Pilot needs and gap analysis / D5.1

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or REA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Pilot needs and gap analysis/D5.1 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 2 Technical references Project Acronym SMART ERA Project Title SMART community-led transition for Europe’s Rural Areas Project Coordinator Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) Project Duration January 2024 – December 2027 (48 months) Deliverable Title D5.1 - “Pilot needs and gap analysis” Deliverable Type R Dissemination level* PU Work Package WP5 - “Community engagement, piloting and testing” Lead beneficiary AnySolution (ANYSOL) Author(s) Pierrick Le Guillou (ANYSOL), Katharina Wald (ANYSOL), Dolores Ordóñez (ANYSOL), Elena Not (FBK), Chiara Leonardi (FBK), Eleonora Mencarini (FBK), Francesca Leoni (PAT), Luciano Galetti (PAT), Nina Cvar (UL), Nataša Božić (UL), Jure Trilar (UL), Denis Goja (ROTUNDA), Bojan Mevlja (ROTUNDA), Ossi Kotavaara (UOULU), Iikka Meriläinen (UOULU), Saija Tikkanen (C.OULU), Slavica Samardžić (SFTH), Milica Kovačević (SFTH), Ana Lakic (TORS), Iva Taralezhkova (DPA), Petya Genkova (DPA) Reviewers Matteo Gerosa (FBK), Gianluca Lentini (POLIMI) Due date of deliverable 30 June 2024 Actual submission date 27 June 2024 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 3 Document History v Date Contributor(s) Comment 0.1 05/06/2024 All authors indicated in the technical references First integrated version with contributions from all pilot partners 0.2 14/06/2024 Pierrick Le Guillou (ANYSOL) Formatting and editing of the document. Integration of annexes. Elaboration of the comparison between pilots (sections 3.7 and 4.3.7). Revision of conclusions and executive summary. 0.3 15/06/2024 Ossi Kotavaara (UOULU), Nina Cvar (UL), Slavica Samardžić (SFTH) Reviews and updates on pilots’ descriptions 0.4 24/06/2024 Pierrick Le Guillou (ANYSOL) New annex integrated (G1). Small updates on section 2, based on feedback from reviewers (FBK and POLIMI). 0.5 26/06/2024 Ossi Kotavaara (UOULU), Nina Cvar (UL), Pierrick Le Guillou (ANYSOL) Updates on socioeconomic data for P3, small corrections on P5 annexes, corrections of typos and misspelling. 1.0 27/06/2024 Alessia Torre (FBK) Final editing and submission D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 4 Table of contents Table of contents……………………………………………………. 4 Executive Summary ........................................................................7 1. Introduction ................................................................................8 1.1 Purpose and objective ............................................................................................. 8 1.2 Relation to other Work Packages ......................................................................... 10 1.3 Structure of the document..................................................................................... 10 2. Methodological framework ....................................................... 11 2.1 PILOT 1: VALLE DI SOLE ...................................................................................... 12 2.2 PILOT 2: TRAMUNTANA / SÓLLER ....................................................................... 13 2.3 PILOT 3: NORTHERN OSTROBOTHNIA ............................................................... 14 2.4 PILOT 4: EAST HERZEGOVINA ............................................................................. 15 2.5 PILOT 5: ŠMARJE-PADNA ..................................................................................... 16 2.6 PILOT 6: DEVETAKI PLATEAU.............................................................................. 17 3. Pilots presentation ................................................................... 18 3.1 PILOT 1: VALLE DI SOLE ...................................................................................... 19 3.1.1 Short Pilot Overview ................................................................................................................. 20 3.1.2 Pilot Summary .......................................................................................................................... 20 3.1.3 Organizations Involved.............................................................................................................. 22 3.1.4 Motivations and Key Expected Outcomes ................................................................................. 23 3.1.5 Socioeconomic and Demographic Data ..................................................................................... 26 3.1.6 Data Available .......................................................................................................................... 27 3.1.7 Cross-Collaboration(s) .............................................................................................................. 28 3.1.8 Regulatory Framework .............................................................................................................. 29 3.2 PILOT 2: TRAMUNTANA / SÓLLER ....................................................................... 31 3.2.1 Short Pilot Overview ................................................................................................................. 32 3.2.2 Pilot Summary .......................................................................................................................... 33 3.2.3 Organizations Involved.............................................................................................................. 34 3.2.4 Motivations and Key Expected Outcomes ................................................................................. 34 3.2.5 Socioeconomic and Demographic Data ..................................................................................... 38 3.2.6 Data Available .......................................................................................................................... 39 3.2.7 Cross-Collaboration(s) .............................................................................................................. 40 3.2.8 Regulatory Framework .............................................................................................................. 41 3.3 PILOT 3: NORTHERN OSTROBOTHNIA ............................................................... 43 3.3.1 Short Pilot Overview ................................................................................................................. 44 3.3.2 Pilot Summary .......................................................................................................................... 45 3.3.3 Organizations Involved.............................................................................................................. 45 3.3.4 Motivations and Key Expected Outcomes ................................................................................. 46 3.3.5 Socioeconomic and Demographic Data ..................................................................................... 47 3.3.6 Data Available .......................................................................................................................... 47 3.3.7 Cross-Collaboration(s) .............................................................................................................. 48 3.3.8 Regulatory Framework .............................................................................................................. 48 3.4 PILOT 4: EAST HERZEGOVINA ............................................................................. 50 3.4.1 Short Pilot Overview ................................................................................................................. 51 3.4.2 Pilot Summary .......................................................................................................................... 52 3.4.3 Organizations Involved.............................................................................................................. 53 3.4.4 Motivations and Key Expected Outcomes ................................................................................. 54 3.4.5 Socioeconomic and Demographic Data ..................................................................................... 56 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 5 3.4.6 Data Available .......................................................................................................................... 57 3.4.7 Cross-Collaboration(s) .............................................................................................................. 58 3.4.8 Regulatory Framework .............................................................................................................. 59 3.5 PILOT 5: ŠMARJE-PADNA ..................................................................................... 61 3.5.1 Short Pilot Overview ................................................................................................................. 62 3.5.2 Pilot Summary .......................................................................................................................... 63 3.5.3 Organizations Involved.............................................................................................................. 64 3.5.4 Motivations and Key Expected Outcomes ................................................................................. 65 3.5.5 Socioeconomic and Demographic Data ..................................................................................... 67 3.5.6 Data Available .......................................................................................................................... 68 3.5.7 Cross-Collaboration(s) .............................................................................................................. 69 3.5.8 Regulatory Framework .............................................................................................................. 70 3.6 PILOT 6: DEVETAKI PLATEAU.............................................................................. 72 3.6.1 Short Pilot Overview ................................................................................................................. 73 3.6.2 Pilot Summary .......................................................................................................................... 74 3.6.3 Organizations Involved.............................................................................................................. 74 3.6.4 Motivations and Key Expected Outcomes ................................................................................. 75 3.6.5 Socioeconomic and Demographic Data ..................................................................................... 77 3.6.6 Data Available .......................................................................................................................... 78 3.6.7 Cross-Collaboration(s) .............................................................................................................. 78 3.6.8 Regulatory Framework .............................................................................................................. 79 3.7 PILOTS’ COMPARISON .......................................................................................... 81 4. NEEDS AND GAPS .................................................................. 83 4.1 INTEREST AND EXPECTATIONS .......................................................................... 83 4.1.1 Pilot 1: Valle di Sole .................................................................................................................. 83 4.1.2 Pilot 2: Tramuntana Sóller ......................................................................................................... 84 4.1.3 Pilot 3: Northern Ostrobothnia ................................................................................................... 86 4.1.4 Pilot 4: East Herzegovina .......................................................................................................... 87 4.1.5 Pilot 5: Šmarje-Padna ............................................................................................................... 88 4.1.6 Pilot 6: Devetaki Plateau ........................................................................................................... 89 4.2 BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES ............................................................................ 90 4.2.1 Pilot 1: Valle di Sole .................................................................................................................. 90 4.2.2 Pilot 2: Tramuntana Sóller ......................................................................................................... 92 4.2.3 Pilot 3: Northern Ostrobothnia ................................................................................................... 95 4.2.4 Pilot 4: East Herzegovina .......................................................................................................... 97 4.2.5 Pilot 5: Šmarje-Padna ............................................................................................................... 99 4.2.6 Pilot 6: Devetaki Plateau ......................................................................................................... 101 4.3 SWOT ANALYSIS ................................................................................................. 103 4.3.1 Pilot 1: Valle di Sole ................................................................................................................ 103 4.3.2 Pilot 2: Tramuntana Sóller ....................................................................................................... 104 4.3.3 Pilot 3: Northern Ostrobothnia ................................................................................................. 105 4.3.4 Pilot 4: East Herzegovina ........................................................................................................ 106 4.3.5 Pilot 5: Šmarje-Padna ............................................................................................................. 108 4.3.6 Pilot 6: Devetaki Plateau ......................................................................................................... 109 4.3.7 Comparison Between Pilots .................................................................................................... 110 5. ACTION PLANS ..................................................................... 112 5.1 PILOT 1: VALLE DI SOLE .................................................................................... 112 5.2 PILOT 2: TRAMUNTANA SÓLLER ....................................................................... 113 5.3 PILOT 3: NORTHERN OSTROBOTHNIA ............................................................. 114 5.4 PILOT 4: EAST HERZEGOVINA ........................................................................... 115 5.5 PILOT 5: ŠMARJE-PADNA ................................................................................... 116 5.6 PILOT 6: DEVETAKI PLATEAU............................................................................ 117 6. CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................... 118 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 6 7. REFERENCES ....................................................................... 119 8. ANNEXES .............................................................................. 120 ANNEXES A – P1 VALLE DI SOLE ............................................................................ 121 ANNEXES B - P2 TRAMUNTANA/SÓLLER ............................................................... 139 ANNEXES C - P3 NORTHERN OSTROBOTHNIA...................................................... 164 ANNEXES D – P4 EAST HERZEGOVINA .................................................................. 173 ANNEXES E – P5 ŠMARJE-PADNA .......................................................................... 184 ANNEXES F – P6 DEVETAKI PLATEAU ................................................................... 201 ANNEXES G – GENERAL ANNEXES ........................................................................ 204 List of Figures Figure 1 - Distribution of SMART ERA's pilots ................................................................................. 9 Figure 2 - Workshop held in Sóller with local stakeholders in May 2024 ....................................... 13 Figure 3 - Pictures of workshops held in Šmarje-Padna ................................................................ 16 Figure 4 - Institutional meeting with regional administrations in Devetaki Plateau ......................... 17 Figure 5 - Pictures from Valle di Sole ............................................................................................ 21 Figure 6 - Location of Valle di Sole ............................................................................................... 21 Figure 7 - The Valley of Sóller (left) and the historical tram of Sóller (right) ................................... 33 Figure 8 - Pictures of Northern Ostrobothnia landscape ................................................................ 45 Figure 9 - Pictures of East Herzegovina landscape and local products ......................................... 53 Figure 10 - Pictures of Šmarje-Padna landscape .......................................................................... 64 Figure 11 - Pictures of Devetaki Plateau ....................................................................................... 74 Figure 12 - Surface of the SMART ERA pilots ............................................................................... 81 Figure 14 - Population and population density of the SMART ERA pilots ...................................... 81 Figure 15 - Age average and age distribution of the SMART ERA pilots ....................................... 82 Figure 16 - Percentage of foreign population in the SMART ERA pilots ........................................ 82 Figure 17 - GDP per capita of the SMART ERA pilots ................................................................... 82 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 7 Executive Summary The SMART ERA project is conducting pilot activities in six different European rural regions, with the aim to develop, implement and validate in real-world conditions tailored Smart Innovation Packages (SIPs) that contribute to the community engagement, digital transition and sustainable socioeconomic development of these regions. To achieve this ambitious objective, over the last 6 months, an analysis of the current situation, challenges and needs of each pilot has been conducted, in collaboration with local stakeholders, to precisely characterize the pilots and co-define the main guiding lines of the specific action plans to be developed and implemented at local level. This work has been done following a 4-steps process: (i) preparation phase, fostering coordination between pilots’ partners and initiating the mapping of the different data, documents, stakeholders, regulations and initiatives at local level; (ii) engagement phase, launching the communication activities and initiating the involvement of local stakeholders in the different pilots’ activities; (iii) data collection phase, studying documents and data sources available, and organizing workshops and other activities to collect feedback and data from local stakeholders; and (iv) data analysis phase, analyzing the collected data to define the needs, requirements, expected solutions, barriers and challenges of each pilot. As a result, the six SMART ERA pilots have defined the focus of their action plan:  Pilot 1: Valle di Sole, Italy. Main focus on: (i) protection and revalorization of natural and cultural assets (including forestry management); and (ii) characterization of lands and soil for agricultural use. Lesser focus on social services and slow tourism.  Pilot 2: Sóller/Tramuntana, Spain. Main focus on digitalization of local economy and on boosting cooperation and data sharing between stakeholders (especially tourism and agriculture). Lesser focus on mobility and cultural sectors.  Pilot 3: North Ostrobothnia, Finland. Main focus on platform economies for rural micro and small companies, providing services for rural citizens. Lesser focus on mobility.  Pilot 4: East Herzegovina. Main focus on: (i) rural tourism development through increased visibility of cultural, natural and gastronomic heritage; and (ii) implementation of infrastructure, solutions and services that support sustainable tourism development. Lesser focus on digital literacy and provision of digital services for promotions, sales and marketing.  Pilot 5: Šmarje-Padna, Slovenia. Main focus on: (i) sustainable mobility services and sustainable tourism development; (ii) community engagement in circular economy and in green and sustainable shared activities. Lesser focus on water management.  Pilot 6: Devetaki Plateau, Bulgaria. Main focus on: (i) improving social services through implementation of healthcare centre/services for remote consultation; and (ii) economic development through tourism and remote working opportunities. Lesser focus on improvement of environment protection and smart waste management. In all the pilots, the expectations of local stakeholders and the type of solutions and activities to be developed and implemented, are similar and can be regrouped in the following categories:  Improved knowledge (capacity building)  Improved access to information and digital services  Improved market opportunities for local/rural products  Improved infrastructure for connectivity and data management  Improved community development and networking (including data sharing) D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 8 1. Introduction 1.1 Purpose and objective The SMART ERA project is conducting pilot activities in six different European rural regions, with the aim to develop, implement and validate in real-world conditions tailored Smart Innovation Packages (SIPs) that contribute to community engagement and socioeconomic development of these regions. Each pilot counts with:  an “orchestrator”, a partner in charge of coordinating the activities at local level and of interacting with other pilots’ teams and WPs  an “activator”, a partner in charge of connecting and engaging with the local community and stakeholders. The underlying objective of the project (and therefore of all the pilots), is to reduce vulnerabilities and foster resilience of the participating rural areas, by upgrading and co-designing, co-developing and co-validating with local communities a set of digital and non-digital solutions, complemented by effective methods to analyse and tackle pressing socio-economic and environmental challenges and promote a smart and community-led transition pathway that will empower rural people to act for change. The SMART ERA pilots are geographically distributed over different European countries as presented in Figure 1. Considering the different realities and characteristics of participating regions, each pilot is focusing on different aspects, issues, sectors and/or actions. The six pilots, together with their orchestrator and activators, are:  Pilot 1: Valle di Sole, Italy. Orchestrator: FBK; Activator: PAT. Main focus on: (i) protection and revalorization of natural and cultural assets (including forestry management); and (ii) characterization of lands and soil for agricultural use. Lesser focus on social services and slow tourism.  