“report on local easws and minutes of forum meetings and ...€¦ · intermunicipal consortium...

MedStrategy Project - Integrated Strategy for Sustainable Development of Mediterranean Rural Areas

Project reference no.: 2G-MED09-282

C4 – PARTICIPATION COMPONENT:

Strategic Common Vision

Phase 1 - Establishment of community participation process Phase 3 - Construction of a Transnational Strategic Common Vision (TSCV)

“Report on local EASWs and Minutes of Forum meetings and workshops”

in the Intermunicipal Consortium Tindari Nebrodi

May 2012

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“Local resources: opportunities for development” The participation process for defining shared activities in the

Intermunicipal Consortium Tindari- Nebrodi

Introduction

The aim of the "MedStrategy" project is to improve and address the local policies in Mediterranean

rural areas towards new models of governance. These models will ensure local communities

involvement (citizens, administrators, decision makers, opinion leaders, entrepreneurs, tourist operator,

technicians, associations, civil society, etc..) to develop programs and operative plans according to an

innovative shared vision of local development. The participation process, started up in each partner

country, involved local communities in the identification of objectives, strategies and target

interventions of the Local Pilot Operative Plan centered on a specific issue oriented to the social-

economic development.

The organization of the participation process followed the instructions included in the "Guidelines for

the organization of the participation process" realized by ANCI Sicily (PP2) responsible for the C4 -

Phase 1 " Establishment of community participation process " and the instructions included in the "

EASW Guidance" realized by Archanon - Asterousion Municipality (PP3) (in collaboration with (P2)

ANCI Sicily) responsible for the C4 - Phase 3 " Construction of a Transnational Strategic Common

Vision (TSCV)"1.

The meetings were managed according to consolidated facilitation techniques (EASW methodology)

and divided into “Plenary sessions” and “Group sessions” (“Role Group” and “Thematic Group”).

The participation process in the Intermunicipal Consortium Tindari-Nebrodi (in

Italy)

In the Intermunicipal Consortium Tindari-Nebrodi, the Forum meetings, managed according to the

EASW methodology, were organized by external experts and facilitators commissioned by

Intermunicipal Consortium Tindari-Nebrodi (LP) and by ANCI Sicilia (P2).

Before the start up of the participation process, from April to November 2011, 4 preliminary meetings

were organized:1 meeting with the Local Representatives and 3 meetings with the Local Stakeholders,

according to the following plan:

1 The "Guidelines for the organization of the participation process" and the " EASW Guidance" are included in the document “Review of participation method and Forum regulation”

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• 1 Meeting with the Local Representatives

◊ 20th April 2011 – Head office of Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, Patti (ME)

• 3 Meetings with the Local Stakeholders

◊ 21st October 2011 – Municipality of Ficarra ◊ 27th October 2011 – Municipality of S. Piero Patti ◊ 28th October 2011 – Municipality of Basicò

The preliminary meeting with the Local Representatives of the Municipalities of Consortium

Tindari - Nebrodi was aimed at identifying the intervention area of the project. At the end of the

meeting it was decided to work in the “tourist sector”. The other preliminary meetings with the local

communities, held in the municipality of Ficarra, San Piero Patti and Basicò on 21st, 27th and 28th

October, were aimed at promoting greater involvement of stakeholders in the participation activities.

Below a brief description on the Forum meetings held from December 2011 to May 2012 at the head

office of Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, in the municipality of Patti:

• I Forum. Patti, 13th December 2011

• II Forum. Patti, 17th January 2012

• III Forum. Patti, 31st January 2012

• IV Forum. Patti, 21st March 2012

• V Forum. Patti, 17th April 2012

• VI Forum. Patti, 3rd May 2012

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The invitation letters to the Forum meetings were sent, by e-mail to a specific mailing list including

public and private institutions and actors operating in the territory of Consortium Tindari-Nebrodi.

Around 60 people, public and private stakeholders, attended the meetings including entrepreneurs who

mainly operate in the tourist sector (owners of Hotels, B&B, residences, farms and restaurants),

members of cultural and environmental associations, and employees of the offices for the tourism

promotion, politicians, administrators, experts and technicians (engineers, agronomists, architects,

economists, etc. ..) etc… The local stakeholders involved in the participation process, were engaged to

build a shared vision of the local development aimed at starting up a new model of governance for the

management of local tourism supply.

During the participation process the administration and the internal staff of the Consortium Tindari -

Nebrodi was engaged in the preparation of documents and work materials to be distributed to

participants, in the logistic organization and, at the beginning of each meeting, in the collection of the

adhesions to the forums and in the registration of participants.

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I Forum meeting

Date 13th December 2011 Meeting place Town Hall, Piazza Sciacca (Patti) Aim Start up of participation process Work mode Plenary session Results Establishment of Forum and approval of participation process rules

The first forum, carried out in plenary session and held in the Town Hall in the municipality of Patti,

was attended by: the Mayor of Patti municipality, Giuseppe Mauro Aquino, who stressed the need to

build a new governance in order to improve the tourist sector, and the President of the Consortium

Tindari Nebrodi, Franco Armando Lopes, who highlighted the opportunities arising from the adhesion

to the Medstrategy project by the Consortium Tindari Nebrodi, inviting participants to actively take

part to the forum meetings.

Carlo Simonetti, technical coordinator of the Medstrategy project, described: the aims, the activities,

the results and the state of art of the Medstrategy project. In particular, he described the activities

foreseen in the C3 component "Territories and institutions: diagnosis and ex ante evaluation", which

included: "Territorial Analisys (C3-Ph1)", "Institutional Analisys (C3-Ph2)" and "SWOT Analisys (C3-

Ph3)" (i.e. the analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).

Massimo Attanasio, a member of the '"Experts Board" of the project, appointed by ANCI Sicilia,

presented some case studies selected in collaboration with the other experts appointed by the other

partners, focusing in particular on some Italian experiences. These cases regarded the experimentation

of new ways of governance aimed to ensure shared and more efficient management of municipal

services (eg. case study related to the "municipality of Reggio Nord", Emilia Romagna) and of cultural

and touristic services (eg. case study related to the Val di Cornia, Toscana).

Piero Barbera, representative of the Regional Department of Planning of Sicily, dealt with Strategic

Planning for the local development and stressed the strategic location of the Consortium Tindari-

Nebrodi in the Mediterranean area.

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Finally, Despoina Karniadaki, external expert, described the methodology, the rules and the working

modalities of the participation process in relation to the instructions included in "Guidelines for the

organization of the participation process" realized by ANCI Sicilia (PP2) responsible for C4 - Phase 1

"Establishment of community participation process" and in the "EASW Guidance" realized by

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Archanon - Asterousion Municipality (PP3) responsible for C4 - Ph3 "Construction of a Transnational

Strategic Common Vision (TSCV)".

During the First Forum, the administrative and internal staff of the Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi was

engaged in the registration of participants, in the distribution of the documents and work materials and

in the collection of the adhesions to the forums.

For the collection of the adhesions, it was arranged a specific "Registration form" containing the

following information:

- Name and Surname of the participant

- Contact details (Address, e-mail, phone, fax, etc...)

- Organization / Association

- Role within the Organization / Association

- Contact details of the Organization / Association

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II Forum meeting – I EASW meeting

Date 17th January 2012 Meeting place Head office of Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, Patti (ME)

Aim Each role group defines its own negative and positive vision in relation to each specific thematic area

Work mode “Plenary session” and “Group sessions” (“Role Group”) Results To build a shared “Common Vision” (general objectives)

The Second Forum, held in the Head office of Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, in Patti municipality, was

carried out with two different working methods: a first phase in "plenary session" and a second phase in

"group sessions".

During the plenary session, facilitators presented the activities to be carried out within each working

group and the participants were divided into 4 Role groups:

1. Politicians and Administrators

2. Experts and Technicians (architects, geologists, agronomists, economists, etc…)

3. Private sectors/ Entrepreneurs (Entrepreneurs who mainly operate in the tourist sector)

4. Civil Society (members of cultural and environmental associations and staff working at the offices

for the tourism promotion)

During the plenary session, a working paper, named "Scenario Zero" was distributed: it contained a

summary of the current status regarding the tourist sector in the territory of the Consortium Tindari -

Nebrodi (see Annex 1).

