With the aim of preventing the negative impacts of tourism on the environment and heritage, the Interreg-funded project POST has developed two concepts: polycentric tourism and signature tourism, which it has just presented in Cognac (France). The partners involved in this project, led by Eixo Atlántico, promote collaboration with the tourism sector in the areas they represent in France, Portugal, Ireland and Spain to redistribute tourism flows and develop a sustainable tourism strategy. Through the implementation of four action plans, they will test the effectiveness of the concept that seeks to alleviate tourism pressure in certain overcrowded areas.  

The meeting held in Cognac is the second, after a first one that took place in Ourense in November, and is focused on advancing in the definition of the concept and defining the strategy that contemplates the different measures of the four countries involved in the project. Within two years, the Eixo Atlántico, the cities of France, Ireland, the Diputación de Ourense, the Instituto Ourensano de Desarrollo Económico, Turismo do Porto e Norte de Portugal, the municipality of Braga and the Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, will create a new concept, a roadmap to decongest areas with too many tourists and a sustainable tourism strategy.  

For its part, the city of Cognac is developing a strategy to enhance the value of its archaeological remains and its navigable canals, to diversify the type of tourism it receives and to develop new attractions beyond those linked to the production of cognac and other beverages. The city is located between Bordeaux, La Rochelle and Limoges, but it does not enjoy good connections that favor tourism in its area. This problem is also observed in areas such as Galicia and northern Portugal, which is why one of the strategic points of this project is connectivity and the creation of proximity infrastructures.  

The next POST meeting will be held in Portugal, where the first draft of the strategy being designed will be presented.