Pilot 2: Sóller/Tramuntana, Spain. Orchestrator: ANYSOL; Activator: +CULTURA. Main focus on digitalization of local economy and on boosting cooperation and data sharing between stakeholders (especially tourism and agriculture). Lesser focus on mobility and cultural sectors.  Pilot 3: North Ostrobothnia, Finland. Orchestrator: UOULU; Activator: C.OULU. Main focus on platform economies for rural micro and small companies, providing services for rural citizens. Lesser focus on mobility.  Pilot 4: Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Orchestrator: SFTH; Activator: TORS. Main focus on rural tourism development through increased visibility of cultural, natural and gastronomic heritage of rural East Herzegovina, and on the implementation of the infrastructure, solutions and services that support a sustainable development of tourism activities in the region. Lesser focus on digital literacy of local population and provision of digital services for promotions, sales and marketing.  Pilot 5: Šmarje-Padna, Slovenia. Orchestrator: UL; Activator: ROTUNDA. Main focus on: (i) sustainable mobility services and sustainable tourism development; (ii) community engagement in circular economy and in green and sustainable shared activities. Lesser focus on water management.  Pilot 6: Devetaki Plateau, Bulgaria. Orchestrator: DPA; Activator: SEVLIEVO. Main focus on: (i) improving social services through implementation of healthcare centre/services for remote consultation; and (ii) economic development through tourism and remote working opportunities. Lesser focus on improvement of environment protection and smart waste management. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 9 Figure 1 - Distribution of SMART ERA's pilots (image source: SMART ERA website) During the first six months of the project, all pilots were asked: (i) to identify, collect and compile information about their territories; (ii) to define and detail their use case; and (iii) to consolidate their requirements, needs, expected impacts, challenges and barriers in terms of community engagement, digitalisation and rural development. The results of this work are described in the present document. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 16 2.5 PILOT 5: ŠMARJE-PADNA Preparation phase. During this phase, the pilot orchestrator (University of Ljubljana – abbreviation: UL) and community activator (Rotunda) organised online bilateral meetings to plan and distribute the responsibilities and work to be undertaken within the SMART ERA project. UL identified the most adequate methodology for working with rural areas, whereas Rotunda proposed the possible stakeholders to work with them. Action plan for activities between the period M1-M6 of the project was presented at the first project plenary meeting too. Engagement phase. To identify the pilot's most suitable SIP, UL proposed to use the SEROI+ methodology which combines socio-economic and environmental return on investment (SEROI) assessment with open innovation (OI). As the SEROI+ methodology supports public and private bodies in selecting, developing and designing new products and services that respond to the needs of their communities, the engagement phase consisted of two SEROI+ workshops: in Šmarje (March 2024) and in Padna (April 2024). During both workshops local stakeholders were identified, an open innovation process, based on participatory approach was conducted, good practices related to the pilot’s target sectors were presented and a questionnaire on environmental education was distributed. Alongside two workshops, communicative events to present the project of Smart Era were organized too. Data collection phase. The following methods were used to collect data for the pilot: Data from literature review: Rotunda provided statistical data for the pilot and local plans and strategies of both communities. UL collected data obtained from the SEROI+ workshops, questionnaire on environmental education and 2 reports on the digital maturity of both territories, conducted by using Territorial digital assessment tool (results in annex of the pilot). As SEROI+ methodology offers to perform SWOT analysis too, it was possible to collect data for the SWOT analysis too. During this phase UL conducted the research review of the different reports, plans and strategies available, in particular in relation to policy dimension. Data analysis phase. The data analysis phase is based on four level analysis, resulting in three lines of results: results, resulting from the SEROI+ workshops, results from the questionnaire on environmental education, results from the Territorial digital assessment tool and the analysis, provided by the SWOT analysis. Figure 3 - Pictures of workshops held in Šmarje-Padna D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 17 2.6 PILOT 6: DEVETAKI PLATEAU Preparation phase. The preparation in the Devetaki Plateau region started straight after the kick - off meeting in Trento with DPA providing information about the project and its objectives to the three municipalities. Meetings were held with the mayors of Letnitsa, Lovech and Sevlievo to explain them about the possibilities that SMART ERA could provide for the development of their villages. Although the municipality of Letnitsa withdrew as an official partner in the project, they declared they would support the implementation of the project - the collection and analysis of data, the SIPs elaboration and its implementation in the 3 villages of the municipality. The Municipality of Sevlievo officially stepped in as a community activator, and the Municipality of Lovech also declared readiness to support and disseminate the project findings and results. Engagement phase. As for the local stakeholders, Devetaki Plateau Association has over 140 members in the region - representatives of various social groups: farmers, elderly people, young families, small rural businesses, and local administrations. They were all informed about SMART ERA through DPA’s communication channels and through face-to face activities. The message delivered to them has been that it is up to the active participation of all local stakeholders to achieve tangible project results that will help the modernization of their villages. Data collection phase. For the collection of data, two approaches were used:  For engaging the stakeholders in elaborating the SWOT analysis a special format called Future Search Conference was used. The format is a structured interactive discussion allowing every participant to express their opinion on the internal and external factors that have influenced and can influence the area in the future. The participants (50 - 60 people) were grouped in 7 working tables that changed in the different sessions. Thus, in the first session they were able to first discuss Achievements and Challenges, which were later translated into the Strengths and Weaknesses parts of the SWOT analysis. The different tables had their own aspects that differed in some parts and overlapped in others. In the consequent session we discussed the external trends that (could) affect the development of the region in a positive or a negative way. As a result, it was obtained a broad picture containing the visions of the various stakeholder groups and that is how was defined the Opportunities and Threads parts of the SWOT.  As for the collection of statistic data, official sources were used such as: municipal administrations data, the National Statistics Institute as well as the Local Action Group strategy and some other trusted sources of information. Data analysis phase. The following step was to analyze all the data and to come to certain findings and directions to work on the elaboration of the SIPs. Figure 4 - Institutional meeting with regional administrations in Devetaki Plateau D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 18 3. PILOTS PRESENTATION D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 19 3.1 PILOT 1: VALLE DI SOLE D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 20 3.1.1 Short Pilot Overview PRESENTATION  Location: Located in the Trentino region of northern Italy.  Geography: Surrounded by the Adamello-Presanella, Ortler-Cevedale, and Brenta mountain ranges.  Climate: Alpine climate with cold winters and mild summers.  Tourism and Activities: Popular for skiing, snowboarding in winter, and hiking, mountain biking in summer. It has natural parks like Stelvio and Adamello Brenta.  Economy: Mainly based on tourism, agriculture (apple orchards), and dairy farming.  Culture: Rich in traditional festivals, local cuisine, and historical sites. CHALLENGES ADDRESSED  Creating a more balanced and greener ecosystem for rural development and activating unexpressed potential  Combating landscape degradation  Finding countermeasures to depopulation TARGET SECTORS KEY TARGET GROUPS KEY OBJECTIVE  Forestry  Agriculture  Pastoralism  Sustainable tourism  Local and provincial decision-makers and policy creators  Organizations monitoring and managing natural parks and green areas  Small businesses in agriculture, forestry, and livestock  Local community (residents, associations)  Businesses related to tourism  members of educational institutions.  The key objective of the pilot is to leverage the protection and valorization of the environment and the landscape as a driver for the sustainable development of the local economy and community.  To support the above key objective, data and knowledge are essential to support the assessment, decision-making and monitoring actions. Community and stakeholder involvement is also key.  The pilot opens opportunities to investigate data-driven tools to support capacity building, decision-making and the collaborative development of new policies, services, and initiatives aimed at strengthening agriculture, forestry, livestock farming, and sustainable, innovative, nature-based tourism, as well as the resident community’ quality of life, and that of young generations in particular. 3.1.2 Pilot Summary Trentino is an autonomous province in the North of Italy. Its territory is predominantly mountainous, comprising the southern part of the Alps, extending from the border with South Tyrol in the north to Veneto in the south. It has numerous valleys, typically long and narrow, adorned with forests. The inner area of Valle di Sole - located in the north-western part of Trentino - is a remote and peripheral area with a sparse population and communities often isolated from larger urban centers D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 21 providing services (see figure 5). Valle di Sole counts 13 municipalities, with an extended mountainous area and a total resident population of 15.470 inhabitants (2022). The valley's economy is significantly based on tourism, both in summer and winter. However, the tourism impact is not homogeneously distributed within the valley, with higher concentration in the centers of Mezzana (Marilleva), Folgarida, Vermiglio (Passo del Tonale), and Peio. Other important income sources include livestock farming and forestry. In the lower municipalities, which enjoy a milder climate, the cultivation of fruit trees is also present (apple and cherry trees). Figure 5 - Pictures from Valle di Sole - On the left, the village of Caldes. At the centre, Vermiglio in winter. On the right, the landscape. Depopulation is related to a decreasing birth rate, worsened by emigration within the provincial territory, towards other provinces or abroad, and by the reduction in inbound migration. Other critical issues are related to the ageing of the population and urbanization in the liveliest centres, which are more attractive in terms of job opportunities, mainly linked to tourism. Accessing services is particularly challenging due to geographical constraints, and these communities have experienced a gradual decline in essential services such as healthcare, education, training, and transportation to and from other areas in the province. However, inclusion is fostered by a strong sense of solidarity and cooperation ingrained within the community. Due to the specificities of its local development and the complex challenges it faces, Valle di Sole is one of the mountain areas part of the Italian National Strategy for Internal Areas (see Figure 6). Figure 6 - Location of Valle di Sole D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 22 In Figure 6, on the left, a map of Italy highlighting the location of the 72 areas included in the National Strategy for Inner Areas. The red circle indicates the location of Valle di Sole (image source 1 ). On the right is a zoomed visualisation of the location and the borders of the 13 Valle di Sole municipalities (image source 2 ). 3.1.3 Organizations Involved Pilot Orchestrator Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) is a research institution located in Trento, Italy, that conducts interdisciplinary research in various fields, including information technology, materials science, social sciences, and humanities. FBK collaborates with academic institutions, industry partners, and government agencies. The FBK team involved as the Trentino pilot orchestrator includes researchers from the i3 Research Unit (Intelligent Interfaces and Interaction). i3 leverages UserCentred Design and Participatory Design approaches to define and analyse design problems, codesign solutions, and evaluate digital technologies in collaboration with the final users of such systems. The group has a long and consolidated experience in innovative processes that consider both digital and social factors and has matured expertise in working with public bodies and local administrations to boost innovation practices (e.g., EU-funded projects: INTERLINK 3 , NEVERMORE 4 , FAMILIES-SHARE 5 ). Community Activator The Autonomous Province of Trento (PAT) is a regional government authority responsible for governing the Trentino province in Italy. PAT administers various public services within the province, including education, healthcare, transportation, and social services. The specific department involved in SMART-ERA is the Territorial Cohesion Office, which coordinates and defines programming and design instruments, including operational ones, to support local development actions. The office also supports the programming and implementation of the National Strategy for Inner Areas, including monitoring, evaluation, and control actions, and conducts analyses and research on territorial development interventions. In SMART-ERA, the Territorial Cohesion Office has strong connections with the local communities of Valle di Sole because of previous collaborations developed as part of the National Strategy for Inner Areas. The National Strategy for Inner Areas is a political intervention activated by Italy to promote the development of rural or mountain areas distant from the centers of provision of health, education, and mobility services. It is a place-based policy shared with the European Commission as part of the partnership agreement for 2014-2020 and 2021-2027. The interventions benefit from 50% state funding and 50% European structural funding. The Province of Trento coordinates the actions carried out in its territory through a governance committee. 1 https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategia_nazionale_per_le_aree_interne#/media/File:Mappa_aree_pilota_SNAI. jpg 2 https://www.branding4resilience.it/?page_id=1585 3 https://interlink-project.eu/. See [Not et al. 2024] for an overview of the research questions investigated within the project. 4 https://www.nevermore-horizon.eu/ 5 https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/780783 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 23 3.1.4 Motivations and Key Expected Outcomes Context Issues and criticalities of Valle di Sole are, first of all, related to the ageing of the population and the difficulties in creating attractive educational and entrepreneurial opportunities for the young. The abandonment of more remote and small villages by young people for centers offering more job opportunities (mainly related to tourism) and better equipped with services is accompanied by the abandonment of traditional activities related to land use and maintenance. These phenomena have severe implications for the area, such as the degradation of landscape quality, the increase of environmental risks (such as landslides and mudslides), and the deterioration of the built environment because of the high costs of renovating old houses in the center of villages. In general, the main problems for Valle di Sole identified in the analysis reports of the National Strategy for Inner Areas and as emerged from the activities conducted with local stakeholders are the following (source: Strategia aree Interne 2019 and 2016):  Ageing population and imbalance in generational turnover.  Limited higher education offer and concurrent outmigration of the few young graduates from the valley in search of better job opportunities: a concern for the future and the innovation of companies primarily linked to tourism in the valley.  Weak interactions between economic sectors like tourism, agriculture, and craftsmanship; inadequate valorization of the many opportunities offered by the valley's culture, environment, gastronomy, sports, and various forms of recreation.  Impoverishment of some productive properties (also located in visible places along road axes), ageing and obsolescence of some accommodation facilities, and poor maintenance of the housing stock of second homes due to generational turnover, resulting in decreased use by heirs and consequent deterioration.  Abandonment of marginal agricultural areas and pastures and the resulting land management problem.  Underdevelopment of the agri-food sector, which is very much related to a larger vision encompassing sectors like the protection and valorisation of the environment, the landscape, ecology, health, and innovative forms of entrepreneurship. The area was once dedicated to livestock farming, which ensured regular maintenance and care of the land. However, with the decline in this practice, the land now suffers from neglect, leading to increased vulnerability to rockfall, landslides, and other natural hazards. Therefore, it is crucial to restore the landscape to its former state of beauty and utility and enhance safety through risk monitoring and management.  Distance from services located in the provincial capital. Current situation Depopulation in peripheral areas of the Valley and the ageing of the resident population impact the management of essential services (assistance to vulnerable population groups, school transportation, need for multi-grade classrooms, etc.) due to the fragmentation of users, difficulties in educational orientation and educational paths, leading to an increase in youth discomfort due to lack or precariousness of employment. Since the 1970s, Valle di Sole has focused on tourism, especially winter tourism, to overcome economic backwardness and isolation linked to its traditional rural mountain life. However, due to the financial and climate crisis, efforts have been made over the past decades to rethink the tourism-centred development model. There is a widespread awareness that innovation is needed in the sector and that effort should be put into improving service quality, valuing the valley's historical and environmental potential, and proposing a new, more integrated development model that harmonizes agriculture and environmental conservation. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 24 Paradoxically, some areas of Valle di Sole experience depopulation and overtourism at the same time. In both situations, social, environmental, and economic balance is the condition that must be achieved in order to mitigate the phenomena. For example, the fragilities of the tourism sector in Valle di Sole are related to high seasonality, high disparity across areas (with peaks of overtourism in certain villages and under-valorisation of others), but also sensitivity to climate change (lack of snow and high temperatures hampering winter tourism), and environmental damage due to extreme weather hazards and biohazards. The gradual abandonment by the young generation of traditional productive activities related to land use further intensifies the problem of land maintenance. For all these reasons, Valle di Sole is called to restore the value of agriculture, forestry, and natural areas subject to protection by including them in a systemic reasoning for the territory. Limits to overcome The general challenges related to the thematic area addressed by the pilot are the following:  Creating a more balanced, green ecosystem for rural development and activating unexpressed potentials. This challenge involves: o Solving the lack of tools for estimating the discounted value of multi-system services related to grassland, pasture, and woodland areas and promoting this value increase; o Understanding which performance indicators are required for a new socio-economic and environmental balance; o Creating more synergies between tourism and the environment, with the promotion of natural parks, models of slow tourism and alternative circuits, which value natural resources still under-considered in the economic development processes (agri-food, nature-based experiences, water-related sports) and are more resilient to climate change; o More generally, filling the lack of implementation of the "green budget" concept in decision-making.  Combating the degradation of the landscape and its snowball effects. This challenge involves: o Defining protection strategies that improve the resilience to natural hazards favoured by climate change (e.g., storms, parasites, floods, drought); o Improving the management of forestry, agricultural, and grazing land also with incentives and actions addressed to overcome the dualism safeguard/valorization; o Stopping the decrease of economic activities based on land use; o Reversing cultural changes and a lack of policies supporting land care by local communities.  Finding countermeasures to depopulation and ageing. This challenge involves: o Developing awareness among the local population about the role that sustainably managed rural areas have in improving the quality of life, the resilience of rural communities, and the capacity to stay of young generations; o Inverting the trend of reduced work opportunities for young people; o Spotting light on the weakening of cultural identity and the importance of community participation. