Universitat de Girona: La Cerdanya Field Trip EMTM

28th January, 2021 - There is no better way to learn about destinations than through some first-hand experience at the destination. Part of the EMTM cohort 2019-2021 went to the sunniest valley of the Pyrenees - La Cerdanya! 🌞. During their field trip, they had the opportunity to conduct an up-close exploration of the destination. Over the course of a few days, they met with managers of hotels and restaurants, walked along mountain hiking trails and enjoyed beautiful landscapes of both the French and Catalan parts of the valley. 

This time around, the particular point of interest was cross-border collaboration. Some of the questions raised were: Why collaborate with destinations that are very close geographically, but yet belong to another country? What does it take to make this kind of collaboration work? How to involve all interested parties in the tourism decision-making process? The conclusion was that la Cerdanya is a unique destination with a vast potential for sustainable tourism development. At the end of the project, the students had the opportunity to espouse their ideas in the presence of the Destination Marketing Organisation’s representative and other stakeholders, offering recommendations for further development of the destination.