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1. Table Ronde à Fitou, France

Topic English Topic
What are the main points of a regional strategy to develop tourism and how could they influence the development of tourism in Fitou? Taking into account the contribution of local residents, how can organizations and enterprises apply this strategy? Quelles sont les points clés de la stratégie régionale pour le développement du tourisme et comment cela influence-t-il le développement du tourisme à Fitou? Comment, en prenant compte des contributions des résidents locaux, des organisations et des entreprises, ces points clés peuvent-ils s’appliquer?
Date: 
Wednesday, 23. February 2011 - 19:00 - 21:00
Target groups: 
Authorities
Target groups: 
Inhabitants
Number of Participants: 
14
Venue: 
2 rue de l'ancienne mairie à Fitou, France
Hosting Organization: 
cocoate.com EURL, France
Contact person: 
Christine Graf
Contact person: 
susan thompson
Summary English

Two representatives of the Town Hall of Fitou, a representative of the “Pays de la Narbonnaise, a representative of the “CCCM” and 10 inhabitants of Fitou participated at the meeting. The following subjects were discussed:

What are the main points of a regional strategy to develop tourism?

Representatives of the “CCCM“ and « Pays de la Narbonnaise » referred to :

  1. Communication : promotion of the region in both France and abroad
  2. Lengthen the season to last from spring until autumn
  3. Attract new clients : what kind of visitors would we like to attract?
  4. Enhance assets : how to do so?

These points are defined in the regional strategy of innovation for Languedoc-Roussillon created by the SRI Montpellier (http://www.placedelinnovation.eu/):

  1. Make the region “innovative for everyone”

  • Change the organisation of production
  • Establish new procedures
  • Introduce evolution in marketing
  • Commercialisation
  • Conclude partnerships
  1. Become a leading region in terms of “focussing”

  • Develop products and services in the health sector, for the environment, in agriculture, sustainable buildings, eco-tourism, renewable energies
  • Create links between wine-growing, wine and tourism
  1. Enhance regional intellectual potential

  • Enhance the training and knowledge of actors who introduce innovation

  1. Connect the region to the world-wide network of innovative regions

  • Place into perspective natural resources (water, air, earth) with a view to developing an international network

What role do the “CCCM” and the “Pays de la Narbonnaise” play in the realisation of this strategy?

CCCM:

  • Join up with the “Pays de la Narbonnaise »
  • Communication :
    • Invite, attract people to the region
    • National and regional press articles
    • Information for holidaymakers on site
  • Marketing Plan

    • Guide for trips, Beach Journal, Summer Agenda
    • Phototheque: provide photos for the Town Halls
    • Presentations at International Fairs (Barcelona, Antwerp, Toulouse, Colmar)
    • Wine-tasting and oenological courses
    • Web site CCCM
    • Radio publicity campaign
    • Improved offers for local activities(walking, hiking, discovery)

Pays de la Narbonnaise:

  • Develop solidarity between rural and urban regions (studies)
  • SLOT – Local diagram for the organisation of tourism: invite representatives of communities(44) to discuss the development of tourism with a view to establishing a collective, simple and effective message.
  • Integrate the territorial dimension: an image of the region – beaches, nature, heritage, vineyards, Mediterranean culture
  • Training plan to increase competencies in agriculture and tourism

How are these points applied to the development of tourism in Fitou?

Three delegates from Fitou work together with the CCCM to discuss ideas and proposals to decide on implementation, depending on available budget.

The Town Hall

  • PLIE: Local plan for employment insertion
  • Renovation of the “Tour Chappe”
  • Restore the path between Fitou and Feuilla (at least to the frontier with Treilles)
  • Web site
  • Install multilingual signposts for tourists who don’t speak French
  • Get to know different organisations, actions and competencies, face to face
  • Name tags
  • Control time
  • Global vision of who is doing what to develop tourism
  • Brainstorming of what is left to do
  • Develop contacts - always useful
  • Round tables and new ideas for tourism always positive for the village
  • Work should be well structured
  • Attack the difficulties
  • Provide possibility to understand regional strategy
  • Discuss the future of tourism in Fitou
  • Enhance communication between different actors
  • Progress in the understanding of the project
  • Integrate people who appear to be motivated
  • Learn about the aims of regional development and strategy
  • Invest in contacts between inhabitants and their representatives
  • Communicate information concerning the territory of Fitou to better develop a coherent image of the village

Which further subjects do you consider interesting and worth discussion?

  • Is the image of a wine-growing village, omnipresent in the eyes of the inhabitants, really so visible abroad?
  • What can we do together to develop our village?
  • Why not create an open, multilingual web site that would facilitate interaction between inhabitants, visitors and representatives to present an innovative model to the outside world?
  • Renovate the Tour Chappe
  • Improved, multilingual signposts in the village
  • Use social media as marketing tool for Fitou (Facebook, Twitter etc.)
  • Create the possibility for crowdsource innovation: a local and on-line post-box
  • Create methods of work with actors of tourism to develop ways of better discovering Fitou’s territory
  • Interaction of different groups of Fitou’s population
  • Interaction with partners of Places2b, the influence of the project in Fitou?
  • Sustainable tourism, yes. How?
  • Look for clients and exchange experiences
  • The culture of the village, its history and urban management
  • How can actors work together to bring projects to the attention of decision-makers?
  • Marketing – designation of quality labels in tourist strategy
  • Development strategy: aim to touch the population, index remarkable sites to learn about or visit
  • Teach and inform using different languages
  • Aim to open Tourist Office all year round
  • Start to index sites, renovate them and share information
  • There is no strategic reflexion in Fitou

Pays de la Narbonnaise

  • Concentrates principally on wine and gastronomy in the region

CCCM

  • Fitou is a partner of all actions

How to take into consideration the contributions of local residents, organisations and businesses to apply the key points?

What has been done?

  • The Tourist Office can welcome visitors in several languages.

What is left to be done?

A short brain-storming:

  • Create short walks
  • More contact between the actors of tourism
  • Transmit culture, history of the Mediterranean
  • Regular meetings between representatives, local people and businesses to ensure better relations and comprehension
  • Develop the web site of places2b
  • Each village should present clear ideas to provide precise information to the public
  • Develop information on sign-posts
  • Determine who are the targeted clients
  • More multi-lingual information in all spheres
  • Better presentation of the advantages of the village
  • Best presentation possible of all tourist attractions

Synthesis and subject of the next Round Table

  1. Key points are defined at a regional level. Representatives are willing to share precise, realisable ideas.
  2. No tourist development strategy exists in Fitou.
  3. Consensus to continue the Round Tables
  4. Next Round Table will take place at the end of March with local people and representatives of the Town Hall. The subject : continuation of brainstorming to develop precise suggestions for the development of tourism at Fitou.

Comments: (1)

by Anonymous

February 28th, 2011

Oui très positive cette

Oui très positive cette première table ronde et j'espère qu'il y en aura beaucoup d'autres! notre village vaut la peine d'être plus développé touristiquement et de manière intelligente... investissons-nous et agissons!
Ca fait plaisir de voir des gens motivés qui font bouger les choses.. moi j'adhère! :-)
Valérie, Fitou

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