Closure Workshop WP5 Pilot Projects 24 th August 2011 Ruse, Bulgaria

1. “Structuring of the river tourist offer along the course of Volano Po”By DELTA 2000 – Giancarlo Malacarne Closure Workshop WP5 Pilot Projects 24th August 2011 Ruse, Bulgaria

2. PILOT PROJECT “Structuring of the river tourist offer along the course of Volano Po” Geographical location: Emilia Romagna Region – Ferrara Province – Municipalitiescrossedby Volano Po river (Bondeno, Ferrara, Copparo, Formignana (Valpagliaro), Tresigallo (Final di Rero), Migliaro, Migliarino, Massa Fiscaglia, Lagosanto, Codigoro, Lido di Volano -  Comacchio) and Municipalitiescrossedby Po River (Ferrara, Bondeno, Berra, Ro ferrarese, Goro, Mesola) OBJECTIVE:organizing forms of river tourism and intermodal connection courses of the river resource represented by the course of Volano Po, with the historical, architectural and naturalistic emergencies of the territory in order to improve the fruition of the near rural areas, promoting the use of eco-friendly means of transport Budget:€ 50.800,00

3. justification of the option for study area • The course of Volano Po represents one of the Great Po affluent in Po Delta area • It crosses localities presenting naturalistic, historical and architectural emergencies not increased and promoted enough • During the last years the structural interventions realized by public bodies were numerous along Volano Po course for sailing (landing places, docks, etc.) and at the same time the awareness of private operators increased towards considering “river” as a resource, a potential to develop forms of river tourism in eco-sustainable way

4. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES • Increasing the naturalistic, historical and cultural offer along Volano Po in order to make it usable by river or by ground. • Organizing the system of the territorial offer along Volano Po promoting public-private cooperation nets. • Promoting the use of eco-friendly means for sailing along internal waterways.

5. Target group Direct & indirect beneficiaries • Directbeneficiaries: Local bodies crossed by Volano Po Associations and organizations of river tourism Private operators operating in tourism sector and in tourist services • Indirectbeneficiaries: Community Tourists Schools

6. MAIN ACTIVITIES • Activation of a local piloting committee:local Committee made of delegates of the Municipalities crossed by Volano Po, of the Province of Ferrara and of the Organizations and associations operating on the territory on river tourism • Activation of a technical group:made of experts of the river tourism sector and experts in territorial planning and organization with particular reference to the internal water sailing • Local animation: workshops, door to door meetings, focused mailings in order to increase the awareness of the river resource as opportunity to develop river tourism forms • Building of an itinerary with exchange points:river and ground courses proposals that can be used through eco-friendly means .have been proposed, identifying “exchange” stations in order to allow tourist visiting the territory of the course of Volano Po autonomously, with the help of informative promotional material, with the use of eco-friendly means (electric boats, bicycles, etc.) • Organization of a demonstrative event:visitors, community and schools have been invited to “test” the possible courses through the use of eco-friendly means

7. Sailing and Cycling is Special along Volano Po 4 Experimental free intermodal itineraries created: 21st May 2011 – The Ancient Salt Way: from Codigoro dock to Pomposa Abbey 22nd May 2011 – Oasis and tastes of the Lagoon: from Goro port to Volano Po mouth 28th May 2011 – Estensi’s Delizie along Volano Po: from Ferrara to Villa Mensa 29th May 2011 – History and Nature in middle lands: from Tresigallo, XX Century town, until Massafiscaglia for the River Party

8. Implemented tourist offer through: • New intermodal connections: train, boat combined with bicycle, bicycle rental, electric boat  free services • Great main event in Massafiscaglia: River Event with demonstration area hosting river-fluvial operators, educational laboratories for children, kitchen laboratories, entertainment

9. SPECIFIC RESULTS • Organization of new river tourist courses for the fruition of Volano Po • Creation of new services for river tourism • Increasing of the tourists number in Delta area and increasing of the use of eco-friendly means of transport for the fruition of the river and territory resource 9

10. POINTS OF STRENGHTS AND CRITICALITIES Itinerary of 21st May 2011: The ancient Salt Way: from Codigoro Dock to Pomposa Abbey: • main infrastructural obstacles for uninterrupted sailing on the river - the starting of this experimental itinerary started from Codigoro dock, and precisely by the head office of Volano Nautical Club, facing Riviera Cavallotti • the collaboration with the Nautical Club was requested to involve associations and local operators that could start relevant entrepreneurial initiatives and activities, for an organized river tourist development. 10

11. POINTS OF STRENGHTS AND CRITICALITIES Itinerary of 22nd May 2011: Lagoon Oasis and Tastes: from Goro Port to Volano Po mouth: • A best structuring of the course, favouring an increasing of tourist presences, would allow a bigger economic sustainability, deriving from the costs related to sailing and cycling. • The private operator, facing bigger presences and the consequent increasing of businesses, would be able to decreasing costs for the service. • This course also could be usable in continuous and segmented way, also by individuals and small groups. 11

12. POINTS OF STRENGHTS AND CRITICALITIES Itinerary of 28th May 2011: Estensi’s Delizie along Volano Po: from Ferrara to Villa Mensa: • Necessity of infrastructural interventions and logistic and organizational improvements along the course from Ferrara to Villa Mensa. • The increasing of the attractiveness of places, deriving from infrastructural interventions as well as from proposed logistic and organizational improvements, will stimulate its fruition. • Facing an increasing of tourist presences, the consequent structuring of the course and the related increasing of the economic sustainability, deriving from the decreasing of costs relied to sailing, is hypothesized. 12

13. POINTS OF STRENGHTS AND CRITICALITIES Itinerary of 29th May 2011: History and nature in middle lands: from Tresigallo, XX Century City, until Massafiscaglia, for the River Party • main organizational difficulties were found in the point Migliaro – Massafiscaglia where, because of the lack of a cycle path and a safe course, • a mixed course, white roads as well as very low traffic asphalt roads have been followed. • Fundamental to realize this and other itineraries was the collaboration with the different economic operators of the territory, showing the necessity of a tight synergy between public and private sector for a successful event. 13

14. Main outputs: • N. 200 participants to the experimental intermodal itineraries (sold out) • N. 350 participants to the River Party • N. 2000 leaflets • N. 100 posters • N. 500 roadbooks

15. Thanksforyourattention GIANCARLO MALACARNE DELTA 2000 Strada Luigia 8 44020 San Giovanni di Ostellato (FE) Tel. 0533 57693 -4 @ deltaduemila@tin.it