VEGETOUR

Vegetal Tourism, Innovation and Territorial Identity

Key Words: attractiveness, heritage, identity, attachment, memory, brand, ambassadors, experiences, products, innovation, plant creation, vegetal urbanism, design and architecture, connected objects

Scientific leaders

 Post doctor: Laetitia Audinet

Project abstract

The project concerns the development of plant tourism in the Loire region. The problem covers two fundamental points:

1) the "plant" identity and image of the territory;

2) the link between the cultivated plant, the natural plant, and the plant-centred tourism. With aim of strengthening tourism and recreation concerned with the world of the plant in the Loire, through the unprecedented interweaving of tourism, vegetation and innovation.

Question: How to strengthen the territorial identity in the Loire through the application of the plant world in a touristic and recreational setting?

Heritage is at the heart of the objectives of this research project as it plays a strengthening roll, bringing together tourism, the plant world, and innovation. The creation of heritage is present in all aspects of the project: plant construction as a living, cultural, and natural heritage, social appropriation of heritage, and the territorial touristic dynamics and "plant" recreation.

Two sub-objectives are formulated: the optimisation (diagnosis of existing and continuous improvement: efficient valorisation of existing resources), and innovation (innovative strategy: creation of new innovative resources). These objectives respond to territorial issues and are part of the prospect of generating territorial plasticity around in the plant world.

This project represents a first step for responding to future calls for projects: PSDR, ANR or European.