(by Mirela Schreiber, Croatia)

There are many rural areas in Europe that are underdeveloped in economic terms: having less attractive standard of living, not offering enough employment and being in the outskirts of the "rest of the country" - these areas often face underpopulation problems. Yet, being enriched by the intact nature, these areas in general offer the irreplaceable environment for tourism development, playing an important role in preservation of ecological and cultural, i.e. natural and traditional habitat.

Having analyzed the common development opportunities for each of the respective country, the 9 partners from Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia recognized the potentials for rural development that may be based on the following joint priorities:
1. establishing a network of rural fairs organizers, exhibitors and visitors on international level, together with introducing of the "Quality Label" for fairs and their organizers;
2. promoting the local (rural) fairs, traditional habits, traditional produce and handicrafts,
3. establishing the „Slow Tourism Club“ - the new product aiming at promoting the traditional values, forgotten and underused cultural, historical and natural sites, and the "slow lifestyle" as the new tourism product of the partner regions.

The European Commission recognized the RURAL FAIRS project: the project is co-funded by the European Commission under the "Adriatic New Neighbourhood Programme - INTERREG/CARDS-PHARE. The Lead partners are Municipality of Acqualagna (the overall Lead Partner, Italy), Ecological association "Bura" (Bosnia and Hercegovina) and VG Entrepreneurship Center Ltd. (Croatia).

W H O   W E   A R E:

PARTNERS in RURAL FAIRS project:
***Italy:
   1. Municipality of Acqualagna (Comune di Acqualagna)
   2. Municipality of S. Pietro Avellana
   3. Comunita` Montana Sirentina
   4. Comunita` Montana Camerino
   5. Province of Campobasso
   6. Special Agency for Economic Development of Isernia
***Bosnia and Herzegovina:
   7. Ecological association „Bura“ (NGO "Bura"), Mostar
***Croatia:
   8. VG Entrepreneurship Centre Ltd. (VGPC), Velika Gorica
***Technical Assistance (TA)
   Umbria Training Center (UTC), Italy

ADMINISTRATION OF THE BLOG:
    Mirela Schreiber, VGPC, Croatia (schreiber@poduzetnicki-centar.hr)

CONTACTS:
   1. Mr. Luciano Lauteri (luciano@umbriautc.org) - Italy, UTC, TA to the Lead Partner
   2. Mrs. Marta Paci (marta@umbriautc.org) - Italy, UTC, TA to the Lead Partner
   3. Mr. Carmine Consentino (carmineroberto@yahoo.it) - Italy, TA to the Lead Partner
   4. Mr. Bruno Capanna (comune.acqualagna@provincia.ps.it) - Italy, the Mayor, Municipality of Acqualagna
   5. Mr. Drazan Rosic (buramo@tel.net.ba) - Bosnia and Herzegovina, President of the NGO "Bura"
   6. Mrs. Mirela Schreiber (schreiber@poduzetnicki-centar.hr) - Croatia, CEO, VG Entrepreneurship Centar Ltd.

09/15/2008   day 266 Comment 0

Project closing This is the date of the RURAL FAIRS and SLOW TOURISM CLUB official project closing! We are proud to report that we have achieved most of the goals of our project by setting some path to some further development of the trade fairs sector in the County and by raising significant interest of local and regional, as well as some various international partners for the further development of Slow Tourism movement.

09/05/2008   day 256 Comment 0

Slow Tourism Club founded in Velika Gorica! The first Slow Tourism Club was founded on the today's session of its assembly. The 13 founders, ranking from the institutional (Museum of Turopolje and VG Poduzetnicki centar), through NGO (various cultural and tourism associations) to physical persons (citizens) have approached the first, foundation assembly and adopted the statutes. The Club will operate in accordance with the manifest of the Slow Tourism as an international movement and develop some destination marketing tools based on slow tourism as a leverage for rural development. Ana Radman of VG Poduzetnički centar was elected the President of the Club, Milada Mesaric of Tourism Board of Velika Gorica - the vice-president, and Drazen Lucan of KUD Siljakovina the president board member.

