On the third day of the working meeting held in the North of Portugal, Atlantic Cities organised in Braga a workshop of good practices where the project partners shared examples of sustainable tourism implemented in their destinations. This collaborative space allowed the experts to discuss the possibility of replicating and adapting these practices in other territories of the Atlantic Area, seeking knowledge transfer and strengthening cooperation.

During the conference, the POST project partners presented their local initiatives, highlighting the most innovative and responsible experiences in the field of tourism. Among the most outstanding examples were the ecological experiences of the Diputación de Ourense and INORDE in the geodestination Terra de Celanova Serra do Xurés, the Coastal Trail proposal presented by Dublin and the case of Braga. 

Success stories

Eixo Atlántico, as project leader, presented in this workshop its own initiatives of good practices in sustainable tourism. The organisation highlighted its work on the equitable distribution of tourism flows, a key strategy to avoid overcrowding in popular destinations and encourage the development of less frequented destinations, promoting a more balanced and accessible tourism for all communities. In this context, Eixo Atlántico highlighted the importance of sharing knowledge and experiences between the different territories in order to implement common solutions that promote responsible tourism throughout the Atlantic area.

For its part, Braga highlighted the differences in behaviour between tourists from the coast and the interior of Portugal. In their presentation, the Braga project leaders outlined the objectives guiding their actions: transforming low-density areas to promote regional development and cohesion, reducing tourist dependence on coastal regions and unlocking the tourism potential of the hinterland and attracting more tourism to the inland regions of Portugal. 

INORDE reported on its experience with the training programme on immersive tourism experiences in Serra do Xurés and presented its Thermal Tourism Sustainability Plan of Ourense, through which they are revitalising and enhancing this tourism model in the province. 

Dublin presented the Coastal Trail case developed by Failte Ireland to allow visitors to travel from the city centre to nearby coastal areas, using the public rail system and boosting these areas through tourism.

Finally, PETR Ouest Charente and Atlantic Cities presented three projects, examples of good practice. Firstly, the Ocean Pass La Rochelle, which is a digital tourist pass providing access to more than 40 sites and activities in La Rochelle and other cities. In addition, they also developed Mes plages Océanes, a tool to control the occupation of the car parks of 5 beaches near Bordeaux that serves as a deterrent to avoid going to an overcrowded beach and to consider other nearby destinations. Lastly, they also created Terra Aventura, a great GPS treasure hunt through Nouvelle-Aquitaine.