VISION

The project "Aetolian Philoxenia - The House of Tourist" is a new digital tourism tool, with holistic approach, that implements and supports the design and implementation of development strategies at local level that aim to promote the comparative advantages of ("Kallikratis") Municipality of Messolonghi S.C., the improvement of the economic situation, the promotion of employment and the protection of the environment in an area with special characteristics.  

The implementation of the project "Aetolian Philoxenia - The House of Tourist" concerns the wider area of "Messolonghi-Aetoliko" lagoon, which is one of the largest and most important wetlands in the Mediterranean. This beautiful area has been declared as a National Park, has been included in the protection status of the Ramsar Convention, is included in the European Network NATURA 2000 and has been designated as a Site of Community Importance and a Special Conservation Zone. Therefore, it is a natural landscape of special environmental importance, in which nature and productive activity have coexisted for thousands of years.

At the same time, it is a place with a huge diversity, cultural and environmental beauty, heritage as well as a tourist resource of the wider region of Western Greece, which can be utilized and contribute substantially to the vision of Regional and Local Sustainable Development. 

Main objective of the project is to develop a common understanding in the formulation of a comprehensive plan, aimed at comprehensive and sustainable tourist development of ("Kallikratis") Municipality of Messolonghi S.C., the promotion of the cultural and environmental wealth, the profile and the products of the primary sector and the gastronomic tourism.

The project "Aetolian Philoxenia - The House of Tourist" will take advantage of the comparative advantages of the area, which focus on the quadruple.  

• Natural environment (lagoon, etc.)
• Local agri-food products
• Entrepreneurship of local products
• Historical and cultural heritage
  

The aim of the project "Aetolian Philoxenia - The House of Tourist" is the utilization of Technologies and Communications for the integration of the spatial development of the region in the digital world, giving special characteristics of promotion and presentation of ("Kallikratis") Municipality of Messolonghi S.C., connecting the potential visitor with specific thematic tourist routes.

More specifically, within the framework of the project will be developed:

• digital themed tourist services that will connect the visitor with the natural environment, local agri-food products, entrepreneurship of local products, gastronomy and the historical and cultural heritage of the area.

The aim is the promotion of the area and the formation of a complete experiential experience of the visitors. For this purpose, appropriate digital services will be developed, which will enable the target groups (visitors, agencies, businesses, travel agents) to be informed, to create, to manage digital contents and access this content through various technological means such as PCs, mobile devices (tablets, PDAs, etc.) and smart phones. 

Within the framework of the project, digital multimodal projection services of thematic tourist routes will be developed, which will connect: 

• The Natural environment (lagoon, etc.)

• The Local Agri-Food Products

• The Entrepreneurship of local products

• The Historical and Cultural Heritage

At the same time, a natural information space will be created in order to inform the visitor about the activities and events of the hidden treasures of this place, giving him the opportunity to live authentic experiences and connecting him with the local community.