08/10/2008   day 230 Comment 0

The Project brochure is printed and posted on-line The project foresaw preparing the promotional brochure for both the project as well as for one of its most interesting components - the Slow Tourism. It was printed just about the foundation meeting of the 13 founding partners of the first "Slow Tourism Club" association in Croatia. The association will promote the manifest of the Slow Tourism international organization and set some goals for rural development and slow tourism development in the area. The project brochure is available on www.poduzetnicki-centar.hr. It is a bi-lingual issue (Croatian and English).

07/14/2008   day 203 Comment 0

Fair market analysis close to finish The market analysis of the fair sector of Zagrebacka county is close to its finalization. With the last questionnaires filled with the fair organizers accross the County, the document will be ready for presentation to the relevant County institutions (Tourism Board of the County) by early August. The document will be available upon request, yet only in Croatian language.

04/18/2008   day 116 P5170375 P5170388 P5170385 Comment 0

QUALITY LABEL info-day in Velika Gorica The Rural Fairs project team organized an info-day in Public Open University of Velika Gorica on the 18 April. The aim of this activity was to introduce the idea of involving QUALITY LABEL and creating a regional network of local fair organizers to the respective fair organizers operating in Zagrebacka County. Purpose of such integration is directed to possibility for exchanging exhibition space, furniture and complementary infrastructure among the organizers, as well as opening a dialogue among this specific business group for all other cooperation targeted to easing the organization, more coordinated operations and lowering the costs. The team used this opportunity as well to discuss the interests expressed by some individual visitors for their involvement in promotion and development of the SLOW TOURISM brand.

04/10/2008   day 15 Quality Label Comment 0

RURAL FAIRS presented on Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb The project management team of Rural Fairs project were invited to present the project by the Faculty of Agriculture, within the “Agro tourism” project. The “Agro tourism” project aims at and is dedicated to agents for rural development, being also the project partners. Workshop was attended by 15 Italian guests, mostly representatives of Development Company of the Marche Region, who are interested in Croatian best practice in agro tourism development. Mr. Ivo Grgić, professor on Faculty of Agriculture presented results of detailed analysis on rural tourism popularity in Zagrebacka County , which confirmed permeation with mass tourism and growing readiness of tourist to spend their holidays on family farms. Presentation of RURAL FAIRS, especially of SLOW TOURISM CLUB together with the results achieved in Croatia so far, gave a complete review on existing possibilities for upgrading the promotion of agritourism and announced some possible new flows in tourism.

04/05/2008   day 14 P1010379 P1010419 P1010451 Comment 0

Third partner meeting held in Mostar The third partner meeting took place in Mostar between 3 and 4 April, hosted by the president of NGO Bura, Mr. Dražan Rosić. The meeting agenda referred mainly to some further actions in slow tourism development in relevance to the actual case of the town of Mostar. The representatives of Municipality of Acqualagna, Umbria Training Center and Mountain Comunity of Camerino, funders of first Italian SLOW TOURISM Club, representatives of VG Poduzetnički centar and NGO Bura were hosted by president of City council of Mostar, Mr. Murat Ćorić, and held a meeting with representatives of regional and local tourist boards. Delegation visited the international fairs which was taking place in Mostar at the time, and took advantage to meet with representatives of the regional Chamber of commerce. During the meeting, the partners introduced the initiative to enhance local fair competitiveness through labelling capacities of fairs and its respective organizers, and discussed on establishing cooperation between fair organizers on international level. Due to nearly conclusion of RURAL FAIRS project for Italian and Bosnian representatives, partners also discussed and considered possible for cooperation on the future cross- border projects.