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 25 Future desired scenario(s) The future vision of the Valle di Sole, as emerged from local stakeholders, can be summarised in the following statement: The protection and valorisation of the environment as a driver for the sustainable development of the local economy and community. Using the words of the mayors of Valle di Sole: "The future desired scenario is one in which the environmental balance (green budget) is included in the strategic choices of local public administrations and major private players, in order to ensure authentic sustainability for local communities and businesses operating in the area. The economic sectors of tourism and crafts, which are the driving force behind the local economy, will therefore be able to include in their development plans a risk assessment with respect to the value of these assets, which are often not considered but decisive." As explained in the Methodology section (section 2.1), the cross-cutting thematic area of the Valle di Sole pilot has emerged from a joint discussion by the 13 mayors of the Valley, who own a deep understanding of the social, economic, and environmental context of the territory and maintain a constant, open dialogue with the local communities. Starting from the reflection that natural resources represent one of the most important assets for the valley and have historically represented one of the pillars of the cultural identity of its population, the protection and valorisation of the landscape and the environment has been identified as the lever for a multi-systemic action. The desired effect is to consolidate the "green" identity of Valle di Sole at all levels, to improve the synergies between different economic sectors (forestry, agriculture, tourism, craftsmanship), to create awareness and capacity of action in the community for joint efforts towards improving quality of life and revitalizing cultural identity and vocation, to strengthen education and entrepreneurship opportunities for young generations. First of all, the objective of land protection resonates with the "15. Life on land" SDG goal included in the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development 6 that advocates for sustainable management of natural resources, combating land degradation and preserving biodiversity. Then, the pilot purposefully intends to complement environmental "resilience" with "valorisation", as a driver for the sustainable development of the local economy and the empowering of the local community to act for a better quality of life and improved capacity to stay (addressing the SDG goals "11. Sustainable cities and communities" and "8. Decent work and economic growth"). Value proposition and expected impacts The expected impact of the pilot is the improvement of development sustainability in its environmental, social, and economic dimensions with reference to the entire territorial area of Valle di Sole. The mayors of the valley expect to:  Improve the management of woodland, agricultural, and pastoral areas, as well as of nature-based tourism solutions;  Obtain active participation of local communities in the strategic choices and active contribution to the socio-economic balance of the territories with a focus on sustainability, especially from young generations;  Quantify the direct and indirect impact of land conservation, monitoring, research, and enhancement actions on the improvement of the quality of life in Valle di Sole;  Define a methodology that allows comparison with other projects in other sectors that are evaluated with economic parameters and referred to market prices; 6 https://sdgs.un.org/goals D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 32 3.2.1 Short Pilot Overview PRESENTATION  Location: Situated on the northwest coast of the island of Mallorca.  Geography: Surrounded by the Tramuntana mountain range and the Mediterranean Sea.  Climate: Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.  Tourism and Activities: Known for its citrus and olive groves, scenic train ride to Palma, hiking trails, and beach activities. The Port de Sóller is a popular tourist destination.  Economy: Tourism is the main economic driver, complemented by agriculture (particularly citrus fruits).  Culture: A blend of traditional Mallorcan culture with influences from various periods of history, reflected in local architecture and festivals. CHALLENGES ADDRESSED  Poor digitalisation and data sharing. Connectivity is still a major issue (no 5G, problems with WIFI). Poor offer of digital services by municipality and local companies. Lack of knowledge and competences in technology and innovation of local stakeholders. Limited availability of data, and extremely low level of data-sharing and integration between local stakeholders.  Limited mobility. Sóller is situated in a remote area, accessible solely through a tunnel or narrow mountain roads. Saturation of the public transports, parkings available and road network.  Demographic. “Lack of talent” and brain drain phenomenon with young people moving to larger cities in search of better opportunities. Negative demographic growth.  Important seasonal changes and tourism massification. High seasonality of the tourism and agriculture sectors. High tourism flows mainly in the peak seasons generating important social issues (mobility, housing, dimensioning of public services and infrastructures, coexistence of residents and tourists,...) TARGET SECTORS KEY TARGET GROUPS KEY OBJECTIVE  Tourism  Agri-food  Mobility  Culture  Local tourism and agri-food stakeholders  Local community (residents, associations)  Public administration  Tourists To foster the digitalisation of the local economy and enhance the quality and availability of digital services, with the aim to:  Retain the active population and improve the coexistence between residents and tourists.  Increase collaboration and involvement of local stakeholders (esp. tourism and agriculture sectors) in the co-definition and co-development of new products, services, business models, policies and/or initiatives.  Improve the competitiveness, distribution and diversification of the local economy through digitalisation.  Improve the mobility and sustainability of the destination. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 33 3.2.2 Pilot Summary Sóller is a rural town located in the northwest part of Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands. Nestled in a lush valley surrounded by the Tramuntana mountain range (a well-protected UNESCO site), Sóller is a popular tourism destination and is known for its stunning natural scenery, including orange, lemon and olive groves. The town is situated approximately 30 kilometres from Palma, the capital of Mallorca, and is only accessible via a tunnel, two narrow mountain roads or a historic railway known as the Ferrocarril de Sóller. Sóller has a population of around 14,000 residents that counts with a significant number of foreign nationals. In addition, the town experiences important seasonal population fluctuations due to the intense tourism activity in the region. Its economy is very traditional and mostly based on agriculture and tourism. The city and its region are suffering from several socioeconomic challenges that hinder its development:  Demographic. Even though the population is well-balanced in terms of gender (almost 50% of each sex), there is a brain drain phenomenon and a lack of talent with young people moving to larger cities in search of better opportunities (employment and housing). This contributes to the ageing of the population of Sóller, which is further accentuated by the fact that young people are replaced by older foreign nationals, and that the region suffers from negative demographic growth.  High seasonality and tourism dependency. The local community is very traditional with an economy mostly based on agri-food and tourism. The challenge for both these sectors is their high seasonality. Sóller, like much of Mallorca, heavily relies on tourism as a primary economic driver. While tourism brings significant revenue, it also accentuates some socioeconomic challenges such as mobility, infrastructure strain, environmental concern, or the housing and real estate (influx of tourists and expatriates has considerably driven up property prices, making it challenging for locals to afford housing).  Digitalisation/Connectivity. Digital connectivity is deficient (4G with shadows and no 5G, many problems with WIFI connection). Digital services offered by the municipality and the local companies are very poor. There is no disaggregated data and no data sharing among sectors and stakeholders.  Mobility/Accessibility. Sóller is located in a valley, secluded from the rest of the cities of the island due to the mountain range that surrounds it. The deficiency of public transport combined with the intense influx of tourists during the high season, generate important issues of mobility, with saturation of the roads and parkings. The pilot aims to address some of the aforementioned challenges through a digitalisation of the local industrial ecosystem, and through the development and implementation of digital services and activities that contribute to improve the sustainable development of the town while retaining the local population and enhancing the coexistence between residents and tourists. Figure 7 - The Valley of Sóller (left) and the historical tram of Sóller (right) D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 34 3.2.3 Organizations Involved Pilot Orchestrator ANYSOL is a dynamic SME founded in 2014 and located in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Recognized as an Innovative SME (PYME Innovadora) by the Spanish National Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness, ANYSOL operates two main departments: European project management, whose members boast over 20 years of experience in the field, and engineering. These departments collaborate to develop successful projects across various domains. The company specializes in strategic methodologies and projects within Research, Development, and Innovation; Agriculture; Tourism; Smart cities and destinations; and Emergencies/natural hazards, among others. Through cooperation and shared knowledge, ANYSOL crafts efficient innovation strategies tailored to the socioeconomic needs and requirements of each sector. Throughout the project, ANYSOL will further develop and enhance its data platform (NADIA), federated with SMART ERA, to improve overall features, data accessibility, and services. Community Activator +CULTURA is a company that works in the field of cultural management, tourism and heritage. It was founded in 2013 and its mission is to provide its clients with a unique experience to get to know the region through different eyes. +CULTURA makes the history, traditions and customs of the valley of Sóller known to both residents and visitors. +CULTURA is committed to sustainable and quality tourism, following and fulfilling many of the objectives of the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development. In addition, it follows the guidelines of Orange Tourism, which is based on creative, experiential tourism and digital transformation. The development of the company is closely linked to agriculture. +CULTURA is continuously creating events in favor of the Local Products, the Tramuntana Mountain Range and Agriculture. +CULTURA is a permanent member of the Board of the Consortium of the Serra de Tramuntana, Friends of the Cooperative of Sóller and Members of APAEMA (Majorca Association of Organic Farmers). 3.2.4 Motivations and Key Expected Outcomes Context Prior to the inauguration of the Sóller tunnel in 1997, accessing the municipality was restricted to maritime routes or navigating through two narrow mountain roads situated to the south and north of the area. Nowadays, the tunnel constitutes a section of the Ma-11 highway, connecting Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the island, to the Port of Sóller, improving accessibility and transportation connections with the rest of the Island. Furthermore, it is possible to travel to the valley by an historical railway. However, the historical trains are mainly employed as a tourist attraction and are rarely used by local residents. The economy of the Valley of Sóller is deeply rooted in agriculture and tourism, two sectors characterized by their seasonal nature. Despite their long-standing presence, there exists minimal interaction between these industries, hindering potential synergies until today. Moreover, a significant challenge arises from the departure of young residents seeking higher education, who often opt to study and pursue employment opportunities in Palma or on the Spanish mainland, contributing to a brain drain phenomenon and therefore impacting local workforce sustainability. From a tourism perspective, the Valley of Sóller is renowned as one of Mallorca's most enduring tourist destinations. It has a great diversity of natural, cultural and historical heritage that is increasingly cherished and repurposed for tourist and educational purposes. The municipality offers D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 35 a solidified sun and beach model in Port de Sóller and has also seen significant tourist development in the center of Sóller. However, this sustained growth in tourism has brought a surge of daily visitors to Sóller, presenting ongoing challenges to maintaining harmonious coexistence between tourists and residents. Demographically, the municipality is experiencing an imbalance in generational turnover. The death rate exceeds the birth rate (10,4 deaths compared to 7 births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2022), leading to a population decline since its peak in 2013. It is important to mention that this peak was primarily due to an influx of foreigners (non-Spanish), who nowadays make up around 18 % of the local population. Current situation From a technological perspective, the municipality of Sóller is characterized by poor digitization efforts from both the local administration and stakeholders across all sectors. Due to its location, the municipality still lacks 5G and reliable Wi-Fi connections. Previous digitization initiatives, such as the traffic information screen system at the Sóller tunnel intended to monitor congestion in parking lots and roads, have never functioned properly. The lack of interaction between local stakeholders extends to a deficiency in the opportunities of data sharing and digital knowledge exchange. Furthermore, obligatory data collection processes, such as those in the tourism sector, are not standardized, hindering the availability of local data joint data collection and data analysis. From a tourism perspective, the Valley of Sóller, along with near-by villages such as Deia and Valldemossa, has become a mandatory stop for tourists visiting the Tramuntana mountain range of Mallorca. This influx of tourists has accelerated the local economy but also causes temporarily uncontrolled streams of visitors to Sóller, both for day trips and extended stays (eg, according to the Spanish Statistical Office, in April 2024 Sóller achieved the highest hotel bed occupancy rate at national level, averaging 83.1%, with this figure rising up to 87% on weekends). As a result, uncontrolled tourism flows burden local residents by disrupting mobility, leading to traffic congestion and parking saturation. Additionally, the high demand for accommodations has fueled an increase in illegal vacation rentals within the municipality, further reducing availability in the regular housing rental market. The shortage of affordable housing and mobility issues have led to growing discontent among local residents over the last years. Consequently, in May 2024, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) announced emergency measures to address vehicle congestion in Sóller, including restricted access to the urban center during peak times. To tackle the illegal renting issues, Sóllers public administration assigned 25 inspectors to regulate vacation rentals. However, the operational procedures of these inspectors have proven inefficient, failing to address the root of the problem and allowing illegal rentals to persist. In addition to the complex housing situation, other factors are impacting the well-being of the local community. There is a lack of centralized leisure and cultural offerings which are integral to the local identity. Some of the most famous festivals are the annual "Firo de Sóller" (reenactment of a historic battle between the Moors and Christians) and festivities around the local products such as oranges and olives. Despite the significance of Sóllers local products, the primary sector in the municipality encounters various challenges: (i) the gradual decline of traditional productive activities among the younger generation, evident in the aging demographic of farm managers, with an average age surpassing 60 years; (ii) the effects of climate change, leading to water scarcity and directly affecting the productivity of local crops; and (iii) the competitiveness of small-scale producers is hampered by their limited access to subsidies and poor knowledge on digitalization for production and sales. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 36 Limits to overcome The current situation in the municipality of Sóller reveals multiple challenges and limitations affecting all of the pilot´s target sectors. Overcoming these limitations will not only support the successful codevelopment and implementation of the SIP for Sóller but will also ensure the creation of an innovative, smart and sustainable local economy, beneficial to the whole community. For this reason, it will be essential to address the primary and most overarching limitation within the municipality: the lack of intraand intersectoral cooperation among local stakeholders. Not least, since this deficiency currently leads to inefficient management of local resources, fragmented tourism/cultural offerings and poor communication, both internally and externally. However, the lack of cooperation stems not only from an entrenched focus on individual socioeconomic ecosystems and the absence of supportive policy frameworks. It is furthermore compounded by local stakeholders' limited knowledge of innovation and digitalization opportunities as well as inadequate local provision of digital services and infrastructure, both by the local municipality and local companies. Furthermore, addressing limitations related to the brain drain phenomenon and lack of talent is essential for ensuring the long-term retention of a resilient population. Presently, younger residents frequently relocate to Palma or the Spanish mainland in pursuit of educational and employment opportunities, motivated by restricted job prospects and a lack of affordable housing within the municipality. The limitations of the local housing market are aggravated by high demand for tourist accommodation. This heightened demand has resulted in a surge of illegal vacation rentals which in turn contributes to uncontrolled tourism flows within the municipality. However, the uncontrolled tourism flow not only contributes to housing market limitations but also exacerbates mobility challenges within the municipality. In recent years, the uncontrolled influx of personal or rental cars of tourists led to parking and circulation issues, persisting beyond the high season. Moreover, restricted access to the municipality via tunnels or narrow mountain roads, combined with inadequate public transportation options, further compounds limitations in mobility. Regarding limitations in housing and mobility, uncontrolled tourism flows pose a significant concern for the local community, which strives to foster better coexistence between tourists and residents. It should be noted that the municipality has made efforts to address this issue; however, these endeavors have largely fallen short of success. Consequently, the local communities' discontent not only poses limitations but also raises barriers and fosters mistrust among residents towards innovative approaches in tourism and related sectors. Future desired scenario(s) By overcoming the limitations and addressing the challenges and needs identified through the methodology described in section 2.2, local actors can progress towards a more desirable state. The overall envisioned scenario is an empowered rural community flourishing through the digitalization of its economy and the enhancement of the quality and availability of digital services. In this scenario, local stakeholders collaborate both within and across sectors (tourism, agri-food, culture and mobility) to co-define and co-develop new and sustainable products, services, business models, adequate policies, and initiatives. This cooperative approach will drive the digital transformation of the local economy, enhancing its competitiveness and fostering diversification of the local offer. The digitalization of the local economy will enable the availability and sharing of data that are specific to the territory of Sóller, enabling in turn, a better monitoring and management of the destination as a whole. This would allow, for instance, a better management of the tourist and traffic flow, or a better efficiency in the use of resources D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 37 Additionally, by addressing current mobility issues and promoting the municipality as a sustainable and smart tourist destination, the coexistence between residents and tourists will improve. The aim is to create a harmonious balance where the community feels visited, not invaded, enabling both residents and tourists to enjoy diverse cultural and touristic offerings. This approach also ensures that residents, including younger generations, have a better access to affordable housing and job opportunities within the municipality. Value proposition and expected impacts Throughout the project an individual SIP for Sóller will be co-developed, implemented and validated. The SIP will define Sóllers smart and community-led pathway towards an empowered, sustainable, resilient and inclusive rural community, equipped with innovative and smart solutions that increase access to services, opportunities and an adequate innovation ecosystem. In particular, it is expected that the implementation of the SIP will contribute to:  Digitalization of the local economy. This will foster data sharing across sectors and stakeholders, and therefore will enable the identification of new products, services and business models that could contribute to diversification of the local economy (promoting sectors such as agriculture, technology of culture), and a better distribution all year-round.  Increased knowledge and competences. Training programs will be implemented to upskill local workforce and raise knowledge and awareness on digitalization, innovation, and sustainability, among others. This will contribute to increase the digital literacy of the population, and to ensure the success and uptake of the digital services to be provided within the municipality.  Increased cooperation between sectors and stakeholders (particularly from tourism and agriculture). The project will contribute to activate and engage the local community, fostering collaboration between sectors and stakeholders that usually do not relate to each other.  Policy review. The project and pilot’s activities (along with its SIP) are expected to influence policies at local level to address some of the identified challenges and needs (eg, regulation of illegal vacational houses, housing policies to better protect local residents, categorization of agricultural soils and urban gardens, better management of traffic/tourists flow…).  Improved sustainable development and quality of life. The implementation of adequate policy framework, together with digital solutions and community engagement activities will contribute to: (i) foster harmonious coexistence between tourists and residents; (ii) to better monitor and manage the different socioeconomic activities within the territory; and (iii) to retain young and local population and improve the well-being of the local community. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 38 3.2.5 Socioeconomic and Demographic Data Territory and population All the following “territory and population” data are official statistics from 2022 produced by the Regional Statistical Institute of the Balearic Islands (IBESTAT 7 ). As previously mentioned, the municipality of Sóller is enclaved within the Tramuntana mountain range. With a population of 13.454 inhabitants for a surface of 42,8km2, Sóller has an intense population density (315 hab/km2). The local population is distributed among four areas belonging to the municipality of Sóller: the city of Sóller (67% of local population), the Port of Sóller (18%), l’Horta (12%) and Biniaraix (3%). The average age of the population is 44,62 years, a bit higher than the regional average (42,11 years), and the age distribution is:  [0-15]: 14%  [15-65]: 65%  [>64]: 21% It should be noted that the mortality rate exceeds the birth rate (10,4 deaths for 7 births per 1.000 inhabitants), causing a demographic negative growth. The gender distribution is fairly balanced with 50,5% female and 49,5% male. The population counts a significant amount of foreigners with 18% of inhabitants being non-spanish. Economy As it happens for most of the socioeconomic indicators, there is no disaggregated data for the municipality of Sóller. The gross disposable income of households per capita of Sóller is 17.227€ (Ibestat, 2021). Pilot specific: tourism, agriculture and mobility In the frame of the pilot, data and statistics about the tourism, agriculture and mobility sectors in Sóller have been identified and collected. The full list can be found in annex B3. Hereafter are described the main relevant data. Tourism (2024 data from the open data catalog of the Balearic Government):  62 tourism establishments (hotels, aparthotel…), accounting for 1.547 rooms and 3.159 beds, distributed between Port of Sóller (19 accommodations), Sóller (42) and Biniaraix (1).  623 houses officially listed as vacation rental (tourist housing), accounting for 3.313 beds.  3 travel agencies  4 rent-a-car companies It should be highlighted that there is no disaggregated tourism data for the municipality of Sóller. A lot of statistics and data exist and are available, but only at regional and island level. 7 https://ibestat.es/ D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 39 Agriculture (2020 data from the Spanish National Institute of statistics): 169 agriculture exploitations, amounting for 668,86 hectares of fields and crops (average farm size is 4ha). The use of agricultural soil is distributed between: arable land (4,3%), fruit farming (89%), permanent grassland for livestock (6,5%) and urban gardens (0,2%). 47 farms are dedicated to livestock: sheeps and goats (85,4%), pigs (1,1%) and poultry (13,5%) The gender distribution is significantly unbalanced in this sector, with 73% of men for 27% women. Same thing occurs with the age distribution, with a considerable aging of the farmers (close to 80% of the farm managers are older than 55; 52% are older than 65; and not even 10% are younger than 44).  [< 25]: 1%  [25-34]: 2%  [35-44]: 4%  [45-54]: 15%  [55-64]: 26%  [> 65]: 52% The statistics on the educational level of farm managers in Sóller also highlight the needs for training and upskilling:  81,8% agricultural experience exclusively  15,9% agricultural training courses  0,6% agricultural vocational training  1,8% university and/or higher agricultural studies Mobility: there is no open data about mobility for Sóller. Some generic data are available from some stakeholders (e.g., TIB, Historical train Sóller, Municipality), but no data is currently shared, collected and integrated. One of the objectives of the pilot will be to collect and integrate this data from different sources. 3.2.6 Data Available The pilot in Sóller will focus on the digitalization of the local economy, focusing specifically on the tourism and agricultural sector, but also on mobility and cultural sectors. As such, a mapping of the main current data sources has been done, to identify the existing datasets and sources that could be used and integrated. In addition to open statistical data sources, such as the national and regional institutes of statistics, the following types of data have been identified:  Mallorca Tourist Accommodations, that provides a mapping of tourist accommodations in Sóller/Tramuntana.  Mallorca Tourist Housing, that provides a data set of tourist housing registered on the island of Mallorca.  Mallorca Tourist Centers, that provides a dataset and identification of all registered tourist centers on the island.  Mallorca Gastronomy and Entertainment, a mapping of gastronomy and entertainment possibilities in Sóller/Tramuntana.  Mallorca Car Rental, that provides a mapping of car rentals in Mallorca (including Sóller). D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 40  Mallorca Tourist Guides, that provides a dataset of people qualified to exercise the activity of tourist guide in the Balearic Islands.  Mallorca “Active Tourism” companies, a dataset of the companies that carry out recreational, sports and adventure activities registered on the island of Mallorca.  Tourist Intermediation Companies Mallorca, a dataset of travel agencies, tourist mediators and reservation centers on the island of Mallorca.  TIB - public transport of the Balearic Islands, mapping with real-time data of public transportation on the archipelago.  Sóller Air Quality, real-time and historical data on air quality in Sóller For each of these data sources, an identification and description of the following indicators has been performed: data owner, sensitivity, access model, short description, purpose of usage, data format, average size of the data item, volume of data, frequency of acquisition. The results of this mapping exercise can be consulted in annex B4. 3.2.7 Cross-Collaboration(s) In the frame of SMART ERA, the pilot of Sóller will benefit and will be further enhanced by the collaboration with other projects and initiatives, in particular thanks to the participation of ANYSOL in numerous European projects. Cross-collaborations at local/regional level:  DISTINTIVO. "Distintivo" is a Council of Mallorca initiative to recognize local products and services promoting the preservation of “Serra de Tramuntana”. During the SMART ERA project the initiative might provide useful insights or data concerning local products and potential rural tourism activities.  DIBAI-TUR. The Digital Innovation Hub of the Balearic Islands (DIHBAI-TUR) is focused on Artificial Intelligence as a disruptive technology that will assist in the digital transformation of companies in the Balearic Islands. Possible synergies and insights for companies related to the development of Sóller can and will be exploited. Cross-collaboration at EU level:  Data4Food2030 8 . This Horizon Europe project aims to improve the data economy for food systems by expanding its definition, mapping its development, performance and impact to create new insights and opportunities. ANYSOL is the leader of the case study "Circular Economy 4 Tourism (I4DATA)" in Mallorca, which aims to improve efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of current production methods. The study involves data-sharing, analysis, and data-driven decision-making to analyze and identify sustainable business models for the local vineyard and almond sectors in Mallorca. Exploring synergies resulting from the processes of data-sharing and analysis in the agri-food sector could provide valuable insights for the SMART ERA project.  SPADE 9 . The strategic objective of the SPADE project (Horizon Europe) is to develop an intelligent ecosystem to address the multiple purposes concept in the light of deploying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs alias drones) to promote sustainable digital services for the benefit of a large scope of end users in sectors of crop production, forestry, and livestock. ANYSOL is leading one of the three open-field case studies of the project. This case study, 8 https://data4food2030.eu/ 9 https://spade-horizon.eu/ D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 41 located in Mallorca, focuses on potato crops and terraced crops. The terraced crops, primarily situated in Sóller, include citrus and olive orchards. This study could offer valuable insights into crop diseases, droughts, among other factors. The projects and case study findings might provide valuable insights for the target sectors of agri-food and related rural tourism in Sóller.  D3HUB 10 . ANYSOL is leading the deployment of the EU Competence Center to support data management in Smart Destinations. The D3HUB project has six main objectives: (i) Build a knowledge support scheme to assist tourism destinations across the European Union; (ii) Provide tailor-made digital solutions and data for DMOs and tourism SMEs; (iii) Test the already developed framework through a pilot run by a critical mass of DMOs; (iv) Integrate results and learnings into a business plan to set up and sustain the Centre; (v) Upscale beyond the partnership and build a data-driven tourism community; and (vi) Implement the Centre and ensure its continuity. The experiences and results of the project, such as tailor-made digital solutions and data for DMOs and tourism SMEs, could support the development of SMART ERA pilots by identifying synergies or offering additional ideas for the SIP creation.  DEPLOYTOUR. ANYSOL is leading DEPLOYTOUR, a strategic EU project that aims to develop a trusted and secure common European data space for tourism. This data space will provide the ecosystem with access to information, with an impact on productivity, greening and sustainability, innovative business models and upskilling. It will give the possibility of aligning offers to tourists’ expectations, adapting service proposals to new tourist groups, predicting a high influx of tourists, and thus, allow planning of resources more efficiently, and creating new business opportunities. As DEPLOYTOUR promotes digital transition and aims to make the European tourism sector greener, sustainable and more competitive through data exploitation and digitalization, it is directly aligned with the pilot’s objective, and will contribute to build a more resilient, transparent, and efficient tourism sector. 3.2.8 Regulatory Framework A study of the regulatory framework in force in the Balearic Islands has been undertaken to make sure that the codefined plans and activities in the pilot of Sóller are aligned with the local, regional and national strategies. Hereafter are presented the main programs, laws, plans and regulations affecting the definition of the pilot action plan of Sóller:  Rural development program (RDP) 2023-2027. In the Balearic Islands, the budget increased by 6% to 144 Mio. EUR compared to the last period.  Plan for digitalisation of the tourism sector in general, also considering rural tourism: Modernization and competitiveness plan of the tourism sector - Spain June 2022 (Link to document)  Strategy for the agricultural and rural world: 2nd Action Plan 2021-2023 Digitisation strategy of the Agri-food sector and the natural environment (Link to document)  Sustainability and circularity of tourism: the Balearic Islands have adopted a new law on urgent measures to promote the sustainability and circularity of tourism, introducing a strategy for circularity. The strategy, which sets out a vision for 2030, puts forward measures to boost the sustainability and circularity of the tourism industry on the islands. It also aims to decrease annual tourist flows and enhance the quality of the sector.  Sóller Tourism Strategy Development Plan 2023 whose mission is to enhance and strengthen the identity and personality of Sóller. This document is especially relevant as it provides local insights of the situation in Sóller. In the frame of SMART ERA, the action plan 10 https://www.linkedin.com/company/d3hub-eu-competence-centre-to-support-data-management-in-tourismdestinations/ D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 48 planning. Data on second houses, available under license with restrictions, helps estimate holiday season populations. Mobility data from Telia Finland Oyj tracks population flows based on mobile phone data, available daily under a fee-based model. Lastly, local business support organizations offer enterprise contact details through CRM data, accessible via mutual collaboration and updated monthly. The data available are described in further detail in the Annex C2. 3.3.7 Cross-Collaboration(s) Cross-collaborations at local/regional level:  OYSTER Health and Life Sciences incubator (knowledge exchange related to platform economy based digital health and wellbeing services), funding by ERDF.  Naturpolis and City of Kuusamo (Knowledge exchange related to platform economy-based initiative to enhance service string, customer journey and service design)  KASVA - Sustainable growth in SMEs through regional collaboration of research, innovation, and business development services (Knowledge exchange related to the rural platform economy experiences in the context of public business services, entrepreneurs, researchers and RDI experts around the North Ostrobothnia), funding by Just Transition Funds by ERDF.  ClimateFood - Climate-Smart Food via Cross-Border Cooperation has aim is to “climatesmarten” SME food businesses operating in different roles of food ecosystems in Finland (Northern Ostrobothnia, Lapland) and Sweden (Norrbotten, Västerbotten), funding by Interreg Aurora. 3.3.8 Regulatory Framework Regional Strategies Regional Programme of Northern Ostrobothnia 2022-2025 11 . The Regional Programme of Northern Ostrobothnia is a comprehensive development strategy aimed at promoting long-term growth and welfare in the Oulu Region of Finland by combining a strategic plan for 2040 with actionable projects for a four-year period. The programme has an impact on local communities in several ways, e.g. economic growth, quality of life and education & skills and community engagement. Smart Specialisation Strategy 2021-2025 12 . Northern Ostrobothnia’s Smart Specialisation Strategy aims to promote regional measures that address the challenges posed by climate change, digitalization, and globalization. By identifying strengths and areas for development, the strategy aims to create innovation ecosystems that help businesses renew themselves. Key pillars include cross-sectoral networking events, cooperation between companies and research institutions, strengthening company clusters (including micro-enterprises), ensuring up-to-date education provision, and securing skilled labor. Climate Road Map 2021-2030 13 . The Northern Ostrobothnia Climate Roadmap 2021–2030 outlines a path toward carbon neutrality for the region. It focuses on themes like smart bioeconomy, energy 11 https://www.pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi/en/development/regional-strategic-plan-and-regional-programme/ 12 https://www.pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi/en/development/oulu-regions-smart-specialisation-2021-2024/ 13 https://www.pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi/en/development/climate-roadmap-2021-2030/ D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 49 efficiency, low-emission transport, and sustainable land use, aiming for a carbon-neutral Northern Ostrobothnia by 2030. Innovation and Skills in Finland 2021–2027 programme 14 . The Innovation and Skills in Finland 2021–2027 programme supports business, energy, climate, innovation, education, and employment policies. It includes measures funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), and the Just Transition Fund (JTF). Municipal Strategies Alavieska municipality strategy. The municipality's mission is to be a modern, child-friendly and entrepreneur-friendly municipality with good local services. The aim is for every resident to feel well and satisfied with life. The key priorities of the strategy are: 1. Resident comfort and well-being, 2. Local services, 3. Entrepreneurship and business, 4. Branding. Kalajoki municipality strategy. Kalajoki's municipal strategy aims to transform the area into a vibrant city by enhancing the quality of life for residents and attracting investments and tourism. The four focus points are: (i) Investment enabler: Kalajoki will invest in the future, expand the activities of the Port Business Park and develop new learning environments; (ii) A supporter of everyday life and growth: the city will provide quality services for families, the elderly and entrepreneurs, and develop educational opportunities; (iii) Quality of life and housing: zoning and housing policies support the attractiveness of the city and sustainable development; and (iv) Climate leadership: Kalajoki is committed to climate-friendly solutions and promotes the use of renewable energy Nivala municipality strategy. The Nivala city strategy focuses on enhancing the quality of life for its residents, fostering local businesses, and promoting sustainability. Key priorities include developing comprehensive services for all age groups, supporting entrepreneurship through infrastructure and financial guidance, and emphasizing cultural and recreational opportunities. The strategy also highlights the importance of digital services, environmental responsibility, and active community engagement to ensure the city's growth and resilience. 14 https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-/1410877/innovation-and-skills-in-finland-2021-2027-promotes-regional-vitalityemployment-and-wellbeing D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 50 3.4 PILOT 4: EAST HERZEGOVINA D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 51 3.4.1 Short Pilot Overview PRESENTATION  Location: Southeast part in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Geography: Rural region with two geomorphological units, high mountain and low Mediterranean Herzegovina.  Climate: Mediterranean with long hot summers and short winters and continental with hot summers and cold winters.  Tourism and Activities: Rich in historical and cultural sites, including medieval monasteries, Illyrian, Roman, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian architecture. Outdoor activities include hiking and exploring natural parks.  Economy: Agriculture (vineyards, potato, cereals), livestock, and increasingly tourism.  Culture: Diverse cultural heritage influenced by Illyrian, Roman, Ottoman, AustroHungarian, and Slavic traditions. CHALLENGES ADDRESSED  Depopulation of the region of East Herzegovina. The region of East Herzegovina faces significant depopulation, with many residents migrating to urban areas or abroad in search of better economic opportunities, leading to a decline in the local workforce and community vitality.  Lack of visibility of the cultural, natural and gastronomic heritage of rural East Herzegovina. Efforts are needed to enhance the visibility of East Herzegovina's rich cultural, natural, and gastronomic heritage, which remains underappreciated and under-promoted, limiting its potential to attract tourists and preserve local traditions.  Need for increased sustainable tourism development. Rural East Herzegovina has to successfully establish itself as a distinctive brand in the tourist market, attracting visitors with its unique blend of historical sites, scenic landscapes, and traditional cuisine, thereby fostering sustainable local development. TARGET SECTORS KEY TARGET GROUPS KEY OBJECTIVE  Cultural, natural and gastronomic heritage  Tourism  Agriculture  Producers of local products  Rural women and young people  Local tourist organisations  To increase visibility of the cultural, natural and gastronomic heritage of rural East Herzegovina  To attract a greater number of visitors in the area  To increase sales and higher income from local products  To develop and promote comprehensive tourism packages that highlight the unique cultural, historical, natural, and gastronomic attractions of East Herzegovina, enhancing visitor experiences through improved infrastructure, authentic local engagements, and effective marketing strategies targeting both domestic and international tourists with increased collaboration between local stakeholders. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 52 3.4.2 Pilot Summary Bosnia and Herzegovina comprises 4 tiers of governance, at the State, Entity, Canton and municipal levels. Bosnia and Herzegovina shall consist of two Entities: the Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina – hereinafter FBiH) and the Brcko District. The Republika Srpska is a unique and indivisible constitutional and legal entity comprising one level of local self-government with 57 Municipalities. (Source: European Committee of the regions) East Herzegovina is a micro-region in the southeastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the city of Trebinje at the centre of the region, and with municipalities such as Berkovići, Bileća, Gacko, Istočni Mostar, Kalinovik, Ljubinje, and Nevesinje. Geographically and climatically, there are two relief units: low Herzegovina, characterised by altitudes below 500 meters, and high Herzegovina, where altitudes exceed 500 meters. Low Herzegovina has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters, while high Herzegovina is predominantly mountainous with short hot summers and long cold winters. The biodiversity of Herzegovina is abundant with numerous endemic plant and animal species. East Herzegovina is the least populated region in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The population density of East Herzegovina was 14,44 inhabitants per km². Main economic sectors in East Herzegovina are agriculture, animal breeding and electricity production. This trend of decreasing population has never stopped, it has even worsened and has reached a point where we can talk about an exodus. Highly educated people are leaving the region, as well as the younger population, which disrupted the age structure and led to depopulation, first in rural areas, and then in the entire region. Road infrastructure is very poor, as well as tourist infra and suprastructure. Despite the depopulation, and thanks to its geographical location, the proximity of famous tourist destinations of Dubrovnik in Croatia, Herceg Novi in Montenegro and Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the interest of tourists in East Herzegovina has been growing year by year. East Herzegovina, with its centre Trebinje, quickly became a popular cultural tourism destination and remained so even during the Covid pandemic. However, outside Trebinje city, there is a rural region with seven small municipalities, all of which stay in the shadow of the centre. After visiting Trebinje, tourists struggle to identify further reasons for a longer stay. However, the area is home to authentic rural communities hosting incredible and well-preserved unique traditions that might be transformed into unique and non-replicable rural experiences with the right support and capacity building. This is indeed a region with rich food biodiversity and a preserved tradition of producing various unique food products, such as cheese in a sack as the Slow Food Presidio product, which is now on pending Bosnia and Herzegovina's list for UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. The region from a gastronomic point of view is known for its potato, honey, wines, certain unique varieties of legumes and cereals. Young people leaving the country in large numbers, and small producers, primarily women, would be the main actors of a change. Creativity and competency in digital technologies would help small producers to be more competitive and visible. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 53 Figure 9 - Pictures of East Herzegovina landscape and local products (a) Mountain Velez, Municipality Nevesinje; (b) Stećci (tombstones), Municipality Nevesinje; (c) Lake Klinje, Municipality Gacko; (d) Cheese in a sack, Municipality Nevesinje 3.4.3 Organizations Involved Pilot Orchestrator Slow Food Trebinje Herzegovina 15 (SFTH) was formed in 2009 as an informal group of citizens, and since 2021, it has been officially registered as a legal NGO entity. SFTH is a member of Slow Food International which is a global organisation that aims to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions and involves millions of people in over 160 countries. SFTH currently has 50 members that regularly participate in numerous local, regional and international events. SFTH has implemented different projects: Virtual journey on the ancestors’ paths, Valorisation of legumes and cereals from Trebinje area, Pažin honey - new souvenir on Via Dinarica trail, Cheese and honey trail of East Herzegovina, NatureBosniaandHerzegovina, Day of Cheese and Potato in village Bratač and ongoing project SMART ERA. Community Activator The Tourist Organization of the Republic of Srpska (TORS) is a public institution established in 2005 by the government of the Republic of Srpska, primarily focused on promoting and developing tourism in the Republic of Srpska, which is an autonomous entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is under the supervision of the Ministry of Trade and Tourism of the Republic of Srpska. TORS aims to develop, preserve, and protect tourist values and develop tourism in the Republic of Srpska. It carried out tasks: promotion and improvement of tourism of interest, provision of tourist information and propaganda activities of the Republic of Srpska in the country and abroad, formation and development of the information system in tourism, realisation and coordination of international cooperation in the field of tourism. 15 https://slowfoodtrebinje.com/ D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 54 3.4.4 Motivations and Key Expected Outcomes Context The area of rural East Herzegovina, according to historical data, has been inhabited since the time of the Illyrians (300-50 B.C.). Throughout the ages, East Herzegovina was part of the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy which made it a region with an enormous cultural and historical heritage. Since the region stretches from high mountainous Herzegovina, with the high mountains of Velež, Crvanj and Zelengora, to low Herzegovina with a Mediterranean climate, the rivers Trebišnjica, Zalomka and Mušnica, and fields such as Nevesinjsko, Gatačko and Popovo polje, particularly rich in the number of sunny days and limestone, that makes it a very attractive tourist region. The agriculture of Upper Herzegovina is based on animal husbandry, the production of potatoes and cereals, while in Lower Herzegovina viticulture and the production of vegetables and Mediterranean crops are more prevalent. The most famous products of East Herzegovina are cheese in a sack, Nevesinje potato, honey, poljak beans, dried mutton, dried figs, cereals and other vegetables and wine. The most famous events in the rural areas of the region are the Mountain Bike Race “Za sirac sira” in the village Žakovo near Trebinje, available not only for professional cyclists but to all who are willing to participate (especially young people who are encouraged to participate), the main prize is the homemade dried cheese, and the Nevesinje Olympics, made up of knightly disciplines, which lasts for 150 years. In the region there is one of 17 the most beautiful villages of Bosnia and Herzegovina (received the status through the implementation of the USAID Tourism project). East Herzegovina is an area particularly affected by the emigration of young people. The lack of prospects for young people, such as the impossibility of finding a job in the region after graduating from college, the poor choice of study programs in Bosnia and Herzegovina and cheaper studies in Serbia, for example, contribute to displacement. They reluctantly (almost never) decide to stay in the countryside. The municipalities of Nevesinje, Gacko, Kalinovik, Bileća and the city of Trebinje have local tourist organisations. East Herzegovina has poor road infrastructure, poor touristic infra and supra structure, small land parcels (in average 2ha per rural household), local administrations don’t pay enough attention to the protection of cultural heritage in villages, there is not enough public awareness of the possibilities that rural tourism offers. Public transportation is almost non-existent, there are no local clinics, and no shops in the villages. The elderly population is isolated in every sense. Current situation Despite the rich cultural-historical, natural and gastronomic heritage of the region, rural tourism is in its infancy. In the entire region, there are only six registered households that provide rural tourism services, with another 15 households that are also involved in rural tourism. The implementation of the East Herzegovina Cheese and Honey Trail project contributed develop rural tourism in the region, with eight cheese and eight honey producing households that received initial equipment and knowledge for working with guests to provide rural tourism services and activities. Through this project, an informal group of five young artists and photographers was formed to create a map of Rural Eastern Herzegovina, design visuals for the Trail and produce labels for the products offered on the trail. Local tourist organisations are active in the promotion of the entire tourist offer of the municipality where they operate, but they are not specialised in the promotion and animation of residents to engage in rural tourism. Also, they are insufficiently active in promoting local products and organising events dedicated to their gastronomic specialties. There is only one store in the city of Trebinje, Herzegovinian house, that sells local products from East Herzegovina. In the region, there are a couple of mountaineering associations, several hunting and fishing associations and a couple of associations that promote local products such as the Association of Nevesinjski potato producers, the Association of breeders of Gatački cattle and the association of women from Gacko who produce kaymak (dairy product). There are no activities in the villages (except the Nevesinje Olympics and the MTB race “Za sirac sira” in the village Žakovo in Trebinje) or events that would in D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 55 some way give importance to the inhabitants of the villages. One of the first events of this kind is an event organised by the partners in this project, Cheese and Potato Day in the village of Bratač. Limits to overcome Since the beginning of the project SMART ERA, have been conducted surveys of consumers and buyers of local products from East Herzegovina, collected opinions of institutions from all levels of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina on the possibilities of rural tourism development, conducted research among local actors such as local tourist organisations, producer associations and other local groups, on the basis of which we identified problems and collected their views on how to solve them. To identify problems and the possibility of finding potential solutions, we also used official strategic documents at the BiH and Republic of Srpska level, such as Agriculture and Tourism Development Strategies, as well as scientific and professional works and statistical data. Among the identified shortcomings that are listed in the SWOT analysis (see section 4.3.4), the pilot aims to tackle the following ones:  To raise awareness at the local level about the possibilities offered by rural tourism in East Herzegovina and encourage the population of rural areas to engage in rural tourism.  To contribute to the preservation of the cultural, historical, natural and gastronomic heritage of the rural areas of East Herzegovina and make progress in shifting resources from the state of potential to the state of tourist product which can generate additional income for the rural population.  To motivate and engage young people into creative work starting from the existing youth group within Slow Food Trebinje Herzegovina that will serve as a good example for other youth in the region to see that through promotion, all regions can create their own business, which would contribute to slowing down/stopping depopulation of region East Herzegovina.  To improve the visibility of rural East Herzegovina in digital media, primarily through the improvement of the already existing map of Rural East Herzegovina and throughout Smart Innovative Packages help producers of local products of excellence to reach final consumer attracting them to come in East Herzegovina like a tourist and buy products directly from producers.  To motivate local tourist organisations to pay special attention to the promotion of rural Eastern Herzegovina and its heritage. Future desired scenario(s) Desired scenario that would like to be achieved by implementing this project in East Herzegovina would look like this:  Increased visibility of natural, cultural-historic and gastronomic heritage of rural East Herzegovina  Increased number of visitors in rural East Herzegovina  Increased length of stay in rural households providing accommodation  Increased number of rural households engaged in rural tourism  Increased awareness of local community of necessity to preserve, renovate and further investigate cultural-historical heritage in rural areas in East Herzegovina  Legends, myths and local know how preserved and transferred to young generation  Young ones motivated to employ they creative knowledge for the development of rural areas in East Herzegovina  Local tourist organisations have given special importance to the offer of the rural heritage of the East Herzegovina region  improved tourist infrastructure (existence of information centres for tourists, camping areas, trained local guides, marked walking and cycling paths, tourist signs leading to rural households...) D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 56  An improved existing map on the site Slow Food Herzegovina Trebinje  Easier sales of local products through digital channels  Increased awareness at the local level about the importance of nature conservation  Rural East Herzegovina become branded tourist destination Value proposition and expected impacts Project implementation in terms of economic and social benefits in rural East Herzegovina will contribute in the following way:  By involving a larger number of rural households in rural tourism, additional income will be generated for rural households and thus their vulnerability in the economic sense will be reduced;  Web platform of the Slow Food can significantly enhance the visibility and attractiveness of rural Herzegovina as a unique and desirable tourist destination (Providing interactive maps and suggested itineraries that guide tourists through key cultural, historical, and natural sites in rural Herzegovina, integrating culinary stops and local experiences, featuring stories, testimonials, and profiles of local farmers, chefs, and artisans to create a personal connection with the region and its people, offering tools for tourists to book farm stays, culinary tours, workshops, and other experiences directly through the platform, facilitating forums or social media integration where tourists can share their experiences, ask questions, and engage with the local community, highlighting collaborations with local businesses, tourism boards, and cultural organisations to offer comprehensive and authentic tourist experiences.)  The arrival of a larger number of visitors will force local authorities to invest more in road and tourist infrastructure and the preservation of cultural, historical and natural heritage  By involving young people in creative jobs, it will contribute to reducing their desire to leave East Herzegovina  Gathering and passing on local knowledge will make the elderly feel less isolated  If sales channels are improved, residents of rural areas will produce more products and thus generate more income for their families  Local tourism organisations will realise that the possibilities of generating income from tourism in rural areas are possible, so they will pay special attention to the creation of itineraries for rural areas  Image of entire region East Herzegovina will be improved 3.4.5 Socioeconomic and Demographic Data Territory and population All the following data are official statistics from 2023 and 2022 open data source of the Republic of Srpska Institute of Statistics and Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As previously mentioned, the region of East Herzegovina consists of the city of Trebinje and municipalities: Nevesinje, Gacko, Bileca, East Mostar, Ljubinje, Kalinovik and Berkovici. With a population of 67.664 inhabitants for a surface of 4434.94km2, resulting in a sparse population density (15 hab/km2). The local population is distributed among these areas: the city of Trebinje (41% of local population), Nevesinje (18,5%), Bileca (15,6%) and all the others (24,9%). The average age of the population is 43,84 years, a bit higher than the state average (41,80 years), and the age distribution is:  [0-19]: 21%  [19-64]: 60%  [>64]: 19% D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 57 It should be noted that the mortality rate exceeds the birth rate, causing a demographic negative growth. The gender distribution is fairly balanced with 50,5% female and 49,5% male. Economy Given that there are no dissagregated data on the gross domestic income by municipalities/cities in the Republic of Srpska, the only available data are at higher level:  For the Republic of Srpska (data from 2022), GDP is 12,975.00 KM or 6,634 EUR per capita.  For Bosnia and Herzegovina (data from 2022), GDP is 12,656.00 KM or 6,471 EUR per capita. (source: www.irbrs.net) Pilot specific: tourism and agriculture Tourism (source: 2023 and 2022 data from the open data source of the Republic of Srpska Institute of Statistics, Ministry of trade and tourism of Republic of Srpska):  53 tourism establishments (hotels, aparthotel, food and beverage…), accounting for 2925 beds, distributed between Trebinje (43 accommodations), Nevesinje (2), Bileca (4), East Mostar (1), Ljubinje (1), Kalinovik ana Berkovici (0), Gacko (2).  247 houses officially listed as vacation rental (tourist housing), accounting for 724 beds.  2 travel agencies  2 rent-a-car companies  35 licenced tour guides There is statistical data for each of these municipalities in the Eastern Herzegovina region (number of beds, overnights, tourist tax income, employees in tourism…). Agriculture (source: 2022 data from the Republic of Srpska Institute of statistics and Labour Force Survey from 2022)  54 thousand persons employed in agriculture in Republika Srpska.  The number of persons employed in agriculture accounts for 13.3% of the total number of employed persons.  Number of business entities in the agriculture sector in Eastern Herzegovina municipalities is 107.  The gender distribution is significantly unbalanced in this sector, of the total 830 persons employed in agriculture, there are only 191 women ( 77% of men, for 23% women). Mobility: there is no open data about mobility for East Herzegovina. Some generic data is available from some stakeholders (e.g., bus operators, Municipality), but no data is currently shared, collected and integrated. Detailed table available in Annex D5. 3.4.6 Data Available As the pilot of East Herzegovina will focus on increasing visibility of gastronomic, natural and cultural heritage of East Herzegovina with the aim to attract a greater number of visitors in the inner territory which will contribute to easier selling of local products, needed data are related to agriculture and tourism. In addition to open statistical data sources, such as the state and regional institutes of statistics, the following types of data have been identified: D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 64 Figure 10 - Pictures of Šmarje-Padna landscape (a) Padna village with Šmarje in the background; (b) View of Padna village 3.5.3 Organizations Involved Pilot Orchestrator University of Ljubljana (UL) is a public higher education and research institution, founded in 1919. It has more than 38,000 students and employs more than 6,000 university teachers, researchers, assistant professors and professional and administrative staff at 23 faculties and three arts academies. The University of Ljubljana is renowned for its high-quality social sciences, natural sciences, humanities and technical study programmes, which are prepared in accordance with the Bologna guidelines. Declaration. University researchers and research groups are engaged in scientific research and their research and scholarly activities are characterized by cutting-edge projects in the arts, sciences and technology at home and abroad around the world. Laboratory for Telecommunications of the University of Ljubljana has immense expertise in professional education at the ICT, CISCO network solutions, Apple products and mobile application development on platforms Android and iOS. They deliver off-the-shelf training, customized programs and ICT skills harmonization projects within organizations, groups and other stakeholders. They also run the CISCO Networking Academy and operate as an Apple Regional Training Centre. In addition, they are experts in multimedia learning and knowledge management for organizations through the E-CHO+ platform, where e-content production, testing users and employees, management through e-learning and video multimedia products. A significant part of the group is involved in research and development of concepts and new digital products and services for rural development. In this manner, alongside with a broad experience in working in rural areas, Laboratory for Telecommunications of the University of Ljubljana will be able to orchestrate support in further pilot development. Community Activator Središče Rotunda, Koper, so.p. (ROTUNDA) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-political organization, offering various activities in the field of non-formal education and active citizenship for 20 years. It also has a status of social enterprise. From the very beginning the organization has been working as a promoter in the field of lifelong learning, information and counseling. Its main activities are: (i) promoting creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship among youth, and encouraging the empowerment and participation of youth in the processes and decisions that affect their lives; (ii) activities as the leading partner of two Local Action Group (LAG Zelena Istra, FLAG Feral), a publicprivate partnership funded from three EU funds (the two partnerships currently have 150 members, D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 65 of which 54 are organizations that are predominantly sustainable organizations); (iii) strengthening the role of NGO’s and Social enterprises within the region with numerous activities. Conducting professional meetings and presentations of various industries, as well as organizing various events, offering technical and software support and connecting with the Gymnasium Koper and University of Primorska. Rotunda is specialized in quality and practical skills courses, research and lectures which are suited for youth and the general population. 3.5.4 Motivations and Key Expected Outcomes Context Changes in social structure within the pilot due to exodus in the middle of the 20th century. Following a massive farmland abandonment, the population of the area weakened. Only in the last 25 years, the rural lifestyle has become attractive again, hence young families decide to remain in the rural area. On the other hand, the communities are experiencing processes of immigration to communities’ neighbouring areas. All of these processes present various challenges, in particular the need to renew existing community’s services which are not meeting the demands of the growing population and at the same time, missing the needs of the elderly. As research shows that digitalization can help rural areas to overcome such challenges in rural areas (Stojanova et al., 2022), both pilot’s communities have started collaborating with different initiatives connected with digitalization, for example in a project of Smart Villages. Current situation According to the data of the Sustainable Urban Strategy of the City of Koper 2030 (2020), the infrastructure in the area is satisfactory and the situation in the countryside has noticeably improved in recent years. However, the countryside (compared to the coastal part) is still disadvantaged, especially in terms of public transport, communal facilities (wastewater management), services for the population (health, social care, education, etc.). Currently, the pilot is focusing on sustainable public transport, which would be tailored for different age groups, alongside with their specific characteristics. However, the developed solution, which will follow three levels of the so-called SIP (smart innovation package), i.e. technological, non-technological and provision of business models, accompanied with policies, will take into account distinctive socioeconomic and demographic data characteristics of both pilots. Both communities have expressed the need to connect the smart dimension of mobility to rural (sustainable) tourism and circular economy and sustainable lifestyles. Both communities have experience in connecting different levels of the SIP, for instance, during COVID-19, Šmarje, together with University of Ljubljana, developed a business model of virtual rural tourism within the rural digital innovation hub, Divina wine hub (Cvar et al., 2024). On the other hand, Padna is focused on cycling tourism and has established electric bike rental. Limits to overcome Even though both pilot’s communities have experience in cooperating with different European projects, more involvement of the local population in green and sustainable shared activities, such as the circular economy, environmental education, sustainable, and smart transport. For this to achieve, UL and Rotunda will work on creating trust of the local population, by introducing qualitative methods, in particular, SEROI+, which, due to its open innovation principle, encourages co-creation and underscores the sentiment of the population that its voice matters. Due to a gap between the level of municipalities and some of the stakeholders, regarding their cooperation, UL and Rotunda will actively work on connecting sectors of transport, agriculture and circular economy, tourism, D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 66 together with sustainable lifestyles. In terms of knowledge on already existing good practices (digital solutions, business and policy models), the partnership between UL and Rotunda will aspire to present what works via workshops presentations. Last but not least, the pilot will need to overcome the limits of non-uniform data sets, aspiring to create an innovative community-based data approach to rural digital ecosystems (Trilar et al., 2023). Following the analysis, conducted via Territorial digital assessment tool (representatives of both communities, Andrej Medved and Denis Goja conducted the survey), both pilot’s communities could do better in dimensions of “open data” (see Annexes E1 and E2). Future desired scenario(s) The pilot aims to engage the main local stakeholders to work and cooperate on ICT tools for the purposes of development of the mobility application for intergenerational use and agri-environmental and consulting services to support local investments in rural areas. The lack of active cooperation between local stakeholders can be characterised as one of the main inhibiting factors of sustainable rural development (Mevlja & Podmenik, 2021), so it is expected and above all, desired, that this will enable increase in trust between local stakeholders, new job opportunities and generate additional revenue for raising the local quality of life with regard to the most vulnerable groups of people. Value proposition and expected impacts The value proposition of the pilot relies in the development of a sustainable and functioning service, which will be co-created in intense collaboration with the local population, and which will trigger:  Enhanced Connectivity (a) Reduced Isolation: Improved transportation options reduce the isolation of rural communities, connecting both communities better to urban centers (elderly and teenagers), healthcare, education (in particular children to extra school curriculum activities), and employment opportunities b) Interconnected Networks: Integration of various transportation modes (buses, ride-sharing, cycling, etc.) into a seamless network;  Increased Efficiency and Reliability (a) Optimized Routes: Use of real-time data to optimize routes and schedules, minimizing wait times and maximizing coverage; b) Predictive Maintenance: IoT and data analytics can predict vehicle maintenance needs, reducing downtime and improving reliability.  