The campaign "Escapada Empordà" award for innovation in the strategy for the promotion of tourism

This evening, La Nit dels Alimara, held at the International Campus of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy CETT-UB in Barcelona hosted the 33 Alimara Awards, an event organized by the School of Hospitality and Tourism CETT together with the fair B>Travel and the Government of Catalonia. Since 1985, during the ceremony Alimara Awards are given to campaigns, people, companies and institutions that have excelled for the quality of the material generated in tourism promotion.

The first joint tourism promotion campaign of municipalities Bisbal d’Empordà, Forallac, Cruïlles, Monells i Sant Sadurní de l’Heura, Corçà and Ullastret, “Escapada al més autèntic Empordà” (Experience the most authentic Empordà) 2016, received his first recognition: the Alimara Award 2017 for the innovation strategy for tourism promotion.

The jury, made up of academics and renowned professionals in the tourism sector has particularly appreciated the ability to agree 5 municipalitieson a tourism promotion campaign with a high percentage of private companies involved, and the structuring of a new range of tours in spaces of cultural interest so far were closed to the public or with a new speech. They also assessed the success of the campaign in relation to the available budget - quality of the content and material - achievements.

The award was collected by the political representatives of the five municipalities and the head of the winning campaign.

The campaign is part of the Strategic Plan for Local Economic Development of Bisbal d’Empordà, Forallac, Cruïlles, Monells i Sant Sadurní de l’Heura, Corçà and Ullastret. Action funded by the Public Employment Service of Catalonia within the framework of programs to support local development.

"Escapada Empordà" campaign 2016

“Escapada al més autèntic Empordà” (Experience the most authentic Empordà) is the name of the first joint tourism promotion campaign of municipalities of Bisbal d’Empordà, Forallac, Cruïlles, Monells i Sant Sadurní de l’Heura, Corçà and Ullastret.

The campaign proposes six guided tours to places of cultural interest, which until now were closed to the public or with a new speech: the medieval village of "Ocho Catalan Apellidos" film in Monells, the birthplace of the first president of the Government of Catalonia in Peratallada, from the Iberian city of Ullastret to the medieval village along an old road, the interior of Sant Miquel de Cruïlles normally closed, the Terracotta Museum of Ceramics in Bisbal recently reopened to the public and the interior of a private Indiano house in Corçà.

Besides giving greater visibility to tourism resources, increase the number of visitors and generate tourist joint vision of the territory, one of the objectives of the campaign was to encourage visitors to extend their stay. The guided tours were offered regularly every weekend for 6 months (May-October).

89 companies between accommodation establishments, restaurants and shops have joined the campaign and some 1,500 people, mainly from the metropolitan area of ​​Barcelona, ​​made guided tours in private groups or regular tours.

In addition to a specific brochure and website, promotional videos were published on YouTube in collaboration with the journalist and presenter Roger de Gràcia and actress Agnès Busquets.

Promotional video in Catalan

Promotional video in Spanish

The presentation of the campaign took place on May 5, 2016 in the Terracotta Museum of Ceramics (Bisbal) and was led by the Catalan writer and journalist Martí Gironell, with the participation of Ramon Ramos, Managing Costa Brava Tourism Board.

News in the media

Europa Press. La Nit dels Alimara entrega 14 premios a campañas de promoción turística y empresas - 20/04/2017

El Punt Avui. L'Escapada Empordà i Sant Martí de Llémena, premiats amb els nous guardons turístics Alimara - 21/04/2017

Diari de Girona. La campanya "Escapada al més autèntic Empordà", premiada en promoció turística - 21/04/2017

Ràdio Capital. La Ràdio de l'Empordà. Premi a la innovació per a la campanya "Escapada al més autèntic Empordà" - 21/04/2017

Comunicatur. Els nous Premis Alimara. Turisme 360 guardonen 12 campanyes de promoció turística nacional i internacional - 21/04/2017

Revista Baix Empordà Digital. “Escapada Empordà” rep un premi per la innovació en la promoció turística - maig 2017