03/28/2008   day 13 ScreenHunter_0181 Comment 0

Analysis on rural fair sector is on the run The project sub- activity related to analysis of specific issues about rural trade fairs has commenced today, with the first meeting with the representative of Tourist Board of Sveti Ivan Zelina, Mr. Filip Curko. The project team created a questionnaire with intention to get more information on the existing situation and problems faced by fair sector, specifically about light infrastructure, capacities, visitors, disposable exhibition space and other specific issues. Through the information collected, the fair organizers will be introduced with the main objectives of Rural Fairs project and the opportunities of networking their exhibitions with the international Project partner group on long-term, through a possible reciprocity in exhibition space. The information collecting activities will be followed by the analysis and proposals of prospective further actions in upgrading competitiveness of rural trade fairs.

03/01/2008   day 12 P1010370 P1010378 Comment 0

Second Partner Meeting in Acqualagna After almost 4 months of RURAL FAIRS project implementation, the second cross-border Partner Meeting was held in Italy. This was another opportunity for gathering all 7 partners in Municipality of Acqualagna in Italy. Whereas the first day (26 February) was reserved for partner coordination, the following day the Italian hosts organized a workshop with intention to present all achievements and progress in accomplishing main project objectives of every partner country. The partners discussed on the fairs’ sector development, related regulatory framework and possibility of involving „quality label“ as a new brand and certificate of the real promoters and organizers of trade fairs exhibiting rural products and handicrafts. The partner gathering elevated some practical topics related to challenges and guidelines in slow tourism development, introducing the best international practices and involving all possibilities and resources of each region involved. Partners outlined the importance of slow tourism brand in its promotional function, targeted specifically to continental tourism development. The third meeting day engaged the participants into identifications of the profile of tourist and possible target groups which could be the most attracted by this kind of tourism.

02/20/2008   day 11 P1010300 Comment 0

Workshop on Slow Tourism held on 19 February VG Poduzetnicki centar has organized a public workshop for presentation of slow tourism initiative. More impressions at blog of SLOW TOURISM CLUB!

02/11/2008   day 10 Comment 0

Invitation to the First Public Workshop on Slow Tourism Together with our project partners - the regional Tourism Board of Zagrebacka County and the local Tourism Board of Velika Gorica - VG Poduzetnicki centar is organizing a public workshop for the kick-off of the slow tourism initiative among the wider public. The workshop is fixed for the 19 February 2008, and will be held in the Town hall of Velika Gorica. The inviations have been sent by e-mail and fax to the entrepreneurs, hotels, catering and restaurant services, souvenir producers, tourism boards of the other towns and municipalities within the County and wider, as well as to many other private and public persons and institutions actively involved into creation of the tourism product of Zagrebacka County as a destination.

01/17/2008   day 9 Comment 0

Partnership with the Tourism board of Zagreb County Upon our yesterday's meeting with Mrs. Ruzica Rasperic, the Director of the Regional Tourism Board of Zagrebacka County we have discussed some details of the RURAL FAIRS project. We have agreed on some tightcooperation on the development of the quality label for trade fairs. Mrs. Rasperic supported the initiative of oppening some discussions on introductino of some regional legislative structure regulating the area of trade fairs. We have agreed to continue working jointly on development of this initiative.

12/31/2007   day 8 Comment 0

RURALFAIRS: So we Blog! (by Mirela Schreiber) It is 31 December 2007, and I decided this blog may really serve the purpose of having a flexible, dinamic and transparent structure for exchanging the implementation information among RURAL FAIRS partners, but for also presenting the achievements of the project to the wider public. The blog is shaped and ready to be shown to the partners, friends, blogger-tourists and all the other visitors. Some of our joint contents are posted and the blog is visible to visitors and for visitors' comments. I hope there will be some fresh contents rather soon.

12/20/2007   day 7 Comment 0

Website or blog? (by Mirela Schreiber) One of the RURAL FAIRS project activities refers to shaping an www structure that would secure not only the visibility to the project, but also present the project timeline references to the implementation steps, open an option of a joint administration of the cross-border partners, to network the project with its goals, invite comments and inputs of the bloggers (wider public) and secure the cost-effective on-line visibility of RURAL FAIRS. Being in charge of this project step, VG Entrepreneurship Centre is at this point investigating a possibility to register a blog instead of a website.

