Lands of Urbino, an association founded in 2020, has the aim of promoting the authentic tourism of the Marche region.
Creating a genuine tourism supply chain
Describing the aims of the association president Paolo Costantini says it extends to the entire province of Pesaro and Urbino and consists of cultural projects, experiential itineraries and an integrated network of tourism operators. “We felt the need to create a genuine tourism supply chain because today, to be attractive, it is essential to offer coordinated services and a well-organized offering.” The Pesaro and Urbino area is one of the most authentic destinations in central Italy, rich in historic towns and villages, rolling landscapes, culinary excellence and cultural itineraries that are still little known to international tourists.
Renaissance history and genuine foods and wines
Among the main points of interest are Urbino, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and cradle of the Renaissance, the Montefeltro region, the medieval towns and villages of the inland areas, nature trails in the Marche hills, and the numerous experiences linked to crafts, local traditions and food and wine. This heritage allows for the development of slow and experiential tourism, increasingly sought after by international markets. Great attention is also paid to the food and wine which are one of the destination’s main strengths, featuring local specialties, farms, wineries, truffles, traditional Marche cuisine and itineraries dedicated to the flavours of the region. “We want to showcase not only the best-known places, but also the small communities that preserve the authentic identity of our inland areas,” says Costantini.
A network to support and grow local businesses
“Lands of Urbino was launched thanks to the initiative of some forty tourism stakeholders, ranging from hotels to guesthouses, from bed & breakfasts to artisans, right through to service providers. The aim has always been to build a solid network that can support and grow local businesses”. It has given rise to various projects, including a series of podcasts produced on the Loquis platform, an app specialized in geolocated audio stories dedicated to travel and experiential tourism. The content explores towns and villages, traditions and local identities across the 29 municipalities involved, from Montefeltro to the inland areas of the province.
Today the association counts 46 members
The association works closely with its members with the aim of building an increasingly structured destination management model that can coordinate tourism promotion and services across a vast and complex area. Today the network counts 46 members who are local producers, agri-food businesses, artisans, shops and hospitality providers, all united by a desire to create an integrated and authentic tourism offering. Looking to the future, Lands of Urbino seeks to foster stronger collaboration with public authorities in order to develop shared tourism offerings that are more competitive and better positioned in the market. “Our areas are rich in local identity and distinctive features: this is why it is important to create a shared vision capable of presenting them in a unified and recognizable way”.
