Project “LOcal products Festivals and Tourism development in cross-border cooperation Greece-Bulgaria” (Project LOFT)

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European Territorial Co-operation
Operational Programme "Greece-Bulgaria 2007-2013"

 

LOFT_LogProject “LOcal products Festivals and Tourism development in cross-border cooperation Greece-Bulgaria” (Project LOFT), Subsidy contract B2.12.03/03.06.2-13, ref. № 2577
  

Since July 2013, the South-West University “Neofit Rilski” has been implementing as a partner organization a project named “LOcal products Festivals and Tourism development in cross-border cooperation Greece-Bulgaria”. The project, also known as the “LOFT” Project under its acronym in English, is financed under the European Territorial Cooperation Programme Greece-Bulgaria 2007-2013.

The project activities will be deployed by 5 partners: 2 universities with expertise on economy, regional development & tourism, 1 private partner expert on the exhibition & congress industry, 1 municipality particularly active in the field of local festivals and 1 NGO focusing on the environment & tourism.

The Project consortium includes:

  • LP (P1) School of Economic Sciences – Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece;
  • P2 Exhibitions Research Institute , GREECE;
  • P3 Municipality of N.Zihni, GREECE;
  • P4 South-West University "Neofit Rilski", BULGARIA;
  • P5 Association Eco Nevrokop, BULGARIA;
  • P6 Decentralised Administration Macedonia – Thrace, GREECE.

The project serves a dual purpose:

(1) To promote and reinforce local cultural events, directly linked to local production, by building on synergies between existing local festivals and implementing a set of actions to form & sustain a network of festivals organisers.

(2) To further promote local/ traditional products. In this respect, the project examines ways to protect and promote traditional products and production through a road show travelling in the local festivals of the region and through joint activities including a contest on local festivals and products (as a joint pilot).

LOFT will map local festivals, study local/ traditional products and assess the growth potential of the former. It will offer visitors/ interested parties a website including an interactive web-GIS tool to allow easy navigation into these events and products and provide a wealth of information.

2 promotion stands will be produced, 1 per country, as a travelling road-show visiting local festivals to promote relevant events & products.

LOFT will also implement pilot activities at local level in both countries (e.g. 2 new local products' festivals). LOFT provides also for its sustainability by creating a network of local festivals organisers, established during the project, which may undertake the operation of the website and the annual contest.

Overall, LOFT will create significant value for the cross-border region as it will strengthen the linkage between culture/ tradition and economic activities. Equally, it will have a major positive impact in the cross-border collaboration by: reinforcing cultural & economic relations, promoting local products and further developing tourism activities and tourists flow

 

Publicity materials

 

Tourism & Management Studies International Conference, Algarve 2013, Porugal

Publicity materials:

Programme "Days of Bulgarian Science" – 31.01.2014
 – In Bulgarian language

 – In Greek language

Cooperation with BCCI

Tourism & Management Studies International Conference, Algarve 2014, Porugal

 

Link to the LOFT Project website