11/16/2007   day 6 Comment 0

Tourism Board of Velika Gorica - New Support in the Project (by Mirela Schreiber) Croatian Lead partner has organized a meeting with the CEO of the Tourism Board of Velika Gorica, Mrs. Milada Mesaric. The purpose of the meeting was to present the RURAL FAIRS project to the local Tourism Board and to agree upon the possibilities of cooperation in its implementation. Mrs. Mesaric found the project interesting and committed to support especially the SLOW TOURISM CLUB initiative. The parties have agreed to organize a kick-off meeting for the establishment of the CLUB in the forthcoming weeks, in order to discuss the possible founding members and the operational issues of the prospective Club.

11/07/2007   day 5 Comment 0

VG Entrepreneurship Centre on the Seminar in Ministry of Finance (by Mirela Schreiber, Croatia) VG Entrepreneurship Centre participated on the Seminar for "successful project applicants - lead partners" of the INTERREG-CARDS/PHARE projects from Croatia, held today in the premises of the Ministry of Finance.

11/01/2007   day 4 Comment 0

RURAL FAIRS Employs Project Officer in Croatia (by Mirela Schreiber, Croatia) As foreseen by the Project Budget, the office of the Croatian Lead partner (VG Entrepreneurship Center) has welcomed the Project Officer to the RURAL FAIRS project: the partner employed Mrs. Ana Radman to the position! Welcome Ana! (radman@poduzetnicki-centar.hr)

10/17/2007   day 3 Comment 0

EU Project Funding Signed in Croatia as well (by Mirela Schreiber, Croatia) With the signature of the Financing Contract between the Ministry of Finance to the Republic of Croatia and VG Entrepreneurship Center - the overall implementation of RURAL FAIRS has officially started today on the level of all partners jointly! The Municipality of Acqualagna and the NGO "Bura" have already signed their financing contracts a while ago, and the partners were waiting for the Croatian party to sign the contract for its respective country. All of the RURAL FAIRS partners are grateful to the European Commission for recognizing the value of our project and for admitting to co-finance it!

10/16/2007   day 2 Slajd6 Slajd7 Slajd8 Slajd9 Slajd10 Comment 0

Partner Meeting - the Second Day (by Mirela Schreiber, Croatia) It was a fruitful working day today, commencing with the overall RURAL FAIRS project presentation, held by Mr. Luciano Lauteri of the Umbria Training Center (www.umbriautc.org) and followed by the SLOW TOURISM CLUB presentation of Mr. Carmine Consentino. The partners have used the opportunity to exchange the information on the similarities and/or differences in the legal background regulating the area of fairs in each respective partner countries. The experiences of the Italian partners were extremely useful both for me as, I daresay, for Mr. Drazan Rosic from Bosnia and Hercegovina. We have discussed the valuation system within the "Quality Label" for the rural fairs that was prepared and introduced by the Italian partners in their respective territories. The partners discussed the legal and organizational aspects of the SLOW TOURISM CLUB in their respective countries. As far as Croatia is concerned, I believe we have nurtured an extremely valuable initiative and a highly prospective network. It is in SLOW TOURISM CLUB that I personally see the potential for assistance both to the touristic revitalization as well as to the tourism development especially in the continental areas of Croatia.

10/15/2007   day 1 Comment 0

The First Partner Meeting (by Mirela Schreiber, Croatia) It was such a great pleasure to welcome all the Project partners in Velika Gorica today! Having this first chance to meet and exchange the viewpoints on our joint initiatives and projects was both inspiring and encouraging. I hope I have fulfilled by task of a host by offering an introduction to the cultural traits and historical origins, i.e. of the tourism and economic potentials of Velika Gorica and Zagrebacka County to the overall group of partners visiting. We are facing a long day of presentations and meetings regarding the RURAL FAIRS project tomorrow!