On Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at 11:15 a.m., the launching ceremony of the FIC Tourism Project “Strengthening Networks for Innovation and Equipment to Support the Competitiveness of MSME Entrepreneurs in the Tourism Sector, O’Higgins Region” will be held in the El Maitén National Reserve.
This project, financed by the Innovation Fund for Competitiveness (FIC) of the Regional Government of O’Higgins, through its Regional Council, and led by the Business Enhancer of the University of La Frontera, IncubatecUFRO, has as its main objective to enhance competitiveness and innovation in the tourism sector of the coastal communities of Navidad, Litueche and La Estrella.
“It is essential for us to support entrepreneurs, micro, small and medium-sized tourism businesses. We need to spread the enormous attributes of a region that has a beautiful mountain range, a great ocean, vineyards, rural areas, cultural heritage, country life, in short, so many things that we can show through the tourist SMEs of O’Higgins,” said the Regional Governor, Pablo Silva Amaya, adding that “that is why we will continue supporting this type of projects that have a tremendous contribution to tourism activities. I appreciate the commitment of the SMEs that work to spread the word about how beautiful our region is.”
The “Costa Viva: Adventures and Flavors” program seeks to strengthen the local tourism ecosystem by creating an adventure tourism route and gastronomic experiences, in addition to promoting the visibility of the consolidated tourist offer, through a focus on sustainability, collaboration and innovation by generating a positive impact on the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism and gastronomy sector of the coast.
Collaborative tourism development
The project involves various local stakeholders, including the municipalities of Navidad, La Estrella and Litueche, as well as the Tourism and Commerce Corporation of the Commune of Navidad (CONATUR), strategic alliances to foster partnerships and collaboration between stakeholders in the tourism sector and promote participatory work with the local community over the next two years.
Andrea Wolleter, Executive Director of the Tourism and Trade Corporation of the Commune of Navidad (CONATUR), said that “we are convinced that Navidad and the Secano Costero have everything necessary to become the capital of sports and gastronomic tourism in the O’Higgins region. This competitiveness and innovation program is a key step to enhance our tourism offer, and we are committed to working with the authorities and entrepreneurs to achieve this.”
Tourist experiences
IncubatecUFRO will be the executor of the FIC; an institution of the Universidad de La Frontera, which highlighted that the project will have participatory processes to develop or maintain products with local identity, which will be georeferenced on a platform that will strengthen the actors of the related industries, gastronomy and tourism, and at the same time will connect them with each other and with potential consumers of their products and services.
“We are grateful for the trust of the Regional Government and its Council, for the work entrusted to us to contribute to the development process of such relevant industries as tourism and gastronomy and, of course, for the benefit of its entrepreneurs and for the inhabitants of the ‘Costa Viva’ of O’Higgins,” said Cristian Campomanes, Director of IncubatecUFRO.
The event will feature a discussion with leaders of the regional tourism ecosystem, who will discuss the importance of partnerships and innovation in the tourism sector.
Those interested in being part of the FIC Tourism Program: “Costa Viva: Adventures and Flavors” can register and obtain more information through the official IncubatecUFRO website: where they will find details on how to participate and the key dates of the process.
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