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After the plenary session, participants were divided into 4 role groups and were invited to work in 4

parallel sessions, supported by 4 facilitators. Each role group, supported by the facilitators, defined its

own “negative” and “positive” vision in order to identify the main problems and objectives to be

pursued in relation to the 4 thematic areas proposed in the “Guidelines for the organisation of the

participation process”, (Role group sessions):

• Thematic area A: Innovation processes for local development

• Thematic area B: Territorial cooperation and cohesion

• Thematic area C: Integration of economic sectors

• Thematic area D: Competitiveness and territorial marketing

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Thematic area A: Innovation processes for local development Innovation in the economic development of a territory has been for a long time object of empirical and theoretical analysis which recognized its central role in detecting policies and actions. In this context the discussion should be focused on the interaction between research and local productive systems, on the ability of the small and medium-sized enterprises to introduce innovation in their production, on the need to innovate services in the tertiary sector, on the transfer of knowledge for human capital, etc. The theme looks therefore to innovation in its general meaning - therefore technological, economic, organizational, market innovation - as well as to the ability of the public system to innovate its own organizational structure for improving local development. The objective of the group work will be to outline scenarios and to determine actions "using" innovation, introducing innovative approaches or determining new management models for the existing tools with the purpose to assure a new territorial governance through innovative processes. Thematic area B: Territorial cooperation and cohesion Territorial cooperation is the search and promotion of joined solutions to common problems among public administrations, among private organisations, among public and private sectors, in the fields of urban development, rural development, creation of economic relationships and networks of SMEs, etc. Cooperation is moreover addressed toward research and technological development, the information society, the environment, the prevention of risks, the integrated management of resources. The theme is besides connected to ‘cohesion’, as defined by the European Union, as promotion of a balanced, harmonious and sustainable development of the local community, with the purpose to reduce its disparities. This theme will therefore stimulate in the group reflections and proposals on the possibilities to activate collaborations, partnership, projects that jointly involve the public sector, the private sector or both, so that to promote together its development. Thematic area C: Integration of economic sectors This theme concerns actions for a greater and more careful involvement of enterprises / bodies / organizations belonging to different sectors from that of reference. Within the working group, deepening the existing interconnections with sectors "connected" to that of reference (i.e. involved in direct or indirect way by the action that you want to undertake in the chosen sector) can be useful above all with the purpose to promote, to structure and to propose, inter-sectorial collaborations, integrated development models and effective actions taking into consideration the existing interconnections among the different economic sectors of the territory. Thematic area D: Competitiveness and territorial marketing Competitiveness, within the objectives of macroeconomic development, is generally defined as the ability to improve the productivity of a territory, the ability to produce goods and services which meet the international market demand, guaranteeing better life conditions, higher employment rates and increased wealth. The Reports on economic and social cohesion of the European Committee (from 2004 to 2010) define territorial competitiveness as "the ability to anticipate and to promote changes". It is therefore interpreted as the level of territorial dynamism and its ability to react at the right moment to the new global challenges (in international contexts that always ask for new abilities and strategies of growth). Territories have therefore asked to strengthen their competitiveness and ‘appeal’, taking however into consideration the existing economic, social and territorial disparities. This theme, even if already discussed in participated planning or in promotional plans of many territories in the past, has always new food for thought both with reference to strategies for territorial competitiveness and with reference to the correct analysis of the territorial needs, the study of the strength / weakness points of the local systems, the ability to correctly organize the "production factors", the perception that non-residents have of a territory, the need to create a unique image, etc. The thematic group will work on the close examination of these themes and on the elaboration of actions that mostly makes territory competitive in the selected sector.

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At the end of the working groups, the post-it stickers, showing the proposals of the participants, were

placed in a blank board divided into "positive vision" and "negative vision" for each thematic area. The

post-it stickers were grouped and summarized in order to define, in relation to each of the 4 thematic

areas proposed, the "positive vision" and the "negative vision".

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Results for "Role Group"

Vision of the "Role Group" Politicians and Administrators Slogan: “Si vince e si perde tutti insieme” – “We win or we loose together”

Negative Vision of the Group Politicians and Administrators

Thematic area A Innovation processes for local development

• Absence of synergy between research and production. • Weak local economy also due to the limited ability to start innovative projects. • training courses don't meet the need of innovation in the local economy. • Lack of information technologies.

Thematic area B Territorial cooperation and cohesion

• Lack of planning and joint management tools of the territory. • Reluctance of public and private sectors to work together in order to promote technological

development and services of integrated management. • Lack of economic resources. • Absence of cooperation, in particular among the local authorities, on the development and

implementation policies for the protection of the territory.

Thematic area C Integration of economic sectors

• Weak Intersectorial collaboration affecting the development of all economic sectors and rebounding on the environment and on the social context.

• The individualism of the enterprises and the parochial culture obstruct the cross-sectorial integration.

• Local services deficient to meet the needs of residents and tourists.

Thematic area D Competitiveness and territorial marketing

• The offer of products and services doesn't meet market demand.

• Poor ability to overcome self-centered behaviours and to share the local marketing actions.

• Lack of investments aimed to promote and to protect the peculiar characteristics of the territories (agricultural products and rural villages).

Positive Vision of the Group Politicians and Administrators


• Filling the gap between research and local production (of goods and services) favouring the creation of communication channels and the consolidation of bilateral relations in order to ensure the transfer of research results toward objectives that meet the needs of local enterprises.

• Encouraging the use of innovation technology and management to network the potentiality of the territory.

• Promoting the start up of training courses, retraining courses and orientation courses, in order to improve the ability of innovation and increase the employment

• Supporting the introduction of information technologies and of innovative communication tools in order to spread the "image" of the territory.


• Improving the way of processing territorial plans on the part of the Local Authorities, through participation processes aimed at the involvement of local stakeholders.

• Supporting the strenghtening and the creation of new kinds of association


• Enhancing the local resources through synergic and shared actions oriented to the local sustainable development of the territory

• Promoting the cooperation among small enterprises in order to favour their growth.

• Sustaining more environmentally friendly production processes and new entrepreneurial opportunities in the food production cycle (eg. recovery / reuse of waste derived from the food production).

• Providing integrated services responding to user needs.


• Supporting the achievement of the quality standards requested by the market and enhancing the "excellences" of the territory.

• Territorial integration of services in order to increase quality and reduce costs.

• Enabling a common strategy to regional marketing that highlights the "excellences" of the territory

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Vision of the "Role Group" Experts and Technicians

Negative Vision of the Group Experts and Technicians


• Inability to promote a tourism offer linked to the territorial peculiarities due also to the inadeguate and fragmentary knowledge of the resources that make the area attractive for tourism development.

• Lack of planning of activities aimed at the development of the territory:the identification of policies and actions should not be the result of a polical approach ("bottom up" approach) but must take into account the needs of the local stakeholders ("bottom down approach ") in respect of the public interest.

• The existing planning tools are devoid of an integrated strategic vision and unable to ensure a coordinated, systematic, innovative and sustainable use of the territorial resources.

• Inadequate environmental sustainability of tourism development.

• Inadequacy of management systems for territorial resources

• Insufficient attention to the issue of energy saving and low use of renewable energy sources.

• Low level of professional skills in the tourist sector; lack of specialized professionals in the management and enhancement of territorial resources.

• Inadequate investment in the human resources: absence of training courses and retraining courses addressed to technicians.

• Low consideration for the professional activity carried out by technicians and for the add value that can derive from their work.

• Lack of technological innovation


• Lack of cooperation among public and private actors, due to the failure identification of common goals, which results in the fragmentation of the actions carried out by these actors.

• Prevalence of the "Bottom-up" approaches over the "Bottom-down" approaches

• Absence of a "Common Technical Office" able to favour the simplification of the administrative affairs and ensure a greater interaction among public and private sectors.

• Absence of cooperation between the different operators of the agricultural sector employed in the cultivation, in the processing and in the marketing of agricultural products in the small and medium size enterprises.


• Absence of cooperation and collaboration between the different economic sectors linked to the tourist offer (use of natural and cultural resources, accommodation capacity, catering, food and wine industry, seaside tourism, religious tourism, sale of local products, etc. ..) that determines the fragmentation of the tourist offer.

• Absence of synergic "horizontal" relationships among the Local Authorities and "vertical" ones among the different productive sectors directly and indirectly linked to tourist sector (accommodation capacity, agro-industry, transport, services, etc...).

• undersized and inadequate Services and infrastructures to meet the resident population needs and the need of tourist development.

• Inadequacy of the facilities, services and infrastructures aimed at supporting the tourist activities and the enjoyment and accessibility of natural and cultural resources.

• Aversion to risk, defined as inclination to self-employment, with the exaltation of the search of a permanent job that is seen as a guarantee against risk, determining as effect the low use of incentives foreseen for the new entrepreneurs, especially young.

