RURAL TOURISM IN APULIA REGION, ITALY: RESULTS OF 2007-2013 RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AND 2020 PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Apulia Region has many resources for rural tourism development. The reviewpaper analyses opportunities of Apulia region (south-eastern Italy) in rural tourism.The paper describes financial instruments of the European Union (EU), mainly theEuropean Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), allowing ruraloperators to develop innovative and unique rural tourism offer. An important shareof the EAFRD is dedicated to diversification including rural tourism. The papersheds also light on opportunities offered by 2007-2013 Rural DevelopmentProgramme (RDP) of Apulia region and the role of Local Action Groups (LAG).The manuscript illustrates as well tourism statistics evolution in the period 2007-2013. The paper ends with perspectives offered by the new RDP 2014-2020, thatwas just approved; it specifically focus on new financing measures for strategies todevelop incoming rural tourism in Apulia region and cooperation networks amongLAGs.