The Touraine-Loire Valley destination’s competitiveness plan

Objectives include: 

• Ensuring economic development though tourism activities
• Increasing employment in the tourism sector by 10% over a 5-year period
• Increasing numbers of tourists by 5% over a 5-year period

4 strategic focuses

• Adapting the tourism offer
• Knowing the clientele and developing creative marketing techniques
• Innovating through research, development and investment
• Committing to new forms of governance

21 action plans, including

4/ Creating the “Loire Valley beaches and terraces” offer

This concept harks back to the types of leisure facilities existing in the early years of the 20^th century along the banks of the river and its tributaries, providing holiday resort-style entertainment. The project aims to make use of appropriate natural settings to create relaxation areas temporarily equipped for the purpose over variable periods between May and September, complementing the offer and adding to its attractiveness by provision of such movable aids to relaxation as deckchairs, hammocks and armchairs along with services including interpretation of environment, libraries, traditional games and mobile catering. 

5/ Promoting the Cher Valley

Developing, strengthening and structuring in order to create one of the most attractive offers anywhere in the Loire Valley over the next 5 years, with the following opportunities included: 

• Sailing facilities for tourists on identified stretches of water
• Creation of a “Cher by Bike” itinerary
• Creation of innovative accommodation (including on the water itself)
• Development of the art of getting about by canoe

• Promotion of heritages:
  • heritage typical of the region, such as needle dams and lock-keepers’ houses
  • natural heritage, including landscapes, fauna and flora
  • intangible heritage, such as the demarcation line or viticultural and gastronomic know-how

19/ Making active contributions to the “Tourism and Heritage” cluster

Heritage tourism remains the principal draw as far as the Loire Valley is concerned. 

Nonetheless, in a context of every-increasing competition between international destinations, innovation is an essential factor in ensuring real competitiveness. Heritage sites and visit sites alike must therefore start coming up with fresh ideas, combining researchers’ skills with those of technological solution developers, in the sphere of visit mediation and interpretation. 

On the web:

• Plan de compétitivité de la destination Touraine Val de Loire