socio-cultural tourism

“Vergessen Sie Trends! - Forget about trends”, was a rather bold welcome greeting by one of the most renowned future research professionals from Germany supposedly talking to us about … TRENDS & “Future Living”!

Here’s to Matthias Horx, who we had the pleasure of listening to during an engaging conversation in front of the Wirtschaftskammer Niederösterreich audience in St. Pölten, Lower Austria last Monday, February 13, 2012.

And I must say this: I was rather surprised, and often amused, by learning what interesting peer groups we had in society. Or have you heard of “helicopter mums”, “Latte Macchiato families” and “Super Grannies” recently? ;)

MEGA-Trends: Ubiquitous, Resilient, Slow

What are the Mega Trends of present-day society?

Umbria, located in the central highlands of Italy, squeezed in between its well-known neighbours Tuscany and Rome, has a lot to tell its visitors. Alright, there are other regions, too, that specialize in olive oil production, truffle hunting, medieval festivals, cooking lessons or ancient crafts workshops. But where else can you experience all these, within a few kilometres from each other, in a truly Italian local kind of way? The secret triangle for creative tourism experiences in Italy lies between or near the towns of SPELLO, BEVAGNA, FOLIGNO & VALTOPINA.

Supported by an international EU project on developing socio-cultural tourism in rural areas of Europe called CULTrips, the local organizers or “greeter guides” made it a point to welcome us as pilot travellers to experience this form of interactive, meet-the-locals kind of tourism.

WHAT A GREAT IDEA :-) This form of travelling should actually be offered all over Europe. Here’s what we experienced in the course of just three days !