ernesttuscanyproject.eu
www.ics.fi.it
www.adhocweb.net
www.scuolaemasecolabel.it
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