Summary

Slow Trips – European Slow Travel Experiences is a LEADER transnational cooperation (TNC) project that draws on a trend toward participative and sustainable tourism, focusing on discovering and experiencing local everyday culture in Europe. 

Slow Trips enables regional networks of small rural businesses to create innovative and sustainable tourism products. Emphasising regional identity and immersive experience, the project draws on an unconventional definition of ‘slow travel’ to redefine what tourists experience as beautiful - emphasising substance rather than appearance. Slow Trips products across nine European destinations are experiences, ranging from the unconventional to the highly eccentric. The project involves three stages: idea-finding, piloting and promoting.

 

Results

At least 15 new tourism products have been developed in each of nine partner regions.

New, themed uses for previously empty buildings have been created, such as a railway carriage and dock hotels.

Umbrella narratives draw on each region’s cultural and historical heritage. Narratives, often shared with the media, may emphasise geocaching or nostalgic places such as ports, train stations and corner stores, for example.

Slow Trips are making travel and tourism near tourists’ homes more attractive.

The new Slow Trips bilingual presentation and booking platform supports the internationalisation of participating rural businesses, enhancing the revenue of supplier and host groups.

Demand has been high throughout Europe.