Trial excursions
The Interreg Marittimo R-Itinera project, in which the Corsican Chamber of Commerce and Industry was a partner, focused on the implementation of the excursion packages developed during the initial Itinera project, which ran from 2017 to 2020.
It also enabled trial visits to be organised for two pre-defined target groups, namely, for Corsica: people aged 65 and over and cruise passengers.
Trial excursions
Two groups of 15 and 16 people were selected in advance by the Corse Incentive agency, which also handled the logistics for these two days, based on the programme provided by our organisation.
Objectives:
- Encouraging people to discover local craftspeople and producers
- Focus on the concept of short supply chains
- Creating meaning through a participatory approach
- Take into account the concepts of sustainability and CSR at the sites visited
- Managing transfer times
- Combining the spirit of discovery with a dynamic approach
Tour programme:
Panel 1: Seniors aged 65 and over (11 May 2023)
• Bordeo organic farm in San Nicolao:
• Galea Park
Panel 2: Cruise passengers (12 May 2023)
• Bastia City Discovery Tour: The following three tours form a single «Artisans and Producers» excursion package:
• Leccia Estate (Patrimonio)
• The Nebbiu Soap Factory
(Patrimonio
• Carli Honey Farm (Patrimonio)
Eductour with Silversea Cruises
Company profile
As the world leader in the premium/luxury cruise market, with a fleet of 13 small-capacity ships, Silversea is searching worldwide for new experiences to offer its particularly discerning clientele.
The concept of customer experience is therefore a top priority for this company, which boasts a customer retention rate of nearly 80% and a unique range of all-inclusive products and services that emphasise authenticity in keeping with the spirit of “quiet luxury”.
Antoine ZOPPI, Itinerary Designer & Andrea FERLA, Manager of Destination Experiences, were our hosts during this familiarisation tour. Over the course of these three and a half days, we took them to meet our producers, craftspeople and entrepreneurs, placing people at the heart of this initiative. They were thus able to discover the quality of our tourism offerings and the richness of our destination through a tour spanning several micro-regions, from Bastia to Balagne via Nebbiu.
Programme of activities and experiences
Once again, it was Corse Incentive, the only agency to have responded to our call for proposals, which organised the logistics for this programme, following on from the trial visits carried out the previous month, as set out in the R-ITINERA project.
The programme offered during the four-day discovery trip was rich and varied, designed to explore the Greater Bastia area and the Balagne region, with a constant focus on highlighting the local economy and the region’s authenticity, whilst consistently blending culture, local character, a warm and welcoming atmosphere and sustainable development.
The various products tested were tailored to a high-end and luxury cruise clientele seeking authenticity, and were designed for small groups (maximum 15 people).
A number of key objectives can therefore be identified from this programme:
– To encourage people to discover local craftspeople and producers
– Focus on the concept of short supply chains and organic production
– Creating meaning through a participatory approach
– Take into account the concepts of sustainability and CSR at the sites visited
– Managing transfer times
– Combining the element of discovery with the dynamic aspect
Taking into account the trial trips organised on 11 and 12 May 2023 and analysing the participants’ feedback proved crucial in optimising the final product and ensuring it was tailored as closely as possible to Silversea’s needs and expectations.
The concepts of service quality and experience have therefore been firmly integrated into the programme for this study tour, so as to offer Antoine Zoppi and Andrea Ferla the opportunity to visit sites, meet producers, traders and craftspeople, thereby highlighting the destination’s authenticity and distinctive character, whilst also positioning it within a strong ecotourism framework.
The itinerary for this Eductour included visits to three different micro-regions: Bastia, Nebbiu and Balagne, making it suitable for cruise ship stopovers not only at the Port of Bastia but also at other ports in Haute-Corse: L’Ile-Rousse, Saint Florent and Calvi