• Poor integration of supply chain and strong presence, particularly in the agricultural sector, of isolated enterprises that don't favour the marketing of the local products.


• Lack of marketing strategies aimed at enhancing and promoting the territory and his specific peculiarities.

• Lack of promotion and marketing of the tourist "products" able to favour a direct connection with the market (both Italian and foreign) and to meet the tourist demand.

• Inadequate skills and insufficient integration to ensure the identification of objectives and of actions in order to make the territory more competitive.

• poor quality of the accommodation offer of , inadequate to meet the needs of the market, both in structural and in management terms.

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Positive Vision of the Group Experts and Technicians


• Promoting an integrated tourist offer not only linked to a tourism resort but also to the exploitation and the use of different resources (environmental and cultural resources, local products, etc ...) that characterize the territory, in order to favour the deseasonalization of tourist flows.

• Adopting policies oriented to the programming of territorial development encouraging greater participation of local actors and the pursuit of long-term and shared objectives.

• Ensuring greater environmental sustainability in tourism development.

• Ensuring the protection, the recovery and the reuse of historic and rural heritage also in order to increase the accommodation capacity.

• Starting up of training and retraining courses for technicians and operators employed in the tourism sector, aimed at the creation of experts in the management and exploitation of territorial resources.

• Develop innovative measures taking into account "best practices" adopted in other contexts.


• Favouring the opportunities for the confrontation (eg. through participation forums) between the different public and private actors (technicians, entrepreneurs, politicians, etc...), in order to encourage the activation of collaboration forms and the development of synergic and shared actions.

• Favouring the development of tourism taking into account the proximity to areas with natural, historical-cultural (Aeolian Islands, Nebrodi Park, Taormina, Giardini Naxos) and strategic (port of Messina and Milazzo, destinations of cruise ships) value and the possibility that these areas have to generate new tourist flows (Basin-induced).

• Favouring the cooperation between the different actors that are employed in the agricultural sector and involved in the cultivation, processing and marketing of the agricultural products in order to ensure the completion of the production chain.


• Promoting the integration between the different productive sectors and the different economic actors in order to ensure the increase of the tourism flows and the development of an integrated and deseasonalized tourist offer, linked not only to the summer season but also to the exploitation and to the use of the different territorial resources (environmental and cultural) and to the promotion and sale of the local products.

• Improving and making the services system and the infrastructures more efficient without damaging the natural resources and the landscape.

• Strenghtening and improving services and facilities aimed at supporting the tourist activities and the necessary infrastructures to ensure the enjoyment and the accessibility of natural and cultural resources.

• Activating roundtables led by technicians, including local authorities and economic operators (entrepreneurs), in order to ensure the integration between the different sectors, the definition of shared development policies and the identification of the most important objectives to be pursued.


• Activating marketing strategies aimed at enhancing and promoting the territory and its specific characteristics.

• Promoting the diversification of the tourism activities in order to increase the attractiveness of the territory and its products taking into account the needs of the market and tourism demand (user requests).

• Identifying the most appropriate channels for the promotion and the marketing of the territory, of its products and of the tourist offer.

• Identifying the objectives and the actions to be carried out in order to make the territory competitive, taking into account the "best practices" adopted in other local (more developed) contexts.

• Improving the organization and strenghten the services, the infrastructures and the facilities aimed at supporting the tourist enjoyment.

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Vision of the "Role Group" Private sectors/ Entrepreneurs Slogan: “Io voglio vivere bene e meglio il nostro territorio e godere della sua bellezza e qualità” “I want to live better in out territory and enjoy its beautiness and quality”

Negative Vision of the Group Private sector/ Entrepreneurs


• Adaptation of the services to the standards at EU level (eg wi-fi free).

• Absence of the appropriate services and experts for the website and multilingual interface management.


• Insufficient activity of public administration in providing environmental services.

• Lack of attention to the quality of the public spaces and services.

• Poor maintainance of the roads outside the city.


• Absence of an integrated vision of tourism taking into account the “valuable goods” of the territory.

• Absence of coordination between the different productive sectors able to innovate the tourism offer (eg. use of the local agricultural production for catering at "0 km ").


• Absence of rules guaranteing a greater quality of the tourist offer and services .

• Poor ability to attract different market segments and to favour the deseasonalization.

Positive Vision of the Group Private sector/ Entrepreneurs


• Improving the quality of the urban landscape.

• Organizing and improving the quality level (standards) of the services in the tourism sector (signposting along the touristic routes, free wi-fi in the public areas, etc...).

• Improving the quality of the urban and territorial public services.


• Improving the environmental quality of the public services.

• Protecting and improving the quality of the urban landscape and services aimed at the enjoyment of the historical, cultural and environmental heritage.


• Promoting the use of tools aimed at the integration of agri-food sector, accommodations and catering activities, environmental, historical and cultural heritage offer.

• Promoting and encouraging the landscape maintenance, and in particular the sub-urban agricultural practices.


• Integrating the different tourist paths and the tourist offer (cultural, gastronomic, sporting, naturalistic, etc.).

• Building a new image of the territory: creating a territorial "brand" promoting the identity and quality of territorial resources.

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Vision of the "Role Group" Civil Society

Negative Vision of the Group Civil Society


• Poor ability to use existing resources and to formulate innovative projects.

• Lack of adequate services and of experts capable to guarantee a competitive and quality offer.

• Poor quality of the tourism services.


• Lack of cooperation between the public-private actors.

• Insufficient coordination between the public administrations

• Limited effectiveness in the interventions.


• Lack of an integrated vision of tourism taking into account the need of collaboration between the different economic sectors.

• Lack of integration tools between the different economic sectors necessary to improve the tourist offer.


• Lack of skills capable to guarantee a better quality of tourist offer.

• Weak capacity of aggregation not capable to reach new market segments.

Positive Vision of the Group Civil Society


• Increasing the design capacity, taking into particular account the environmental sustainability.

• Improving the professional skills of the human resources.

• Organizing and improving the quality level (standards) of the services in the tourism sector.


• Increasing the cooperation between public-private actors

• Improving the coordination between the municipalities.

• Increasing the establishment of networks for enhancing the collaboration between the different actors.


• Promoting actions for the integration and the exchange of information between the different sectors.

• Strengthening the digital representation (digitalization) of the territory.


• Improving the quality of the territory.

• Creating a territorial "brand" through the promotion of the identity and quality of territorial resources.

• Improving the professional skills of the human resources in order to make the territory more competitive.

At the end of the group sessions, a representative from each group presented problems (negative

vision) and goals (positive vision) identified by its role group in a plenary session, in order to

identify common issues and goals.

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Facilitators finally distributed a paper sheet to each participant in order to let them choose the

thematic group to be part of in the next forum (Forum III). In relation to the expressed preferences

participants were then divided into thematic groups for the third forum.

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The working group responsible for the management of the Forums gathered the positive visions

defined by each "role group" during the 2nd Forum meeting and summarized these visions in a

single "Common Vision", as follows:

“Common Vision”

Common Vision


A1. Improving the way of processing territorial plans by Local Authorities take into account the contribution of citizens and local actors (entrepreneurs and technicians) through the start up of the participation processes based on a "bottom-up approach"; adapting Territorial Planning tools to a common vision of sustainable development based on the valorisation of the local resources.(natural and cultural resources and traditional handicraft products and food).

A2. Adapting the tourist services to the European standards, through the introduction of high technology services in order to reduce the digital-device (eg Wi-Fi Free in the public areas).

A3. Improving the quality level of the tourist accommodations, defining protocols and "marks" for the activities and ensuring minimum standards of efficiency (eg. appropriate facilities for disabled people); improving the professional skills of the tourist operators (accommodation and catering) through training and retraining courses aimed in particular at the knowledge of languages and at the use of information technology. A4. Improving the organization and management of the tourism offer through a collaboration between public and private actors and the start up of courses aimed at the training of experts in web site management (with multilingual interface). Creating a new "Design of integrated tourist routes "(cultural, gastronomic, sport, environmental, etc...) capable to use internet services and to offer services such as for example " Trip-advisor " for the location of tourist facilities and the identification of virtual circuits for the enjoyment of environmental, historical and cultural heritage and the promotion of the local products (agro-food products and traditional handcraft). Overcoming the lack of relationship between research and production activities.

A5. Developing innovative measures aimed at local sustainable development taking into account the "best practices" implemented in other contexts.


B1. Strengthening / establishing facilities to coordinate the public administration activities and to avoid the fragmentation of development strategies and bureaucracy.

