• Organised by Rural Pact
  • CEST
  • English
  • European Union
  • Online

This Good Practice Webinar, organised by the Rural Pact Support Office in partnership with the European Federation of Rural Tourism (RuralTour), will showcase innovative approaches that link sustainable tourism, heritage conservation and entrepreneurship. It will explore policy measures and incentives that support sustainable tourism, including investment opportunities, infrastructure improvements, and the promotion of entrepreneurship in rural areas.

Objectives
  • Facilitate exchange of and learning from good practices and strategies that contribute to making tourism a driver of sustainable development;
  • Build the capacity of rural communities, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to develop impactful and inclusive tourism initiatives that address rural needs;
  • Engage and mobilise the Rural Pact Community and key stakeholders, including tourism professionals, policymakers, and community organisations, to foster collaborative approaches.

The webinar is targeted at public authorities, tourism and cultural heritage professionals, entrepreneurs, rural development practitioners, and community-based organisations, including potential local project holders, local/ regional and national private and public actors.

Agenda

English language

Agenda

(PDF – 211.65 KB)

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Background

Tourism, when effectively integrated with cultural heritage, environmental conservation and community participation, is a key driver of sustainable development in rural areas across Europe. A study, co-authored by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the UN’s World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), highlights the sector’s potential to foster economic diversification, create jobs, and safeguard cultural heritage. Rural tourism serves as a bridge between tradition and modernity, enhancing community participation, sustaining local services, and preserving the unique identity of rural regions. 

Despite its potential, rural tourism faces challenges such as inadequate access and infrastructure, limited financial resources, low skills levels and population decline. Yet, these issues can also be viewed as catalysts for innovation and investment. Addressing them requires a multidimensional approach, leveraging policy frameworks that support territorial development, digital transformation, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion.

The EU actively supports rural tourism by funding initiatives for sustainable rural development. The common agricultural policy (CAP) plays a key role in supporting food tourism, farm diversification, and nature-based tourism through funding for eco-tourism initiatives, cultural and culinary experiences, and ecosystem services that enhance rural attractiveness.

Programmes and initiatives such as the Erasmus+, Cohesion Policy funds (including the European Regional Development Fund and its Interreg strand) , Horizon Europe, and New European Bauhaus (NEB), play a role in strengthening local economies, protecting and valorising cultural assets, and fostering sustainable tourism across member states. The Sustainable Tourism Partnership under the Urban Agenda for the EU recognises the importance of urban-rural cooperation to develop more sustainable and resilient tourism models, including in efforts to diversify the tourism offer. 

Useful links