Cost-Effectiveness (Shared Resources: Ride-sharing and carpooling reduce individual costs and overall demand for private vehicles.  Environmental Sustainability (a) Reduced Emissions: e.g. optimizing routes to reduce fuel consumption; b) Promotion of Green Transport: Encouraging cycling and walking through better infrastructure and integration with other modes of transport.  Improved Quality of Life (a) Accessibility: Better transportation access to essential services like healthcare, education, and shopping, improving the overall quality of life for rural residents. b) Inclusive mobility: Ensuring transportation options are accessible to all, including the elderly and disabled.  Economic Development (a) Job Creation: Direct and indirect job creation through the development, maintenance, and operation of the platform. b) Local Business Support: Improved transport can boost local businesses by increasing foot traffic and accessibility and manage tourism, especially within the Šmarje community; In regard to expected impacts, the pilot’s results are expected to produce the following network of impacts:  Social impact (a) Community Integration: Stronger connections within and between communities, fostering a greater sense of inclusion and social cohesion; b) Health and Safety: Better access to healthcare facilities and reduced accident rates due to safer, more reliable transport options. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 67  Economic impact (Productivity Gains: Reduced travel time and better access to jobs and markets can boost productivity and economic activity.  Environmental impact (a) Lower Carbon Footprint: Reduced reliance on personal vehicles and increased use of shared and public transport options lead to lower emissions b) Sustainable Practices: Encouragement of more sustainable living practices through accessible green transportation options via circular mobility, promoting environment education (results of the questionnaire on the status of environmental education, Annexes 5).  Technological impact (a) Innovation and data utilization: Encourages the adoption of new technologies and better utilization of data to enhance service delivery; b) infrastructure development: e.g. digital networks  Policy and governance impact, resulting in stipulation of policy instruments and facilitating public-private Partnerships to encourage collaboration between public entities and private companies, leading to innovative and effective solutions. 3.5.5 Socioeconomic and Demographic Data Territory and population Šmarje, is an important village in the Municipality of Koper in the Littoral region of Slovenian Istria. The village area covers the surface of approximately 7 km2. It is situated right in between the coastal urbanised cities and the rural area of Slovenian Istria. All data are official statistics from 2023, obtained from the Statistical Office of Slovenia (https://pxweb.stat.si/SiStat/en). Population size is 915 inhabitants with population density of 283 hab/km2. The average population age is 44,5 years, with the distribution as follows:  [0-15]: 16,5%  [15-65]: 61,5%  [>64]: 22% The gender distribution is balanced, with 49,18% females and 50,82% males. Population on a municipality level (Municipality of Koper) is in slight decline, with the rate of natural population increase being -2,2. Village Padna is located in the rural area of Coastal Region of Slovenia in the Municipality of Piran and is situated on the end of the ridge, with steep slopes of terraces. The village area covers the surface of 2,91 km2 and has a population of 188 residents. Population density is 64,8 hab/km2 and the average population age is 47, with the following distribution:  [0-15]: 8,5%  [15-65]: 64,4%  [>64]: 27,1% In Padna, the gender distribution is very balanced, with 50% females and 50% males. The rate of natural population increase on a municipality level (Municipality of Piran) is -6,9 indicating that population is in decline. Economy data On the pilot level there is no available data for economy, however, it is possible to get data on a municipality or regional level. GDP on the regional level (Coastal-karst statistical region) was 26.074 €/inhabitant in 2022 (SURS, 2022). Within the two municipalities, there were 6.893 registered D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 68 companies in total in the municipality of Koper and 2.670 in the municipality of Piran. Across the region, there were 3.468 registered companies in the agricultural sector (farms). Pilot specific: Mobility and Tourism The data from the City of Koper's Sustainable Urban Strategy 2030 (2020) indicates that the area's infrastructure is adequate and that things have significantly improved in the countryside recently. However, rural areas still have disadvantages over the coastal area, particularly when it comes to public transportation, communal facilities (like wastewater management), and public services (including health, social care, and education). Pilot Šmarje-Padna is focusing on sustainable public transportation and development of mobility solution that would be customized for various age groups based on their unique needs. Data on mobility in the pilot region is rather scattered. Within the scope of activities conducted in the pilot region, a survey on environmental education was disseminated, addressing, among others, availability and usage of public transportation. Results showed that the majority of inhabitants do not use public transportation at all, with very small percentages stating they use it rarely or that they use it regularly. Participants emphasized the need for an alternative service that functions on demand, rather than based on timetables, which currently fail to address people's needs, resulting in very low usage of existing transportation services. For village Padna it was possible to obtain data on the number of vehicles passing through Municipality of Piran, at the entrance to the village Padna. The data was captured by the MHP50 preventive radar board. The analysis made for the period from 05.05.2024, 00:00 to 03.06.2024, 23:59 registered 40.672 measurements and recorded 14.306 transports (data obtained from the Municipality of Piran). In the pilot area of Padna, it was also possible to obtain data from the Tourist information center of Padna regarding the rental of e-bikes (6 e-bikes are available for renting). Regarding tourism data, community activators were able to obtain data on numbers of visitors from cruise ships for the pilot village Padna. In total, over the year 2023, 60 ships arrived in Padna, accounting for 5.760 visitors (source: Tourist agency AtlasExpress Portorož, 2023). For the pilot region Šmarje, the situation is similar, mobility, tourism and other specific data is scattered and difficult to obtain, therefore, a lot of data for this village is still missing. As stated in the action plan, pilots are working towards establishing a closer relationship and cooperation with both municipality representatives and research institutions, which will enable further access to data, especially pilot specific. Socio-Economic and demographic data table (statistic data) can otherwise be found in Annexes E. 3.5.6 Data Available Pilot P5 Šmarje-Padna will primarily focus on the topic of smart mobility. Other related topics will also be addressed such as circular economy, rural tourism and environmental education. Apart from the Statistical office´s open data, following sources have been identified as relevant for the further data collecting and development of pilot activities:  Tourist board Portorož - Data (data collection starting from 2017) on tourist arrivals in accommodation in the village Padna where three accommodation providers are operating with a total of around 40 beds.  Arriva Slovenija LLC (transport company operating public transportation in the region) – Timetables of public transport: buses departing from/arriving to Šmarje and Padna. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 69  Municipality of Koper and Municipality of Piran – Available data on cycling routes in both municipalities (possibility to obtain data specific to pilot areas) + other relevant data related to mobility, circularity and tourism.  Smart Agro Grape digital platform for winegrowers (developed within the scope of Smart Agro Grape national project, where UL was a lead partner) – environmental data collected from vineyards in the region through sensor infrastructure. Data can be used as an insight into the Šmarje’s agriculture area of a particular winemaker. Table with available data sets can be found Annexes E. 3.5.7 Cross-Collaboration(s) In the frame of SMART ERA, the pilot will benefit, and its activities will be further enhanced by the collaboration with other projects and initiatives, in particular due to University of Ljubljana’s active role in numerous European projects: SMARTCOMMUNITY 16 (Interreg Alpine Space): Due to a central focus of one project’s dimension on policy, the project is relevant in terms of connecting it to the aspect of policy makers (EUSALP); the other aspect is the learning potential from the good practices from the project’s pilot. The project aspires to fully embrace the benefits of digitalization and smart transition in order to create a functional, transnational community in the Alps, within the EUSALP AG5 Smart Alps network. UL is the project’s LP. CODECS 17 (maximising the CO-benefits of agricultural Digitalisation through conducive digital ECoSystems, Horizon) is focused on “sustainable digitalisation” with the goal of improving the collective capacity to understand, assess and foresee the full range of benefits and costs of farm digitalisation, and to build digital ecosystems that maximize the net benefits of digitalisation. Relevance for the SMART ERA project is to be specifically found in the good practice of the living lab approach and the underlining importance of the qualitative methods. Digital Rural 18 (Interreg): This project aims to improve policies for Smart Villages and rural digital transformation, with UL acting as a project’s policy advisor. Being the policy advisor in the project which will focus on improving policy instruments, following a parallel double learning process: on one hand, bottom-up approach to define the digital policy assessments; and on the other hand, a top-down approach to implement those innovative policies learned in the interregional exchange. In this manner, the relevance is having the opportunity to get an insight into how to make investments more effective in order to accelerate the implementation of the Smart Village concept, and decrease the digital gap with urban areas. CODIL 19 (Interreg): UL is acting as the project’s LP. The project aims to improve regional innovation policy instruments to better support the emerging distributed-team innovation model. A synergy between the both projects can be found in particular two aspects, i.e. policy dimension and the importance of supporting adequate innovation models with appropriate digital skills. On the national level, the project Smart Agro Grape 20 needs to be mentioned. Also run by the UL, the has developed a digital platform for wine growers to implement common environmental approaches to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, offering a network of nearby 16 https://www.alpine-space.eu/project/smartcommunity/ 17 https://www.horizoncodecs.eu/ 18 https://www.interregeurope.eu/digital-rural 19 https://www.interregeurope.eu/codil 20 https://smartagrogrape.si/ D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 70 winemakers. The project’s technical solution was nominated for best innovative solution, so-called UL’s rector award and is an overall example of how to introduce digital solutions to rural areas. Rotunda, the project’s community activator, has listed two projects for potential cross-collaboration: Revitas, which was focused on stopping the degradation of the Istrian countryside by protecting the cultural heritage and promoting integrated development and tourism products and creating a crossborder tourist destination and promoting the sustainable development of tourism in the Istrian countryside. The project established a network of info centers, joint cross-border education and cultural exchanges, which ensured the additional development of human resources in the crossborder area and the exchange of experience on the development potential of Slovenian and Croatian Istria. The project will enable the flow of tourists from urban areas to the countryside (with the help of the info center in Padna). With an integrated tourist offer, the tourist season will be extended, which will be reflected in cross-border economic activity, a very important part of which is tourism. Whereas the second project, listed by Rotunda, is HERA - Sustainable Management of Adriatic Heritage Tourism (IPA ADRIATIC), deals with some of the main challenges in the field of culture and tourism, having direct link to the SMART ERA project. This pilot is underlining two other stakeholders: Urban city centers: Center Uporabnih Predmetov – CUP due to its framework on the circular economy, highlighting the importance and role of environmental education and, in particular, intrinsic motivation. The other stakeholder is Municipality of Bale (CRO) due to the pilot’s cross-border status. Municipality of Bale is renowned for its entrepreneurial experiment, Mon Perin. Mon Perin is a trade association and a company of the same name, founded in autumn 2005 by the citizens of Bale, the municipality and the “friends of Bale”, which includes Croatian citizens who do not live in Bale, but were willing to invest capital in the project. The municipality and the local population have retained a majority in the ownership structure with profits being invested in the community, ensuring a balanced development of the municipality. This is a practice, interesting due to unique community engagement and management of development strategy. 3.5.8 Regulatory Framework P5’s activities are taking place at four main levels: 1. Local (both communities); 2. The level of municipalities (in Slovenia there are 212 municipalities, their activities are defined by the Law on Municipalities); 3. National and 4. International (mainly, focusing on the EU). Municipal strategies  Local Development Strategy (LDS) LAG Zelena Istra (Green Istria) 2021-2027 is regarded as a key component, with its focus on (social) innovation, which is perceived as indispensable in solving social and environmental challenges. LDS’s focus is otherwise on sustainable tourism, agriculture and local provision, cultural heritage, environmental protection, social and educational sectors and the development of smart villages. The strategy follows the intention for a green transition and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, in accordance with the European Green Deal and links itself with national and regional strategies, and follows the objectives of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. It is also coordinated with the Long-term vision for EU rural areas, Slovenian Development Strategy 2030 and the Regional Development Program of the Coastal-Karst Region for the period 2021‒2027. LDS is supported by funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).  City of Koper's Sustainable Urban Strategy 2030 is an integrated sustainability strategy, consisting of development programmes and policies, focusing on the urban area. Via this policy instrument, the municipality pursues the objective of improving the quality of urban D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 71 space and life in the city, and enhancing culture and identity. The Koper 2030 Sustainable Urban Strategy is also the strategic basis for the implementation of the European Union's urban policy for the period 2021-2027, as implemented in local urban communities. National strategies  Slovenian Agricultural policy strategic plan 2023-2027 knowledge transfer and investment in extension services are essential to promote the sustainable development of agriculture and forestry for the integration of new technologies and production practices. It also aims to maintain viable rural areas and rural economies by promoting employment in agriculture, the agri-food sector and other related sectors. A strong emphasis is on creating a supportive environment for young farmers and enabling sustainable business development in rural areas:  Digital Inclusion act: The act aspires to reduce the digital divide and increase digital inclusion for all citizens.  Slovenian smart specialization strategy (S5) is focusing on the green transition, which is understood as "an innovative, low-carbon, digital and knowledge-based transformation of the economy and society". This gives smart specialisation a sustainable character and is promoted under the acronym S5. International strategies  European Cohesion policy: Slovenia is divided into two cohesion regions, with Cohesion Region West Slovenia (CRWSS) classified as a developed region and Cohesion Region East Slovenia (CRES) as a less developed region, which results in different levels of co-financing from the European Union.  EUSALP: EUSALP co-creates the future of Europe by translating sectoral policies on a regional scale, enabling the best ideas to happen in a sensitive natural and multicultural Alpine area. By balancing innovative solutions in a healthy environment, EUSALP is shaping the future together. Slovenia holds the Presidency of the EUSALP from January 2024 until December 2024. During its term, the Slovenian Presidency will focus on 3 thematic priorities: circular economy, quality of life for young people in the Alps, water-smart society.  EUSAIR: The EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR), which addresses the common challenges of the region and strengthens stakeholder cooperation for economic, social and territorial cohesion. The EUSAIR strategy is based on four thematic pillars: blue growth, connecting the region (transport and energy connectivity), environmental quality and sustainable tourism. In addition to these, it includes two cross-cutting areas: 1. Research, innovation and SMEs; 2. Capacity building, including communication. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 72 3.6 PILOT 6: DEVETAKI PLATEAU D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 73 3.6.1 Short Pilot Overview PRESENTATION  Location: Situated in northern Bulgaria.  Geography: Karst plateau with numerous caves, rock formations, and waterfalls.  Climate: Temperate continental climate with hot summers and cold winters.  Tourism and Activities: Famous for its caves, such as the Devetashka Cave, and natural landmarks. Activities include caving, hiking, and wildlife observation.  Economy: Largely rural with agriculture, small-scale farming, and eco-tourism as main economic activities.  Culture: Rich in folklore, traditional crafts, and historical sites, reflecting Bulgaria's diverse cultural heritage. CHALLENGES ADDRESSED  Decreased quality of life in the area  Demographic collapse  Lack of access to adequate healthcare and education services  Fewer economic opportunities TARGET SECTORS KEY TARGET GROUPS KEY OBJECTIVE  Healthcare  Waste management  Tourism  Public services  Citizen participation  Local communities (especially elderly people and young families)  Farmers  small businesses  Tourists and visitors  Public administrations  Encourage and motivate young people to live in the villages  Improve the quality of life in rural areas, and in particular improve access to health services  Improve the conditions for entrepreneurship and business development  Promote sustainable tourism development D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 80 At national level, Bulgaria is a part of the EU Rural development program which can be a source for funding for a part of the elements. Two local action groups (LAG) have been established in the area - LAG Letnitsa - Lovech, and LAG - Sevlievo with a focus on the development and improvement of the living environment in the villages. However, the new Program period has been delayed for almost 2 years now due to the political situation in Bulgaria, which hinders a lot of potential initiatives in the area. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 81 3.7 PILOTS’ COMPARISON The comparison of some basic indicators highlights the large differences between the SMART ERA pilots. For instance, in terms of area tackled by the pilots, the range goes from reduced surface of a municipal territory (such as P2 and P5), selected pilot municipalities together, or related sub-regions or other most relevant available regional level (P1, P3 and P6) to a whole and large region (such as P4). Figure 12 - Surface of the SMART ERA pilots In terms of population, two realities can be observed: scarcely populated regions from one side (such as P1, P3, P4, and especially P6), and densely populated pilots on the other side (with special mention to P2). It is worth mentioning that the two most dense pilots (P2 and P5) are the ones addressing mobility issues. Figure 13 - Population and population density of the SMART ERA pilots The demographic statistics related with age average and age distribution, highlights the ageing problem and loss of young population mentioned by all the pilots. This is particularly concerning in P6 where 45% of the population is above 65 years old. 611.53 42.8 1702.9 4434.94 9.91 330.345 P1 - Vale di Sole P2 - Sóller P3 - Northern Ostrobothnia P4 - East Herzegovina P5 - Smarje-Padna P6 - Devetaki Plateau SURFACE (km2) 15,440 13,454 25,263 67,664 1,103 1936 P1 - Vale di Sole P2 - Sóller P3 - Northern Ostrobothnia P4 - East Bosnia &… P5 - Smarje-Padna P6 - Devetaki Plateau POPULATION (nb hab) 25.3 315 14.8 15.26 111.3 5.86 P1 - Vale di Sole P2 - Sóller P3 - Northern… P4 - East Bosnia &… P5 - Smarje-Padna P6 - Devetaki Plateau DENSITY (hab/km2) D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 82 Figure 14 - Age average and age distribution of the SMART ERA pilots (*) for P3, age range is slightly different, with figures corresponding to [0-14], [15-64] and [+65] The percentage of foreign population of each pilot also reveals clear differences with three pilots largely under the EU-average of foreign nationals (P1, P3 and P4), one pilot within the EU-average (P1), and two pilots clearly above the EU-average (P2 and P5). It should be noted though, that for some of these pilots, local data were not available, and that national/regional data were taken instead (case for P4 and P6). Figure 15 - Percentage of foreign population in the SMART ERA pilots The analysis of the economic data, and in particular the GDP per capita, also highlights large differences between pilots. From the six pilots, only two regions (P1 and P3) are above the EU average (32k€/hab). Figure 16 - GDP per capita of the SMART ERA pilots 46.7 44.62 43.7 43.84 45.75 48 P1 - Vale di Sole P2 - Sóller P3 - Northern Ostrobothnia P4 - East Herzegovina P5 - Smarje-Padna P6 - Devetaki Plateau AGE AVERAGE 13 14 19.0 21 12.5 12 70.9 65 55.0 59.9 62.95 43 16.1 21 26.0 19.1 24.55 45 P1 - Vale di Sole P2 - Sóller P3 - Northern… P4 - East Herzegovina P5 - Smarje-Padna P6 - Devetaki Plateau AGE DISTRIBUTION*(%) 0-15 16-64 >64 6.8 18 2.3 2.59 15.3 1 P1 - Vale di Sole P2 - Sóller P3 - Northern Ostrobothnia P4 - East Herzegovina P5 - Smarje-Padna P6 - Devetaki Plateau FOREIGN POPULATION (%) 43,320.00 17,227.00 34,661.71 6,634.00 26,074.00 9,500.00 P1 - Vale di Sole P2 - Sóller P3 - Northern Ostrobothnia P4 - East Herzegovina P5 - Smarje-Padna P6 - Devetaki Plateau GDP PER CAPITA (€/hab) D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 83 4. NEEDS AND GAPS 4.1 INTEREST AND EXPECTATIONS 4.1.1 Pilot 1: Valle di Sole The priorities identified by the mayors of Valle di Sole involved in the needs and gaps analysis are the following:  Identifying and calculating the value of the ecosystem services related to the landscape of Valle di Sole. A significant challenge is to include the landscape, the value of agriculture and forestry, and the value of protected areas in the development strategy for Valle di Sole.  Raising awareness of the local community in environmental assets and their opportunities and educating young generations. It is crucial to develop educational actions to address the lack of awareness of local communities, especially the generations born in the ‘70 and ‘80 and the younger generations.  Developing slower tourism, connected to local dynamics. The tourism sector in Valle di Sole faces several challenges, including high seasonality, significant disparities across different areas (with some villages experiencing over-tourism while others are underdeveloped), and sensitivity to climate change (such as lack of snow and high temperatures affecting winter tourism). A tourism model that prioritises sustainability, that is less focused on skiing, and that integrates more deeply into valley life is needed.  Developing the productive potential of the area related to the agri-food sector. Developing the agri-food sector is crucial for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the territory and the maintenance of local traditions and community values. The agro-food sector could also be a significant contributor to youth employment.  Enhancing the health and well-being of living in a place with these characteristics. As mentioned in the document developed by the mayors of Valle di Sole that will be part of the working group in SMART ERA, the expected outcomes of activities are the following:  Improve the management of agricultural and pastoral areas.  Encourage active participation of local communities in the strategic decisions of relevant authorities, enabling stakeholders to weigh diverse inputs and contribute to the socioeconomic balance of the territories from a sustainability perspective.  Quantify the direct and indirect impacts of conservation, monitoring, research, enhancement, maintenance, and use actions on silvo-agricultural-pastoral areas to improve the overall quality of life.  Develop a methodology that allows comparison with other projects in different sectors evaluated with economic parameters and market prices.  Consider environmental costs as investments that yield benefits for both current and future local communities. In general, the economic evaluation of ecosystem services related to agricultural and forest areas is expected to increase local population awareness of land's role in improving quality of life. This will lead to a better understanding and acceptance of conservation measures and greater responsibility in their present and future management. The expected impact of the research is the enhancement of sustainability in its environmental, social, and economic dimensions, considering the entire territory of Valle di Sole. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 84 4.1.2 Pilot 2: Tramuntana Sóller Based on the results obtained from the data analysis and from the feedback from local stakeholders, the interests and expectations for P4 in Sóller depend on the sector and issues tackled. These are presented here below. General interests and expectations  Foster cooperation among different sectors: agriculture, tourism, mobility and culture: Involve and bring together the different socio-economic actors of the municipality to strengthen or establish new relationships, alliances and synergies between actors and sectors that do not usually share much between them.  Initiate data-sharing and cross-collaboration between sectors and local actors to investigate and create new, sustainable business models for the Valley of Sóller and to support datadriven decision making.  Need for public policies and services adapted to the reality of Sóller (control of vacation rentals, classification of urban orchards/gardens, management of the flow of tourists and mobility within the municipality...). Tourism sector  Implement an integrated and more automated system/tool for collecting and monitoring tourist data in Sóller (to obtain standardized and disaggregated data).  Implement training programs or courses for companies and other local actors on data and technologies.  To be able to understand more precisely how tourists 'consume' the destination of Sóller (what they visit, what they buy, who, when, how...).  Implement more personalized activities, particularly activities for children (children’s activities are the primary demand of tourists since tourism in Sóller is family-oriented). There are two main types of tourists in Sóller: (i) those who spend their entire vacation in the municipality in one of the hotels or vacation rentals; (ii) tourists who only come for the day. Day-trip tourists request locker services to store their bags/backpacks while they enjoy the beach.  Need to better inform tourists about the reality of the tourist destination of Sóller, in order to influence their behavior and improve coexistence with residents. Therefore, communication and awareness-raising campaigns are still very necessary. Agricultural sector  Improve the orchard/garden management and commercialization practices of smallholders and urban garden owners by providing guidance through workshops and courses. Topics covered would include how to maximize yield from the garden, identifying tasks suitable for amateurs versus those best left to professionals, common plant diseases during summer and winter seasons, direct-sales strategies, and more.  Initiate data-sharing and cross-referencing data sets from farmers engaged in direct sales and sales of organic products with the aim to improve data-based decision making and create new business models. A website with an interactive map can improve the visibility of active local farmers and their available products for residents and tourists.  Find innovative and legal solutions to facilitate the reception of subsidies and assistance for smallholders and urban garden owners.  Ensuring better integration of data between supply and demand, with this information accessible in a visual and user-friendly manner through an app or platform. This allows both farmers and the agriculture cooperative of Sóller to better anticipate the demand for local products. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 85  Addressing the issue of water scarcity, it is crucial to have more data on the availability and usage of water in the municipality. Particularly, there is a need to conduct studies to understand firsthand how much water currently enters Sóller from its various sources. Through sensors, it would be possible to monitor the rate at which different water reserves located in the municipality (such as wells, s'affareig, etc.) are being filled. Mobility sector  Being able to predict traffic congestion and parking saturation in advance within the municipality. Therefore, a system should be integrated with an app for tourists, allowing them to adjust their travels accordingly to avoid traffic jams and queues (it can also be linked with the currently unused traffic information screen system).  At the same time, there is a need to provide more information to tourists about the reality of tourism in Sóller/Mallorca, so that they can adjust their behaviour and enjoy their stay without exacerbating the existing overcrowding issues.  From the authorities and public administrations, there is a need to learn to better manage overcrowding and to have more data and information to efficiently redirect the flow of tourists throughout the territory. Cultural sector  Create new products/services and improve tourist distribution throughout the municipality by developing "cultural packages" that include access to the historical train and various museums in Sóller. There is already a successful package combining the train, railway, and a boat trip to Sa Calobra, which is very popular among tourists. This cultural package would build on the 'art train' initiative, using the train to transport visitors to various museums and cultural sites in the municipality (Can Prunera, Casal de Cultura, Balearic Museum of Natural Sciences, Botanical Garden, Museum of the Sea, etc.). This package would provide good alternatives for tourists on rainy days and help diversify the tourist offer, making it more comprehensive and sustainable (reducing car traffic within the municipality).  Augment visitor numbers of less visited places by signing agreements between museums and local schools to organize visits and promote the museums among the local population.  More than 50% of the local actors indicated during the survey campaign (see annex B1) that they would like to have improved leisure and cultural digital services. It is essential to develop a website or an app that integrates and centralizes all tourist, leisure, and cultural offerings for both tourists and residents. This system should provide real-time information to offer personalized recommendations to users (based on their profile, availability, weather, etc.). In addition to socio-cultural offerings, this system could provide information on the condition of the beaches, where to buy local products, and places to visit. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 86 4.1.3 Pilot 3: Northern Ostrobothnia The Northern Ostrobothnian rural region including pilot areas (municipalities of Alavieska, Kalajoki and Nivala) have need of better home reaching services for tourists, elderly, second home/cottage owners and users, remote and multi-local workers. At the same time, local service providing microenterprises and SMEs need and would benefit from new customers and larger markets. Platform economy-based solutions (e.g. Foodora, Uber and Wolt) have provided significant new markets for food and mobility services in urban areas, but needs for the rural areas are somewhat different for provided services and potentially also for the platform applied. The rural platform economy pilot of Northern Ostrobothnia will implement a service platform economy solution to enhance rural services and markets for microenterprises and SMEs to enhance availability and quality of rural services and markets of rural small enterprises. The digital market platform will connect better services providers and users. For rural populations and tourists, it is difficult to find local well-being, maintenance and mobility service providers in rural regions due to limited markets and marketing. The approach will support data-driven rural community development in terms of entrepreneurship, rural labour markets and availability of rural services. By boosting rural digital solutions for service entrepreneurship, the aim is to tackle long distances related challenges and also promote co-production of health and well-being services. Targeted service users and customer segments will be related mainly to tourism, second homes and (summer) cottages, housing for the elderly and supported housing as well as remote workers. Smaller service enterprises will be the main emphasized business segment providing services in the platform. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 87 4.1.4 Pilot 4: East Herzegovina The interest of P4 relies in the promotion of the natural, cultural and gastronomic rural values of East Herzegovina to attract a greater number of tourists into the rural areas of the region. This will result in the creation of new sources of income for the local rural populations. By involving young people in creative activities in East Herzegovina, it will contribute to reducing the trend of leaving the village and the entire region. In the frame of SMART ERA, P4 will use the SIPs (and in particular digital media) to achieve its goals. Some of the SIPs that could contribute to P4’s visions are described hereafter:  Smart solutions that enhance connectivity, such as high-speed internet access and mobile applications for tourism information and booking, can help rural areas attract more tourists and improve the overall visitor experience.  Smart solutions that promote sustainable tourism practices, such as waste management systems, energy-efficient infrastructure, and eco-friendly transportation options, to preserve the natural environment and cultural heritage of rural areas.  Enhanced Visitor Experience in a term of smart technologies that enhance the visitor experience, such as virtual reality tours, augmented reality apps for historical sites, and interactive maps showcasing local attractions, can attract more tourists and encourage longer stays in rural areas.  Expectations for smart solutions that facilitate the diversification of tourism offerings in rural areas, such as agritourism experiences, outdoor adventure activities, cultural festivals, and culinary tours, to appeal to a broader range of visitors and increase tourism revenue. The expectation for P4 is that the smart solutions will empower local communities to participate in tourism development and benefit from its economic opportunities, such as online platforms for local artisans to sell their products, community-based tourism initiatives, and crowd-sourced cultural heritage preservation projects. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 88 4.1.5 Pilot 5: Šmarje-Padna The conducted SEROI+ sessions (held on 22.3.2024 and 25.4.2024), demonstrated the high level of enthusiasm of both communities of the pilot due to a high level of participants (considering the scale of both communities). Expectations in both communities are high - both communities wish for a permanent service that would make their lives easier and for the better. The results of the first session have highlighted the following general interest and expectations:  Development of a functioning, sustainable rural mobility service, which would be organized as a social enterprise and would be adjusted/customized for both communities; moreover, it would be adjusted to different target groups (elderly, children, teenagers, tourists)  The developed service would operate by the principle “on the demand”  Its development would include a very well thought network of stakeholders, i.e. policymakers, municipalities (in Slovenia, local politics and development of services is very much dependent on the level of municipalities), service providers, investment capital also in the form of donations or sponsorship  The development of this particular service would follow already existing good practices in Slovenia, and will actively work with a network of stakeholders (identified via SEROI+ methodology; See annex E6) As sustainable mobility is central to this pilot, the first SEROI+ session put all the focus on this particular thematic area. Thus, the focus of the second SEROI+ session on 25th April, was to think how to connect other thematic areas into the development of the digital solution of sustainable mobility. Again, 3 groups were formed and the following exceptions/solutions can be identified:  connecting the service to cycling by arranging adequate infrastructure (infrastructure, maps, QR codes, proper marking of bikes…); connecting it with the stakeholder network of municipalities, local communities, CZP, Laas, identify target groups (in particular tourists and restaurant owners, local farmers: in Padna olive makers and in Šmarje winemakers);  connecting the service to sustainable (rural) tourism;  connecting the service to community “open air” events, e.g. “open kitchen”; such community event would be organized several times per year (but not during high tourist season to avoid overcrowding in the context of sustainability, as a reward for volunteers (as a token for them) and presentation of the local farmers  connecting the service to water monitoring for the purposes of pursuing sustainable boutique style rural tourism, e.g. cycling, but also other activities, restoration of old sources, irrigation intakes and construction of new reservoirs is advised; again a whole ecosystem of stakeholders would be needed: Municipal investments, OPPN and MOPE, together with inclusion of experts to provide the necessary studies; it is expected that these actions would be beneficial for local communities and creation of energy cooperatives (sv. Anton). D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 89 4.1.6 Pilot 6: Devetaki Plateau Facing the different limitations and gaps, the expectations of the local community actors in P6 are grouped as follows: Improved access to health services in the villages in the region of the Devetaki Plateau. For the last twenty years, specialists in various fields have been investigating the use of telecommunications and computer technologies to improve health care. At the intersection of many of these efforts is telemedicine — a combination of mainstream and innovative information technologies. As defined in the US National Library of Medicine, “Telemedicine is the use of electronic information and communications technologies to provide and support health care when distance separates the participants”. In the case of the Devetaki Plateau, modern solutions for tele - medicine shall be explored and their financial parameters considered. Local doctors from the surrounding towns can be approached, consulted, and motivated via training in new technologies. They shall also be invited to promote, inform the local community, and raise public awareness on how to use the modern services. The DPA and the Municipality of Sevlievo shall actively communicate the new technological solution to the community in the region and will further disseminate and multiply it in some of the other 48 villages of Sevlievo and Lovech municipality. Sustainable development of the rural area with a special focus on waste management. Discussions with the local stakeholders demonstrate their interest in sustainable development of the region and preservation of natural resources. There is an expectation that an innovative system is elaborated in the villages to help introduce separate waste collection, composting and recycling. Some of the initial steps in this direction may include: (i) Study different smart solutions on waste management throughout Europe; (ii) Organise one or more discussions on the possible solutions with representatives of the local community, the 3 municipalities, the local producers that fabricate waste, and the companies that provide separate waste collection and recycling in the nearby towns; (iii) Analyse and systemize the outcomes and recommendations from the discussions and define the elements of a SIP; (iv) Together with the project partners review the results, make a draft of the SIP and see which elements require technological solutions, which are more “analogue”, and which of them necessitate some business models; (v) Discussion with the stakeholders (co-design) on the proposed solutions as elements of one SIP; and (vi) Information and communication campaign as a start of the application of the SIP. Encourage and motivate young people to live in the villages by offering a broader scope of cultural and educational services. Towards this objective, the DPA and Sevlievo Municipality shall explore possibilities for providing out - of school activities, cultural events, and working with children. Gamification is what can be applied here - various technological solutions linked to the cultural and natural resources of the region. The cultural calendar of the DPA shall be broadened including events in which more local people take part. Foster community - lead rural tourism development. The expectation in this sphere is to gather, organise and analyse trustful information on various aspects of tourism development:  From the municipalities and the local businesses: Number and type of accommodation places; Number and type of restaurants and shops; Length of stay; Revenues from tourism in the municipalities and in the business, etc.  From the tourists and visitors: Number and kinds of tourists and visitors in the region; Places of interest visited; Tourist services/ attractions bought or visited; Evaluation on the quality of services; Advertisement sources the tourists use, etc. Having this data collected and systemized will help DPA and the three municipalities make prognoses, analysis, hence - improvements and modernization in the development and offering high quality innovative tourist services. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 96 Other barriers and challenges Finland’s strong points in Global Entrepreneurship Monitor survey were the availability of financing, entrepreneurship education in school, research and development transfer, access to infrastructure and women’s entrepreneurship compared to Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands. Finland’s weak points were lack of support to entrepreneurship in cultural and social norms. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 97 4.2.4 Pilot 4: East Herzegovina Economic barriers and challenges  The region of East Herzegovina, with the exception of the city of Trebinje and the municipality of Gacko, belongs to the underdeveloped area of Republika Srpska.  Competing with well-established tourist destinations within the region is challenging for East Herzegovina, especially because those destinations have more developed infrastructure and marketing budgets.  Insufficient funding and investment opportunities are also some of the obstacles to the development of tourism infrastructure, marketing campaigns, and other initiatives necessary to attract visitors and compete effectively in the tourism market.  Dependence on seasonal tourism also leads to revenue fluctuations, with businesses struggling to generate sufficient income during off-peak periods.  