B2. Favouring the strengthening and the creation of associative bodies (cooperatives, associations, etc..) for the production of goods and services, in particular in the food industry, in order to ensure the completion of the production chain.

B3. Increasing the opportunities for the confrontation (eg. participation processes) between the different public and private local actors in order to generate synergy and shared actions.

B4. Promoting the concept of environmental, social and economic sustainability, in the management of the territory (urban centres, road infrastructure, etc.) and in the organization of services (environmental services and mobility) in order to protect the historic, cultural and environmental heritage and meet the current and future needs.

B5. Developing / enhancing forms of collaboration and interaction with the other tourist centres and with the strategic transport nodes (ports, airports, etc..) in order to improve communication and to favour the growth of tourism.


C1. Promoting the start up of activities (comparison tables, forums, etc...) aiming to increase the opportunities for the confrontation between the different local actors in order to: ensure the integration between the different sectors, define development policies and shared activities and identify common goals to be pursued in close synergy.

C2. Promoting the integration between the agri-food sector, the accommodation activities and the catering. Developing an integrated tourist offer in order to favour the growth and the deseasonalization of tourist flows.

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C3. Enhanceing the local traditional activities, arts and crafts.

(Promoting the cooperation between the small enterprises).

C4. Improving the enjoyment of environmental, historical and cultural heritage.

C5. Improving the environmental sustainability of the tourist sector through the integration with the policies related to energy, waste, water and transport sector

C6. Increasing and improving the services and infrastructure system necessary for the tourists, to guarantee the enjoyment of the territorial resources and to enhance the liveability and quality of urban areas (improvement of the facilities and of the connection between the main sources of tourist interest in the territory).

C7. Promoting and encouraging the preservation of agricultural practices (with particular reference to the small plots of land) as a garrison to safeguard the landscape and to prevent the environmental risk and as a prerequisite to allow the implementation of activities related to the use of rural areas (rural tourism, education farms, etc ...).


D1. Enhancing local excellences in order to increase the attractiveness of the territory and its products.

D2. Improving the quality of tourism offer in order to reach a specific quality level (standards) in the production of goods and services, in particular relation to the issue of environmental sustainability.

D3. Improving the ability to intercept new market segments (eg. promoting specialized forms of tourism).

D4. Promoting the whole territory as a “single product" activating a common strategy of territorial marketing (that is building “a territorial brand")

D5. Promoting the upgrading/enhancement of human resources (eg. starting up of training courses aimed at increasing the ability to start strategic actions for the territorial development).

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III Forum meeting – II EASW meeting

Date 31st January 2012 Meeting place Head office of Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, Patti (ME)

Aim Identification of the actions to be undertaken and of the actors that will be involved to reach the “Common positive vision”

Work mode Plenary Session – Group Sessions (Thematic groups) Results Definition of which "Actions" could be undertaken to reach the “Common

positive Vision” and which “Stakeholders” will be involved in the implementation of these Actions, by each thematic group.

The Third Forum, held in the Head office of Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, in Patti municipality, was

carried out in two different working modes: a first phase in "plenary session" and a second phase in

"group sessions".

During the plenary session, the facilitators presented the “Common Vision” obtained by the activities

carried out by each role group during the II Forum. The participants, in relation to the preference

expressed on the different thematic areas, were divided into 4 Thematic groups:

1. Group A: Innovation processes for local development

2. Group B: Territorial cooperation and cohesion

3. Group C: Integration of economic sectors

4. Group D: Competitiveness and territorial marketing

At the end of the plenary session, participants were invited to work for thematic groups, in 4 parallel

sessions managed by four facilitators. The thematic groups were heterogeneous and included at least

one representative of each role group.

Within each thematic group, the facilitators asked to the participants to indicate, in relation to the

objectives ("Common vision positive") identified in the II Forum and in relation to each of 4 thematic

areas:

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- Which "Actions" could be undertaken to reach the “Common positive Vision” and therefore to

pursue the main objectives identified in relation to the 4 thematic areas proposed in the "Guidelines for

the organisation of the participation process".

- Which “Stakeholders” will be involved in the implementation of these actions.

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Results of the “Thematic groups”

Ideas generation – Thematic Group A “Innovation processes for local development”

Objectives Strategies Actions (What?) Actors(Who?) Indentifying policies and actions through a “bottom down” approach that takes into account the needs of citizens and of local stakeholders.

Establishment of a Coordination Board made by people who distinguished themselves for pursuing innovative initiatives and projects (Public Authorities, associations, entrepreneurs, etc..), with specific responsibilities and decision making skills

A1 Improving the

way of processing territorial

plans by the Local

Authorities

Adaptation of the Territorial Planning tools to a common vision of sustainable development based on local resources.

Starting up of “participation processes” (forums, meetings, etc…) addressed to public and private actors (technicians, entrepreneurs, politicians, etc...) in order to generate the implementation of synergic and shared actions aimed at a sustainable development.

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, private actors

Installation of panels and supports in order to ensure the use of digital applications (eg augmented reality and geolocation) which have the function of providing information and describe places ensuring a better enjoyment/knowledge of the territory. Installation of panels and digital supports in the tourist areas in order to provide information and describe places ensuring a better enjoyment/knowledge of the territory.

Municipalities, private actors

Introduce the free wi-fi in the public and tourist areas (squares, railway stations, info points, etc…) Spreading the use of digital tools and information technologies in the tourism sector, encouraging the use of software for the shared management of common databases

Municipalities, private actors , (tourist operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs)

Designing a "web portal" to promote the tourism sector Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities

A2-A3-A4 Improving the quality of the organization

and management of

the tourism offer

Introducing and enhancing the use of high technology tools and services to reduce the digital-device

Promoting the exchange of experiences and knowledge and dissemination of good practices and innovative technologies adopted in other contexts through the use of computer networks (livi ng labs: virtual places for the exchange of information and ideas between persons).

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities

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Objectives Strategies Actions (What?) Actors(Who?)

Drawing up a "Charter of minimum requirements" that must be fulfilled by the tourist operators for the production of goods and services in the tourism sector in order to guarantee to the tourist operators to be put in a "register of tour operators / hoteliers qualified"

Associations, Hoteliers

Ensuring the presence of public services for tourists / visitors in the tourist areas (eg, info point, visitor centres, toilets, shuttle services, etc.)

Municipalities Adapting the tourist services to the European standards

Improving the quality of the tourist services through forms of collaboration between public and private actors


Starting up of training courses and retraining courses addressed to the staff employed in the tourism sector (hotels, food services, info-point, etc) and aimed at improving the professional skills of tourist operators and in particular the knowledge of languages and the use of information technology.

Improving the professional skills in the tourist sector

Establishing a "register of qualified tour operators / hoteliers "

Municipalities, private actors , (tourist operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs)

A2-A3-A4 Improving the quality of the organization

and the management of

the tourism offer

Activating tools to improve and make more effective the promotion and the tourism management

Designing a "web portal" to promote the tourist offer (containing all the information about accommodation facilities, restaurants, touristic routes, services for tourists) that can be updated by the people employed in the tourist sector.

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, private actors , (tourist operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs)

Promoting the adoption of environmental management systems by enterprises and organizations (ISO 14001 - EMAS) through tax incentives Incentivizing the "ecolabel certification" of the accommodation facilities Incentivizing the spread of “biological” marks Promoting and encouraging the use of innovative techniques with low environmental impact in order to reduce the pollution level and the pressure on the environment (eg. design of herbal purification plants in order to meet the needs of small towns and rural areas) Encouraging the recovery of agricultural residues

A5 Starting up of

innovative actions aimed

at the local sustainable

development that take into account the

"best practices" adopted in

other territorial contexts

Spreading the use of management systems and environmental certification and the development of sustainable actions

Incentivizing the use of renewable energy sources


26

Ideas generation – Thematic Group B “Territorial cooperation and cohesion” Objectives Strategies Actions (What?) Actors(Who?)

Establishment of a Coordination Board of the Intermunicipal Consortium Tindari- Nebrodi with the following functions: - Identifying strategies for tourism development in synergy with other municipalities and with the demand of the local entrepreneurs in accordance with the existing planning tools. - Providing support services to tourism operators and streamlining the bureaucratic procedures necessary for the start up of activities and initiatives.


Creating structures and offices to ensure a synergic management and a more effective coordination of the planning activities and of the tourism development strategies.

