The Project
The territories of Raffadali and Aragona, need interventions for the enhancement of their tourist attractors, in this direction this project initiative is grafted, consistent with the aims of Measure 7.5 “Support for public use investments in recreational infrastructure, tourist information and small-scale tourism infrastructure,” of the PSR Sicily 2014/2020, and the development strategies defined in the tourism-economic development plan, which encompasses the local development strategies of the municipalities concerned.
The project initiative includes a series of interventions aimed at promoting local development in the areas of the Municipal territories of Raffadali and Aragona, falling in Area D and, in particular, for Raffadali, of the historic “rural village of small and medium landowners,” to make effective the action of relaunching the tourism of the aforementioned territories, to mitigate the economic gaps of rural areas compared to urban areas.
Diversifying and deseasonalizing tourism offerings, conserving the landscape, promoting typical local products through direct contact with tourists, and fostering the creation of employment opportunities in rural areas are the goals of the Project.
In order to achieve these objectives, it is intended to stimulate and promote the offer in the tourist and rural areas of Raffadali and Aragona (which is part of the Sicilian Ecological Network), through the enhancement of tourist-rural-historical-environmental itineraries, implementing a direct involvement of businesses in the sector (agritourisms, educational farms, farms direct sales, social farms, etc..), as well as the operators of the sectors, integrated into the rural system (tourism, crafts, services, etc.), in order to create a qualified network of tourist services, as well as to encourage the promotion of the sale of typical and local products.
Specifically, we want to allow the valorisation and use of rural tourist itineraries, including those in the surrounding area which is characterized by the presence of various naturalistic areas and in particular the Maccalube (or Macalube) nature reserve of Aragon and the ancient Borgo dei piccolo e medium-sized owners in Raffadali.