Tourist Hub: A way for the tourist development of a rural region

Project promoted by students of Sara Alcaraz Belda (UV) in collaboration with students from the universities of Dijon, Palerm and Opole.

Academic advisor Professor Rosa Roig (UV) Digital Transformation in Tourism Lab.

Sara Alcaraz, student of the Master's Degree in Tourism Destination Management at the University of Valencia, has completed her Student Driven Project entitled ‘Tourism Hub: A way to develop the economy and tourism of a rural region’ of the FORTHEM Digital Transformation Lab. Students from the University of Burgundy, the University of Palermo and the University of Opole have participated in this project. 

The project aims to improve collaboration and coordination between the public and private sectors to increase the competitiveness of European rural regions with tourism potential. This will be achieved through the creation of a Tourism Product Club with destination stakeholders, focusing on sustainable and responsible tourism with the natural environment and its local community. 

Sara's idea came from her passion for tourism and the respect and affection she feels for her region, in the Serra de Mariola Natural Park (between the provinces of Alicante and Valencia). She believes that thanks to the power of collaboration, responsible tourism can be created. This requires prior planning in which businesses, public administrations and local residents are involved in decision-making, thus creating a tourism network that has a positive impact on the region. 

This initial idea has been replicated in other rural regions of Burgundy, Palmero and Opole with the collaboration of European students.