Organization of Forums and "Discussion tables" to increase the participation among the different local actors

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, private actors

Establishment of a "Common Technical Office" for the Consortium Tindari-Nebrodi territory in order to manage and coordinate the planning activities

B1 Improving the coordination between the activities of the

public administrations (Local Authorities) in order to avoid the fragmentation of development strategies

and bureaucracy Adopting new development policies that include the use of tools aimed at programming the activities and the interventions that affect the tourism sector. Drafting of a five-years Local Plan for tourism development

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari -Nebrodi

Encouraging through municipal resolutions, the "simplification" of procedures, in order to favour the creation of new types of association

Municipalities B2 Favouring the strengthening

and the creation of associative bodies for the production of goods and

services in order to ensure the completion of the

production chain.

Encouraging the creation of new types of association between the actors employed in different sectors through the "simplification" of the procedures necessary for their establishment, in order to encourage the start up of activities, initiatives and shared and synergic projects, and the organization of integrated touristic routes.

Organization of Forums and "Discussion tables" among public and private entities operating in different sectors related to the tourism development (hotels, farms, transport companies, tour operators, etc. ..)

B3 Increasing the opportunities for the comparison between

the different local actors (public and private) in order

to generate synergy and shared actions.

Ensure the organization of periodic "thematic tables" and "forums" between the different public and private actors, in the territory of the Consortium, in order to facilitate the implementation of projects and of synergic and shared activities.

Establishment of a Permanent/standing Forum on tourism”


27

Objectives Strategies Actions (What?) Actors(Who?) Increasing the knowledge and awareness of the value of the environmental heritage and of the opportunities related to its enhancement through information and awareness initiatives

Starting up of information and awareness initiatives aimed at spreading the concept of environmental sustainability and support the importance of actions aimed at protecting and enhancing the landscape and the natural and cultural heritage.

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari – Nebrodi, associations schools

Adopting measures at local level in order to mitigate the visual impact of elements that disfigure the quality of the urban areas, in particular in the tourist areas

Improving the '"image" and quality of the urban area/context

Enacting regulations and adopting measures at local level in order to improve and maintain the quality of the public spaces and reduce the visual impact in urban areas, in particular in the tourist areas (eg. regulation on the use of water tanks, antennas and satellite dishes, public and private lighting on the facades of historic buildings, ect ...)

B4 Promoting the concept of environmental, social, and economic sustainability in

the management of the territory and of the cultural,

historical, and environmental heritage.

Ensuring a sustainable management of collection services and disposal of municipal waste.

Construction of a facility for the processing/ treatment/ transformation of organic waste into compost managed by the municipalities of the Consortium

Municipalities

Creating a "permanent network" through the signing of cooperation commitments (draft agreement, contracts) among actors directly or indirectly employed in the tourist sector (hoteliers, restaurateurs, farmers, managers and owners of transport companies, artisans, tour operators, etc ...)

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, private actors , (tourist operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs, farms, transport companies, ect..)

B5 Developing / enhancing

forms of collaboration and interaction with the other

tourist centres and with the strategic transport nodes (ports, airports, etc..) in

order to improve communications and to favour the growth of the

tourism

Encouraging the development of synergic actions and strengthening forms of cooperation between actors employed in different sectors in order to improve the tourist offer. Encouraging the stipulation of draft agreements between the

hoteliers and the transport companies in order to ensure an efficient link with the airport of Catania.

Municipalities, hoteliers, transport companies

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Ideas generation – Thematic Group C “Integration of economic sectors” Objectives Strategies Actions (What?) Actors(Who?)

Establishment of a “Permanent/standing Forum on tourism” C1 Favouring the opportunities for the comparison between

the different economic sectors, in order to identify common objectives to be

pursued in close synergy and encourage the development

of synergetic and shared actions

Favouring the start up of “Comparision Tables” between tourism operators, owners of tourist agencies, hotels, restaurants, transportation companies, farms, farmers, artisans, etc. ..

Promoting and encouraging the participation in the "Discussion Tables" (make mandatory the participation in the "Discussion tables" by who wants to be part of the 'Register of qualified tour operators / hoteliers)


Organization of thematic events, aimed at the enhancement of the local products (agri-food, wine) and of traditional handicraft Design of "tourist itineraries" (thematic and integrated: educational, religious, naturalistic, cultural, food and wine, traditional crafts etc..) addressed to specific users and aimed at ensuring the deseasonalization of tourist flows and the promotion and marketing of food, wine and traditional crafts. Creation of new forms of cooperation between tour operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs , transport companies, etc..

C2 Developing an integrated tourism offer in order to

favour the growth and the deseasonalization of tourist

flows

Promoting the integration between the activities of agricultural and food production, the traditional handcraft activities and the tourist activities (catering, accommodation activities and enjoyment of cultural and natural heritage) Promoting a deseasonalization offer of products in the restaurants,

offering to users different dishes and foods in relation to the period of the year. (range of seasonal products)

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, private actors (hoteliers, restaurateurs, farms, artisans)

Identification and design of specific itineraries aimed at the enjoyment of historic and artistic heritage, the knowledge of the traditions, arts and traditional crafts and the promotion and marketing of artisanal products.

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, private actors, schools, associations.

Providing incentives for artisans to produce objects with olive wood. Municipalities

Establishment of a School of Crafts and organization, in the schools, of information campaigns addressed to young people and families and aimed at the dissemination of the knowledge and traditions of local crafts and traditional arts and crafts.

Municipalities, schools, associations.

C3 Enhancement of the local traditional activities, arts

and crafts

Enhancing local traditions, local crafts, traditional arts and crafts (tatting, bobbin lace, embroidery, fabric painting, woodworking, stone and copper)

Organization of events and fairs / exhibition markets and promotion even within the tourist trails.

Municipalities, private actors, associations.

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Organization of sightseeing tours led by specialized operators.

Establishing a "register of skilled operators in the guidance of natural, cultural and food and wine itineraries". Installation of panels and digital tools (in italian and in english) and use of audioguides for ensuring a better enjoyment of the tourist areas. Design of "tourist itineraries" (thematic and integrated: educational, religious, naturalistic, cultural, food and wine, traditional crafts etc..) addressed to specific users and aimed at the enhancement of the cultural and environmental heritage and at the promotion and marketing of food, wine and traditional crafts. Set a requirement of knowledge of a foreign language for those who work in tourist offices. Extending the opening hours and days (including public holidays) of the tourist offices and museums

C4 Improving the offer and the enjoyment of the historical, cultural and environmental

heritage

Improving the quality of services for tourists in order to ensure a better enjoyment of the most attractive tourist places

Drawing up of a "cartography of routes" to be distributed in the offices for the promotion of tourism, in the tourist information points and in the facilities for the accommodation and catering.

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, associations, private actors (tourist operators, hoteliers, etc…)

Organizing the collection of waste in order to raise awareness and encourage users to do the separate refuse collection.

Spreading the use of renewable energy sources in public buildings.

C5 Improving the

environmental sustainability of the tourist sector through

the integration with the policies related to energy,

waste and water

Adopting sustainable policies related to water resources, waste and energy

Supporting and encouraging the economic operators/entrepreneurs that use renewable energy sources


C6 Enhancing the livability and quality of urban areas and improving the enjoyment, the accessibility and the

connection between the main tourist attractives of the

territory

Strengthening and optimizing infrastructures and facilities and services for tourists

Drawing up of a Plan for the individuation and management of urban green areas

Municipalities

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Incentive to farmers who realize educational farms and activities linked to the rural tourism organized to promote and disseminate traditional and sustainable farming practices.

Organization of training courses addressed to the old people and aimed at knowledge of the agricultural products cultivation through the use of traditional practices.

C7 Safeguarding the landscape

and preventing the environmental risks in order to favour the development of activities linked to the use of rural areas (rural tourism, education farms, etc. ...).

Promoting and encouraging the preservation of traditional agricultural practices (with particular reference to small plots of land) as a garrison for the protection of the territory

Promoting the tasting of typical products (wine tasting and food tasting) in the accommodation facilities.


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Ideas generation – Thematic Group D “Competitiveness and territorial marketing” Objectives Strategies Actions (What?) Actors(Who?)


Municipalities, Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, associations, schools

Promotion and pubblication of divugative tools (CD, leaflets, brochures, guides, etc.) on the environmental, historical and cultural heritage. Construction of a database on the environmental, historical and cultural heritage for all operators and workers involved in their protection and enhancement.

Increasing the knowledge and awareness of the value of the environmental, historical - cultural and ethno-anthropological heritage and of the opportunities related to its enhancement.

Promotion of environmental, historical and cultural heritage through the design and publication of communication tools (Brochure, brochures, booklets, guides)


Organization of thematic events, aimed at the enhancement of the local products (agri-food, wine) and of the traditional handicraft (eg, farmer's market, the day of typical sweets, day of "km 0", night of culture, etc ...)

