TOURISTS AT THE DOORSTEP

Three workshops were held on 15, 22 and 29 November on the topic of tourism and agriculture as opportunity sectors for WISEs in Vipava Valley, Slovenia. 

Tourism as an exceptional business opportunity

The first of the three events organised under the title "Tourists at the doorstep" hosted local stakeholders of the Slovenian Vipava Valley. The workshop presented key characteristics of contemporary tourism. Particular presentations helped to understand what tourists seek around our places and what they value at most. Having all this in mind, the participants learned how to plan an attractive offer. They met interesting people who created successful tourist projects. The examples of good practices pointed out many opportunities for WISEs.

The participants were enthusiastic about how well the local tourist offer fits the global tourist trends by offering authentic escapes, but there is still much to be developed. The Municipality of Nova Gorica believes that tourism is a business opportunity also for WISEs and that the networking will bring new possibilities and ideas for socially responsible entrepreneurs.

The Second Workshop

The second of the three events organised under the title "Tourists at the doorstep" took place on 22 November 2018 in Dornberk, Slovenia. The local stakeholders of the Slovenian Vipava Valley explored the opportunities to use the locally produced food as an excellent basis of new tourist products. The participants found out what are the benefits of connecting local food producers and why this sector brings opportunities for social economy. 

This event made the next step in presenting new business and development opportunities. This time, the local food was in the centre of attraction. The participants - the local stakeholders of the Slovenian Vipava Valley - were enthusiastic about the diverse presentations that lightened up different approaches in agriculture, trade, and tourism. The star of the day was a socially responsible entrepreneur who presented the development of short food supply chain. The next workshop will be held on 29 November in Branik, Slovenia. 

The Last Workshop

In the framework of the third event, during an interesting workshop, the local stakeholders of the Slovenian Vipava Valley were invited to create an attractive tourist offer and to include different local products. The workshop was very effective and it demonstrated new possibilities and ideas for socially responsible entrepreneurs. Providing opportunities for WISEs to network with other SMEs shows as a valuable tool for increasing their competences.