Increasing the attractiveness of the territory through the organization of events and the realization of exhibition spaces. Creating exhibition spaces for the promotion and marketing of local products and

local crafts.

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, associations, private actors (tourist operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs, farmers, etc..)

Strengthening of road signs and of digital applications (in Italian and in English) and use of audioguides for ensuring a better enjoyment of the tourist areas.

D1 Enhancing “local

excellences” in order to increase the

attractiveness of the territory and of its

products

Improving the quality of the enjoyment of tourist areas.

Design of the "tourist itineraries" (thematic and integrated: educational, religious, naturalistic, cultural, food and wine, traditional crafts etc..) addressed to specific users and aimed at the enhancement of the cultural and environmental heritage and at the promotion and marketing of food, wine and traditional crafts.


32

Objectives Strategies Actions (What?) Actors(Who?) Ensuring the sustainability of environmental services

Start up of the "door to door" separate refuse collection Municipalities

Encouraging the spread of brands quality (PDO, PGI, BIO, etc ...) on the local products (agri food, wine, handicraft, etc...). Incentivizing the spread of “biological” marks

Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, private actors (entrepreneurs, farmers, etc) Enhancing the craft and agro-food

typical products Defining specific production protocols

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari – Nebrodi, Research agencies, private actors

Promoting the adoption of environmental management systems by enterprises and organizations (ISO 14001 - EMAS) through tax incentives.

Spreading the use of environmental management systems Incentivizing the "ecolabel certification" of the accommodation facilities

Municipalities, private actors (entrepreneurs, farmers, etc)

Drawing up of a "Charter of minimum requirements" that must be fulfilled by the tourist operators for the production of goods and services in the tourism sector in order to guarantee to the tourist operators to be put in a "register of tour operators / hoteliers qualified"

D2 Improving the quality of the tourism offer in

order to reach a specific level of quality

(standards) in the production of goods

and services, in particular in relation

to the issue of environmental sustainability.

Ensuring the quality improvement of tourism offer through the definition of rules and minimum requirements that must be met for the production of goods and services in tourism sector

Establishing a "register of tour operators / hoteliers qualified"

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari – Nebrodi, Research agencies, private actors

Carrying out surveys (through questionnaires, surveys and other) for the evaluation of the services quality and the visitors satisfaction in order to improve the quality of services for tourists and address the tourism offer towards specific targets Encouraging the development of specialized forms of tourism (eg linked to the wine and food, to the water resources, to the rural areas, to the cultural and sporting activities, etc...)

D3 Improving the ability

to intercept new market segments (eg

promoting specialized forms of tourism)

Improving the quality of the tourist services and diversify the tourist offer Designing of "tourist itineraries" (thematic and integrated: educational,

religious, naturalistic, cultural, food and wine, traditional crafts etc..) addressed to specific users and aimed at the enhancement of the cultural and environmental heritage and at the promotion and marketing of food, wine and traditional crafts.

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari – Nebrodi, Associations, private actors (tourist operators, hoteliers, etc…)

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Objectives Strategies Actions (What?) Actors(Who?) Organization of training courses addressed to technicians and other operators on the funding opportunities for the realization of more innovative interventions Starting up of training and retraining courses addressed to the staff employed in the tourism sector (hotels, food services, info-point, etc) and aimed at improving the professional skills of tourist operators

D5 Promoting the

upgrading/enhancement of human resources (eg. starting up of training

courses aimed at increasing the ability to start strategic actions

for the territorial development)

Increasing the level of awareness of technicians, administrators and economic operators on the opportunities, for innovation and development of tourism, linked to environmental sustainability Organization of courses and environmental awareness campaigns addressed

to students and citizens

Municipalities, Consortium Tindari – Nebrodi, Research agencies, Associations, schools, private actors

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At the end of the group sessions, a representative of each thematic group presented, in the plenary

session, the work done by its thematic group, that is the key actions identified to pursue the objectives

(the "Common positive vision") identified in the II Forum for each of the four thematic areas .

The working group, responsible for the management of the Forums, gathered the results obtained by the

previous meetings and synthesized them, identifying a list of 54 target interventions.

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IV Forum meeting

Date 21st March 2012 Meeting place Head office of Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, Patti (ME) Aim Identification of the key interventions of the Local Pilot Operative Plan Work mode Plenary Session

Results Definition of objectives, strategies and key interventions of the Local Pilot Operative Plan

During the IV Forum, held in the Head office of Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, in Patti municipality

and completely carried out in "plenary session", the facilitators delivered to the participants a list of the

54 target interventions.

The facilitators asked each participant to select 10 prior interventions by indicating the order of priority

with a number from 10 to 1 in the box corresponding to the intervention. Participants assigned a

priority level to the proposed interventions in relation to the possibility to define a new tool for

planning and management of a Local Action Plan in order to improve the quality of services and of the

local tourist offer.

37

The working group, responsible for the management of the Forums, gathered the results of the

participant evaluation. The prior interventions were grouped, summarized and sorted according to the

objectives and strategies identified in the previous forums. The results were represented, showing the

total scores derived from the votes of the participants, according to the following structure:

40

The working group, responsible for the management of the Forums, drew up a first draft of the Local Pilot Operative Plan, that was used as a working

document during the V Forum.

41

First draft of the Local Pilot Operative Plan Objectives

(Vision) Strategies Actions/ Target Interventions

(What) Actors (Who)

Adaptation of the Territorial Planning tools to a common vision of sustainable development that is based on local resources.

Establishment of a "Common Technical Office" for the Consortium Tindari-Nebrodi territory in order to manage and coordinate the planning activities (eg. Local Plan for tourism development valid for five-years)

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, private actors Overcoming

of the fragmentation of

policies and development

strategies undertaken by

Local authorities

Coordinating of public and private initiatives in order to ensure a synergy and more effective management of the strategies and of the planning activities on tourism development

Establishment of a Coordination Board constituted of persons who have distinguished themselves for pursuing innovative initiatives and projects, with specific responsibilities and with the following functions: - Identifying strategies for tourism development in synergy with other municipalities and with the demands of the local entrepreneurs in accordance with the existing planning tools. - Providing support services to tourism operators and streamlining the bureaucratic procedures necessary for the start up of activities and initiatives.


Improving the way of processing of the territorial

plans by the Local Authorities

Expanding and strengthening the opportunities for comparison between different public and private actors in order to generate synergy and shared actions through a "bottom down" approach that takes into account the needs of citizens and of local stakeholders.

Establishment of a “Permanent/standing Forum on tourism” in order to increase the participation and the collaboration among public and private entities operating in different sectors related to tourism development (hotels, farmers, managers of transport companies, tour operators, etc. ..) and to identify and implement synergistic and shared actions oriented to the sustainable development.



Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, Associations, Educational Institutions Increase the knowledge and awareness

of the value of the environmental, historical - cultural and ethno-anthropological heritage and of the opportunities related to its enhancement.

Promotion and pubblication of divugative tools (CD, leaflets, brochures, guides, etc.) on the environmental, historical and cultural heritage. Construction of a database on the environmental, historical and cultural heritage for all operators and workers involved in their protection and enhancement.

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, Associations, private actors, (tourist operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs)

Enhancing “local excellences” in

order to increase the attractiveness of the territory

and of its products

Increasing the attractiveness of the territory through the organization of events and the realization of exhibition spaces.

Creating exhibition spaces for the promotion and marketing of local products and local crafts.

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, Associations, private actors, (tourist operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs, farmers)

42

Objectives (Vision)

Strategies Actions/ Target Interventions (What)

Actors (Who)

Spreading the use of digital tools and introducing the free wi-fi in the public and touristy areas; installation of panels and digital supports in order to ensure the access to Internet and the use of digital applications (eg. augmented reality and geolocation) which have the function of providing information and describe places ensuring a better enjoyment/knowledge of the territory.


Designing a "web portal" to promote the tourism sector Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities (Tourist District)

Introducing and enhancing the use of high technology tools and services in order to reduce the digital-device

Promoting the exchange of experiences and knowledge and dissemination of good practices and innovative technologies adopted in other contexts through the use of computer network (living labs: virtual places for the exchange of information and ideas between persons).


Extending the opening hours and days (including public holidays) of the tourist offices and museums

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, Associations, Private sectors (tourist operators, hoteliers, etc..)

Establishing a "register of qualified tour operators / hoteliers " and drawing up a "Charter of minimum requirements" that must be fulfilled for the production of goods and services in the tourism sector.

Ensuring the presence of public services for tourists / visitors in the touristy areas (eg. info point, visitor centres, toilets, shuttle services, etc.)

Municipalities tourist operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs

Encouraging the fulfillment of quality standards in providing tourist services and "products".

Carrying out surveys (through questionnaires, surveys and other) for the evaluation of the services quality and the visitors satisfaction in order to improve and address the tourism offer toward specific targets

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, Associations, private actors, (tourist operators, hoteliers, etc..)

Starting up of training courses and retraining courses addressed to the staff employed in the tourism sector (hotels, food services, info-point, etc) and aimed at improving the professional skills of tourist operators and in particular the knowledge of languages and the use of information technology.

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, Associations, private actors, research establishment, schools

Promoting the valorisation of the human resources and improving the professional skills in the tourist sector.

Establishing a "register of skilled operators in the guidance of natural, cultural and food and wine itineraries".

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, research establishment, private actors.

Improving the quality of the

organization and of the

management of the tourism offer, in particular in relation to the

issue of environmental sustainability

Increasing the level of awareness of the technical and economic operators on the opportunities for innovation and development of tourism related to environmental sustainability.

Organization of training courses addressed to technicians and other operators on the funding opportunities for the realization of more innovative interventions.

Consortium, municipalities, private actors, research establishment, schools

43

Objectives (Vision)


Actors (Who)

Promoting the integration between the activities of agricultural and food production, the traditional handcraft activities and the tourist activities (catering, accommodation activities and enjoyment of cultural and natural heritage)

Developing an integrated tourist offer in order to

favour the growth and the

deseasonalization of tourist flows. Diversification and deseasonalization of

tourist offer

Designing of the "tourist itineraries" (thematic and integrated: educational, religious, naturalistic, cultural, food and wine, traditional crafts etc..) addressed to specific users and aimed at ensuring the deseasonalization of tourist flows and the promotion and marketing of food, wine and traditional crafts.

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, Associations, private actors (tourist operators, hoteliers, etc..)

Defining specific production protocols and encouraging the spread of brands quality (PDO, PGI, BIO, etc ...) on the local products (agri food, wine, etc...).

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, private actors (entrepreneurs, farmers, etc)

Starting up of innovative actions aimed at the local

sustainable development (see "best practices" adopted in other local contexts)

Spreading the use of management systems and of the environmental certification for the enhancement of local products (handicraft and agro-food)

Promoting the adoption of environmental management systems by enterprises and organizations (ISO 14001 - EMAS) through tax incentives.

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, private actors (entrepreneurs, farmers, etc)

Creating and enhancing forms of association for the production of goods and services in order to ensure the completion of the production

chains.

Encouraging the development of synergy actions and strengthening the forms of cooperation between actors employed in different sectors in order to improve the tourist offer.

Creating a "permanent network" through the signing of cooperation commitments (draft agreement, contracts) among actors directly or indirectly employed in the tourist sector (hoteliers, restaurateurs, farmers, managers and owners of transport companies, artisans, tour operators, etc ...)


Organization, even in the schools, of training courses aimed at the knowledge of the traditions, of local crafts and the traditional arts and crafts

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, Associations, private actors, schools

Enhancement of the local

traditional activities, arts and

crafts.

Enhancing the local traditions, the local crafts, the traditional arts and crafts (tatting, bobbin lace, embroidery, fabric painting, woodworking, stone and copper)

Renovating and enhancing the workplaces used by the local artisans, in order to include them in educational courses on the local traditions.

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, Associations, private actors, schools

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Objectives (Vision)


Actors (Who)

Improving the '"image" and quality of the urban area/context.


Municipalities

Promoting the environmental,

social, and economic

sustainability in the management

of territory and of the cultural,

historical, and environmental

heritage.

Promoting and encouraging the protection of the agricultural traditional practices (in particular the small agricultural plots)

Promoting the realization of the educational farms in the peri-urban areas, as a garrison to safeguard the landscape and to prevent the environmental risks.

Consortium Tindari –Nebrodi, municipalities, Associations, private actors (tourist operators, hoteliers, etc..)

Improving the quality of the services favouring associative forms among public and private actors, in order to ensure the cleaning and the maintenance of sidewalks, streets, squares and green urban areas.


Encouraging the use of renewable energy sources in the public and private sectors.


Improving the environmental

sustainability of the tourist sector

through the integration with

the policies related to energy, waste, water and transport sector

Improving the quality of environmental services, adopting sustainable policies on wastes, energy and water resources and ensuring the sustainable management of the collection services and disposal of municipal waste.

Promoting and encouraging the use of innovative techniques with low environmental impact in order to reduce the pollution level and the pressures on the environment (eg. design of herbal purification plants in order to meet the needs of small towns and rural areas)

Municipalities

45

V Forum meeting

Date 17th April 2012 Meeting place Head office of Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, Patti (ME) Aim Identification of the key interventions of the Local Pilot Operative Plan Work mode Plenary Session Results Definition of the interventions rated as "prior" in the Local Pilot Operative Plan

During the V Forum, the results of the evaluations made by participants were synthesized, identifying

among the target interventions, those rated as "prior" (key actions). The most rated interventions show a

strong demand of coordination between the public policies adopted at the local level and the business

activities in order to ensure a close synergy between the different local actors for the elaboration and

definition of integrated action plans for tourism, able to define a new design of tourist routes and the

integrated enhancement of the environmental and cultural resources.

The considerations derived from the discussion among the participants at the Forum, attended by

Franco Armando Lopez, President of the Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, however, highlighted the need

to consider "the establishment of a Permanent Coordination Board for the local tourist offer", as key

intervention that has the highest priority over the other interventions, as suitable for achieving all

the other actions identified as priorities.

To give continuity to the work of the Medstrategy Project and make operative the proposals derived

from the participation process it was therefore considered appropriate to establish a "Permanent

Forum for tourism and for the promotion of the terr itory" , that will work for favouring the

achievement of the interventions identified in the Pilot Operative Plan.

The working group (constituted by the forum participants), in relation to the evaluations emerged

during the V Forum, also developed a technical description of the key intervention, defining: "aims",

"functions", "composition" and "organizational structure" of the "Permanent Forum for tourism and for

the promotion of the territory".

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Data sheet of the key intervention

Action Setting up of a "Permanent coordination table" of the local actors: "Permanent Forum (PF) for tourism and for the promotion of the territory"

Place Head office of Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, Patti (ME)

Aims

The "Permanent Forum (PF) for tourism and for the promotion of the territory" was designed to give continuity to the MedStrategy project activities and implement the actions of the Local Pilot Operative Plan for tourism, derived from the Participation Process. The PF ensures the coordination between public and private local actors in order to: define new integrated strategies for the tourism development, discuss the issues related to the tourism development and propose measures for their solution. The FP promotes the dialogue, the involvement and the exchange of experiences among institutional, economic and social actors in order to promote joint initiatives and shared choices in the tourism sector. The FP promotes the bi-directional exchange of information to activate effective communication channels between the local actors in order to collect project ideas and ensure their subsequent evaluation through feasibility studies. The FP is aimed to create and enhance a network of local actors capable to actively cooperate in the different stages of the process for the construction of a new governance model and to share the responsibility for its implementation.

Functions

• Defining objectives and strategies for the local tourism development; • Encouraging the proposition of project ideas, also through convocation of

opened meetings to face specific issues; • Drawing up of the working agenda for the implementation of the Local Pilot

Operative Plan for tourism and for the promotion of the territory; • Implementing the actions of the Local Pilot Operative Plan; • Monitoring the status of implementation of the Agenda, identifying and

quantifying the obtained results and the unexpected effects, exceeding, if necessary, the barriers preventing the achievement of the objectives to be pursued.

Composition and organizational structure

Citizens, representatives of main public bodies and private actors that live or work in the territory of the Consortium Tindari Nebrodi can join the "Permanent Forum for tourism and for the promotion of the territory". The Forum will be organized in thematic sessions called "Working Tables" on specific issues proposed by the participants. The meetings will be an occasion of confrontation to facilitate the activation of synergies between the different actors of the territory. The members of the FP have the task of favouring the proposition of project ideas and operative interventions. The Working Group responsible for the coordination of the participation process of the Medstrategy project, in a first phase, will coordinate the work and represent the FP outside and in particular in the relations with local public bodies.

Convocation procedures of meetings

The Working Group responsible for the coordination of the participation process of the Medstrategy project, will coordinate the activities of the PF and convene the meetings in relation to the different requirements of the PF.

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VI Forum meeting

Date 3rd May 2012 Place Head office of Consortium Tindari - Nebrodi, Patti (ME) Work mode Plenary Session Results Approval of the Local Pilot Operative Plan and of the key intervention

During the VI Forum, the first draft of the Local Pilot Operative Plan and the technical description of

the key intervention were submitted to the Forum and approved. Both of them will be presented at the

first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Consortium Tindari-Nebrodi, consisting of the mayors of

16 municipalities settled in the territory of the Consortium.

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Organizers and participants The institutions involved in the organization and in the management of the forums were: - ANCI (National Association of Sicilian Municipalities) Sicilia Mario Emanuele Alvano (Executive secretary) Luciano De Caro - Intermunicipal Consortium Tindari Nebrodi Franco Armando Lopez (President) Antonello Cappadona (Responsible for the “MedStrategy” project) Technical and Organisation Support Coordinator: Carlo Simonetti

National monitor EASW: Laura Cobello

Facilitators: Laura Cobello Despoina Karniadaki Claudia Rubino Carlo Simonetti Stefania Zanna Staff of Consortium Tindari-Nebrodi Nunzio Alioto Mariella Cadili Stefano Ermito Giuseppa Gregorio Gaetana Melluso Gabriella Pastorello

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Participants (see Annex 2)2 1. Antonino Accordino 2. Pietro Aiello 3. Vincenzo Allia 4. Edoardo Ardiri 5. Maurizio Biondo 6. Francesco Buzzanca 7. Giovanni Calabrò 8. Alessandro Campisi 9. Salvatore Camuti 10. Antonella Cangemi 11. Marco Cannizzo 12. Giuseppe Cappadona 13. Nunziata Cappello 14. Piero Catena 15. Renato Cilona 16. Domenico Conti 17. Rosario Corica 18. Antonino Cortorillo 19. Sanvatore Cotone 20. Gianfranco Cottone 21. Nicola D’Addea 22. Marco Damiano 23. Maria Giovanna Damiano 24. Fortunata Donato 25. Giacinta Fazio 26. Nunziatina Fazio 27. Tindara Ferlazzo 28. Filippo Ferrotto 29. Maria Teresa Gaglio 30. Antonino Galante 31. Enzo Galvagno 32. Emanuele Giglia 33. Giovanni Greco 34. Tindaro Gregorio 35. Carmelo Gullo 36. Filippo Gullo 37. Salvatore Gurgone 38. Antonino Indaimo 39. Ingrassia Francesco 40. Vincenzo Ioppolo 41. Valentino La Gorga 42. Lorenzo La Macchia 43. Provvidenza Limina 44. Pablo David Lo Grande

45. Antonino Lo Iacono 46. Salvatore Lopica 47. Salvatore Maio 48. Nuccio Mangano 49. Francesco Marchese 50. Alice Marraffa 51. Antonino Marullo 52. Nello Marzullo 53. Sebastiano Marzullo 54. Calogera Milio 55. Domenico Miragliotta 56. Molica Giorgio 57. Flora Mondello 58. Antonino Musca 59. Carmelo Navarra 60. Marco Palazzolo 61. Cosimo Maurizio Panetta 62. Loredana Pascale 63. Alessandra Piccolo 64. Angela Maria Princiotto 65. Sebastiano Ravì 66. Antonino Ricciardo 67. Piero Ricciardo 68. Basilio Ridolfo 69. Pietro Rizzo 70. Massimo Rubes 71. Cettina Scaffidi 72. Michele Scaffidi 73. Sergio Scafidi 74. Marcello Scaglione 75. Luca Schepisi 76. Beniaminio Sciacca 77. Cinzia Segreto 78. Giuseppe Segreto 79. Cristina Sidoti 80. Michele Sorbera 81. Carmelo Sottile 82. Marco Taranto 83. Rosaria Torre 84. Graziella Tricoli 85. Rosario Tricoli 86. Ornella Trovato

2 The list of signatures of participants are included in the “Annex 2”

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Evaluation of the participation process

At the end of the participation process a questionnaire was distributed to the participants aimed at

evaluating the opinion of each participant on the participation process, on its work modes, on the

objectives and on the results achieved (see Annex 3).

The first part of the questionnaire was mainly addressed to collect a general opinion of the participants

about the effectiveness/efficiency of the participation process, its contents and the details of the applied

metholodology. The participants could express their opinion on a 1-6 scale. The average degrees for the

different aspects are summarized in the following table:

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Scale 1-6 Question Lowest degree

(1) Highest Degree

(6)

Average Degree

The opportunity during the participation process to put forward my opinions and ideas was...

unsufficient sufficient 5,58

The pace of the participation process was... too slow too fast 4,08 What is your opinion about the number of participants in the participation process?

too few too many 3,67

not representative representative 4,25 not knowledgeable

knowledgeable 4,08

not creative creative 4,75

What is your opinion about the participants in general (citizens, policy makers, experts, private sector) that were invited for the forums? The participants of the forums were …

biased open minded 4,08 uninteresting very interesting 5,50 not educating very educating 5,25 badly organized well organized 5,08 not motivating very motivating 5,25 unimportant very important 5,75

What is your opinion about the participation process in general? I found the participation process...

not useful very useful 5,75 What is your opinion about the degree to which the main subjects were discussed?

superficially deeply 5,00

Politicians and Administrators:

not useful very useful 3,33

Experts and Technicians:

not useful very useful 4,42 Private sector

representatives: not useful very useful 4,33

What is your opinion about the contributions of the different role groups to the participation process? I found the contributions of the role group of…

Citizens/Civil Society:


As it is shown, the participants recognized that the process was a perfect tool to express their opinion

and ideas on the matter (average 5,58 on a maximum of 6). Pace and number of participants to the

participation process were sufficiently positively judged. Positive was also the judgement about how

much they were representative (average of 4,25), knowledgeable (4,08), creative (4,75 the highest

average in the section) and open minded. The singular opinion of each participant on different aspects

of the participation process was even better with average degrees always superior to 5. The

participation process was very interesting (5,50), very educating (5,25), well organized (5,08), very

motivating (5,25) very important and extremely useful (the last two very close to the maximum of 6).

Finally the only group whose contribution was judged sufficient but not very useful was the group of

Politicians and Administrators.

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The second section of the questionnaire was instead mainly addressed to have a more specific opinion

about the forums (six organized within the participation process). The collected results are described in

the following table.

Scale 1-6

Question Lowest degree (1)

Highest Degree (6)

Average Degree

What is your opinion about the way the forums process was managed and supported by the facilitator and chairpersons?

not good very good 5,33

What is your opinion about the structure of the forums programme?

not good very good 5,17

What is your opinion about the work in the role and theme group sessions? The work that was done in the role and theme group sessions was…


unclear very clear 5,00

uninteresting very interesting 5,25 What is your opinion about the presentations of the outcomes of the role and theme groups sessions? The group presentations were … not relevant

for our territory

very relevant for our territory 5,08


uninteresting very interesting 5,17 What is your opinion about the discussions during the plenary sessions? The discussions during the plenary sessions were…

unuseful very useful 5,25

As it is possible to read in details in the table above, the forums were judged in a really positive way in

all the asked different aspects: about their management (5,33 on average), their structure, the work done

during the role and theme group sections, the presentations made by the group representatives, the

discussions undertaken during the plenary sessions.

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Finally, in the Section C of the questionnaire, the attention was on the objectives and outcomes of the

participation process. The judgements of the participants are expressed by the table below.

Scale 1-6

Question Lowest degree (1)

Highest Degree (6)

Average Degree


uninteresting very

interesting 5,17 The objectives of the participation process were... not relevant

for our territory

very relevant for our territory

5,33


uninteresting very

interesting 5,17

not new new 5,33

unimportant very

important 5,50

not useful for our territory

very useful for our territory

5,58

In my opinion, the outcomes (ideas, actions, priorities) of the participation process were...

unfeasible feasible 5,25

During the forums I have heard ideas and opinions of which I had not been aware before.

totally disagree

completely agree 4,67

I expect that at least some of the ideas, results and outcomes of the forums will lead to concrete actions or initiatives in my territory.

totally disagree

completely agree 4,92

Also in this section, participants expressed their complete satisfaction on the process. Really positive

degrees can be read with regard to: the clearness and relevance of the objectives of the participation

process for the territory, the innovation and usefulness of the outcomes and on their feasibility. Only a

little bit less positive was the opinion about how concrete the process can be for the future.

“report on local easws and minutes of forum meetings and ...€¦ · intermunicipal consortium...

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