Developing and maintaining new and modern infrastructure and tourism infrastructure, such as roads, accommodations, and recreational facilities, can be costly, particularly in rural areas with limited existing infrastructure. Financing these investments while ensuring affordability for tourists and profitability for businesses can be a challenge.  Investment from the side of private stakeholders is very limited due to high bank interest rates, limited dedicated credit lines for agriculture, the absence of credit lines for tourism projects, as well as the risks and reluctance of private individuals to engage in such ventures. Technological and infrastructural barriers and challenges  Inadequate infrastructure such as poor roads, poorly connected by public transport or with no public transport lines at all, infrequent departures, and weak connections between the cities of Eastern Herzegovina and connections with other parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia or Montenegro. The only good connection through Herzegovina is the regional road that connects Mostar with Trebinje via Ljubinje.  Regarding tourist infrastructure there is a bad or non-existing tourist infra and superstructure (touristic info points, tourists’ signalisation, camping sites….), limited accommodation options and a lack of solid internet connections. In some remote mountain areas, there is a frequent shortage of electricity and water supply.  Lack of effective marketing and promotion strategies leads to low visibility of East Herzegovina as a tourist destination, both domestically and internationally.  Limited access to funding for rural tourism development projects can constrain the region's ability to invest in necessary infrastructure, marketing, and training programs.  Balancing the development of tourism infrastructure with the need to preserve the region's cultural heritage and natural environment can be a challenge.  There is also a lack of skilled personnel in hospitality, tourism management, and related sectors that hinder the quality of services provided to tourists. Legal barriers and challenges  Several laws and regulations govern this area. Currently, the Amendments to the Law on Hospitality have been in force since the beginning of the year, which has somewhat complicated the previous legal framework, and we are trying to find a way to overcome these obstacles. In many cases, this area is regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture, based on examples from countries far more developed in this area of tourism. However, this is not the case in the Republic of Srpska. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 98  There is no law or any sub law act drafting agritourism. The only legal act regulating one segment of Agrotourism is Rulebook 27 on the conditions for the provision of catering services in rural tourism facilities which elaborate in details conditions which must be met by rural tourism facilities in order to engage in this activity.  In the coming period, we will try to find a way to simplify engagement in rural tourism to increase the number of service providers. Challenges related to gender  According to the 2013 census, the number of men and women was approximately equal with a slight advantage in favour of women in the municipalities that are the project area. But, an unofficial common fact is the situation in the villages regarding gender is different. Women do not want to marry in the countryside, so the number of unmarried men is much higher in rural areas.  When it comes to the number of women like holders of agricultural households, majority of holders are men. In Republic of Srpska there is 20% of women who are holders of agricultural households. One possible obstacle to equality is the traditional mindset prevalent in these areas, which assumes that agricultural households are predominantly led by men as heads of households.  In the tourism sector, both in larger tourist centers such as Trebinje and smaller ones like Gacko, a large number of women work in tourist enterprises. Additionally, in villages, women are primarily responsible for making homemade authentic products, maintaining households, welcoming and communicating with tourists. From this perspective, they require training for specific skills in providing tourism services, but we believe there is a good foundation for further improvement. Ethical barriers and challenges  All project activities should ensure that tourism development initiatives actively involve and benefit local communities, including women, local residents, and marginalized groups, which can help address inequalities and promote ethical tourism practices. One of the challenges is to try to integrate principles of gender equality and ethical practices into environmental conservation efforts, such as promoting women's involvement in sustainable resource management and eco-friendly tourism initiatives.  Another challenge is to ensure that tourism-related benefits, such as income generation opportunities and access to infrastructure and services, are distributed equitably among different gender and socio-economic groups within East Herzegovina's communities. The challenge is also to ensure that tourism development is environmentally sustainable, minimizing negative impacts on natural resources and ecosystems. Other barriers and challenges  Only 6 households registered for agritourism in whole region East Herzegovina.  A small number of producers of local products  Some local products are disappearing  Local animal race Hercegovačka pramenka in the way of extinction  A small amount of money intended for agritourism  Banks have no credit lines for agritourism development 27 Official Gazette of the Republic of Srpska", number 15/20 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 99 4.2.5 Pilot 5: Šmarje-Padna Economic barriers and challenges Sustainability of the developed solution is most pressing: in economic terms - making sure that the developed service will be in regular everyday use within the identified pilot with a long-term impact on both communities. In this regard, the challenge is to enable revenue share which will provide long-term sustainability of the developed service. Therefore, analysing existing good practices is key, as this will enable to develop a solid business model that will follow the principle of social entrepreneurship; e.g. donations, volunteering (drivers), circular economy (variety of options). Technological and infrastructural barriers and challenges “Digital know-how” - provision of a regular technical assistance; importance of the human capital dimension; according to the DESI 2023 report, Slovenia falls behind the EU average on human capital and basic digital skills. Even though, data shows that the Šmarje community does not have the problem of retention of the IT talent. Regarding data aspect, it is important to state that currently, no centralized tool for collecting data regarding the mobility exists - only different dispersed data sets are available. In terms of the so-called infrastructure dimension, the challenge will certainly be how to create a good, solid relation between the local level and municipality level in terms of providing a long-lasting developed service: from (if needed) physical space, needed for operating the service, to - in relation to the economic dimension - provide financial stability for the operating level of the service. To sum up, a combination of the following dimensions, i.e. physical, know-how, community motivation and support from the policy makers (both levels: municipality level and national level) will be needed to make provide and ensure sustainability of the developed solution, making sure, that the pilot will serve the needs of the communities of Šmarje and Padna. Legal barriers and challenges The developed service will need to consider the challenges of data ownership and management of insurance policies for drivers and passengers. In regard to additional co-creation of the cycling routes, taking into account the challenge of private property insurance will be needed. To sum up, it will be necessary to ensure that the platform complies with all relevant laws and regulations, including those related to data protection, labor rights, and environmental standards. Challenges related to gender Encouraging more women to work in the ICT sector. However, in Slovenia, there is a particular challenge of low digital skills among elderly women. In terms of the ICT female specialists, Slovenia, following the DESI report 2023, has improved slightly. The share of female ICT specialists remains the same as last year’s at 17%, below the EU average of 19%, which is sth. this service will take into account. The developed service will - among other target groups - in particular address the challenge of providing mobility assistance to elderly women (widows, who do not have their driver license, cars etc.), as they are usually a target group that is most affected by the absence of public transport in rural areas. Ethical barriers and challenges The ethical dimension is multilayered and consists of the following elements: (i) Data aspects (collecting only the data that is necessary for the functioning of the platform to avoid unnecessary intrusion into users' privacy; data protection with the necessary security measures; (ii) Accessibility and inclusivity in relation to the (rural) digital divide: a) access to technology: Ensuring that the platform is accessible to all, including those who may not have access to smartphones or the internet; D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 100 b) user interface design: designing the platform to be user-friendly for people with varying levels of digital literacy, including the elderly and disabled; (iii) Equity in service provision in relation to the affordability: making sure that the services provided are affordable for all socio-economic groups, avoiding exclusion based on financial capability; (iv) Social impacts: employment concerns: Ensuring that the platform creates new job opportunities and provides training and support for those affected by displacement; (v) Ethical use of technology: algorithmic bias and in this manner, ensuring that the algorithms used in the platform are free from biases that could lead to unfair treatment of certain groups or individuals, resulting in transparency: making the decision-making processes of the platform transparent to users, allowing for accountability and trust. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 101 4.2.6 Pilot 6: Devetaki Plateau Economic barriers and challenges For the last 10 years, the Devetaki Plateau has been developing as a tourist destination. There has been a transition from solely agriculture as an economic profile to tourism as an emerging business opportunity and alternative. Small rural businesses have been started to offer accommodation, food, and other services for tourists. The DPA and the three municipalities have invested resources in small tourist infrastructure and advertising and the region is already a fact on the tourist map of Bulgaria. However, there is no obligation for the local authorities to collect and process data and it is difficult to analyse the development of the tourist services. This is a barrier to analyse and assess the tourist services offered by the local businesses, the tourist flow size and type, and to target the business resources and the marketing efforts accordingly. Technological and infrastructural barriers and challenges In all the nine villages of the Devetaki Plateau the service of waste collection exists and it is organised by the municipalities. However, waste is not separated. Our analysis shows there is a lot of glass, plastic and even - organic waste that is all collected in one place. There are no separate collection bins, no separate depositories in the municipalities and all waste goes to the regional landfills. Another issue is the low level of knowledge and culture among the local residents in the significance of separate waste management. The households do not or rarely collect waste separately or have composters for the organic waste. A technological solution to monitor various types of garbage and to optimise separate waste collection is needed to respond to the community needs. Legal barriers and challenges Telemedicine is still not a priority for Bulgarian policy. There is neither a strategy nor national legislation to help regulate steps in this direction. At the same time, the majority of patients and potential patients have probably used the telephone to get medical advice or information and a growing number of them have personal computers and software that allow them to use medical databases and sources. The same with doctors and nurses: most of them have probably used the telephone to discuss patient care; many have participated in continuing medical education by teleconference; and some specialists such as radiologists are gaining considerable experience with the transmission of images for consultation purposes. However, it would be a challenge to convince the health authorities and practitioners of the need and the effectiveness of telemedicine. It will also take time and effort to work with the local communities: information campaigns and capacity building for using the modern technologies will be needed. A SIP in this sphere would provoke positive public discourse and a follow - up result might be drafting regulations to facilitate the dissemination of the pilot’s experience in other regions of Bulgaria. Challenges related to gender Demographic data shows women are a majority in the villages (%) as compared to men. The SIP or SIPs will influence positively most of the population, especially, Telemedicine and Intelligent waste management. Efforts related to education, information, and training, as well as co-creation and participation will be directed in a balanced way to men and women. Ethical barriers and challenges As far as the ethical dimension is concerned, there are several aspects: D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 102  Collecting and processing data regarding the health status of the population in the villages might be considered delicate. All necessary measures for the protection of this kind of data shall be taken.  The same is the situation with the data collected from tourists. Thus, the surveys will be done anonymously and with their definite agreement. Data regarding incomes from tourism should be accessible for it is a part of the municipal budget which by law is a public document.  Measures shall be planned towards making the telemedicine service accessible for the whole community notwithstanding their age, gender, technological capacity. Training and information campaigns shall be designed to assure that. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 103 4.3 SWOT ANALYSIS 4.3.1 Pilot 1: Valle di Sole Strengths Weaknesses  Valuable environmental and natural resources. The natural heritage includes: the Dolomites (UNESCO World Heritage); water resources (e.g. rivers, lakes, glaciers); forest canopy (covering almost 70% of its surface); protected areas (Stelvio National Park, the Noce river, and the Adamello Brenta Nature Park).  High tourism potential  Educational institutions  Strong social and financial capital  Very high levels of renewable energy production  Human values (value of work, commitment, effort, constancy)  Loss of cultural identity  low awareness of the peculiarities of the territory  Winter tourism exposed to climate change risks.  Modest attractiveness for new generations  Lack of capacity to manage resources entrepreneurially  Lack of awareness of the new potentials  Uneven development across different areas  Depopulation and ageing population Opportunities Threats  Landscape restoration and enhancement of environmental resources  Increase intraand inter-sector relationships (e.g. tourism, agriculture, etc.)  Need to open the comparison of the area with other territories  Unique Tourist Promotion Agency in Val di Sole  Rail connection with urban areas is underutilized, but has enormous potential  Mass tourism and difficulty in transitioning to quality (slow) tourism, which would require high investments and yield low short-term profits  Conflicts between sectors (agriculture vs. tourism) and within the same sector  Competition with other territories (e.g. Alto Adige)  The GDP is higher than in other areas: aversion to risk and difficulty in promoting change D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 104 4.3.2 Pilot 2: Tramuntana Sóller Strengths Weaknesses  Unique strategic location  Diversity of resources (natural, landscape, cultural, heritage and ethnological) with tourist potential  Destination well known by tourists and with a strong presence within the tourism distribution channels  Tourist routes promoted by the government  Mature business network rooted in the territory  Increase in the supply of regulated holiday homes and the number of tourists staying overnight in the municipality.  Strong and active associative network (170 registered, active associations)  Institutional commitment for the socioeconomic dynamization of the municipality through tourism and initiatives already undertaken  High urban pressure  Gentrification of the port and town centre  Poor network of social facilities  Uncontrolled tourism flows that lead to problems in mobility, raising numbers of illegal vacation rentals and resident/tourist discontent.  Poor data and tech knowledge and infrastructure hinder effective resource management.  None or little cooperation among sectors  Poor offer of digital services by municipality and local companies  Ageing of farmers with no generational renewal  Brain Drain Phenomenon/Lack of Talent Opportunities Threats  International recognition of the Mallorca brand  Positive forecast of growth in tourism worldwide  Changes in demand´s tastes and habits: new products, markets and segments (intraand intersectorial)  Growth in the number of tourists staying in legal tourist homes  Specific competences of municipalities, including provision of information and promotion of tourist activities of local interest and scope.  Sources of funding at European, national, regional and island level, for rural development projects.  Development of new technologies applied to tourism (smart tourist destinations), agri-food and related sectors.  Diversification of the “sun and beach” offer  Potential of tourism products such as cultural, archaeological, cycling, religious and natural tourism.  Increased competition between destinations and products.  Poor management of tourist information within communication channels.  Increase in the offer of tourist accommodation in the rural area of Mallorca.  Limited access to public funding sources and lack of continuity of projects due to political changes in public institutions  Unshared and uncoordinated vision among tourism actors.  Socio-economic instability in a globalized economy.  Increased impact of climate change on tourism and agri-food sector (e.g. water scarcity) D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 105 4.3.3 Pilot 3: Northern Ostrobothnia Strengths Weaknesses  Strong entrepreneurial ecosystem: Intensive entrepreneurial activity and a high share of active micro-enterprises and SMEs.  High level technological infrastructure and citizens ability to use it: Excellent mobile internet and high-speed broadband coverage, high-quality digital and data infrastructure, and a high digital readiness also within the elderly.  Committed Stakeholders: The municipalities of Alavieska, Kalajoki, and Nivala are fully supportive and involved in the project.  Good capability to communicate with local communities via municipalities and Local action groups.  Entrepreneurial education is developing and increasingly available.  Limited Market Size: Size of population and the absolute number of microenterprises and SMEs is low due to the sparsely populated rural regions.  An aging population and a weakening economic dependency ratio.  Current enterprises are not widely skilled in digital marketing and platform economy.  Resource Constraints: Potential issues in maintaining and financing the service directory platform.  Entrepreneurial Hesitation: Uncertainty in the skills and willingness of companies to adopt platform economy-based business models. Opportunities Threats  Opportunities for young and starting entrepreneurs  Better services in rural regions  Larger markets for service-oriented rural micro-enterprises and SMEs.  Increased life quality enables to retain population.  Reduced pressure on services for the elderly, increased trust to society’s ability to take care.  Tourism and remote work growth, which may again boost demand for local services.  Integration of NGOs’ and citizens’ volunteering and support services for the elderly, which may also help to reduce loneliness.  Criminal usage of the platform, risk of home intrusion and phishing of personal information.  Decline in population and too small absolute size of the market.  Economic viability and challenges in ensuring a sustainable business model and revenue logic for the platform.  Competition from urban-centric platform economy solutions that may not fit rural needs perfectly.  Regulatory obstacles and integration issues with existing subsidies and regulations.  Deterioration of the business environment for small and part-time entrepreneurs in relation to policies and legislation. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 112 5. ACTION PLANS 5.1 PILOT 1: VALLE DI SOLE The context analysis of Valle di Sole revealed that the local community is facing several challenges related to an ageing population, which is decreasing in numbers also due to modest attractiveness for new generations; a gradual decline of cultural identity with a consequent abandonment of traditional economic activities related to land use and preservation; an economy mainly driven by tourism which presents fragilities and stress elements. The initial investigation with the local decision-makers of Valle di Sole revealed that the valorisation of the environment can provide a step toward the sustainable development of the local economy and community. What is needed is to:  Improve the capacity of action (for example, with data-driven tools to support decisionmaking);  Support the collaborative development of new policies, services, and initiatives strengthening the economic valorisation of natural resources;  Ideate educational and participatory actions to raise local communities' awareness of the value and opportunities of natural heritage. Based on the collected data and carried out analyses, the initial action plan for P1 will be focused on:  Identify specific actions to be experimented within SMART ERA.  Extend the core work group with other local stakeholders closely related to the pilot scenarios.  Create awareness in the local stakeholders about opportunities offered by data, technology, SIPs planning and reusability.  Define a detailed pilot action plan with the local stakeholders and decide how to engage the community.  Incrementally co-design a SIP that addresses the selected scenarios.  Experiment with the co-delivery of the designed SIP and its evaluation.  Implement communication and outreach activities for residents and visitors.  Provide policy recommendations. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 113 5.2 PILOT 2: TRAMUNTANA SÓLLER The analysis of the data collected for the pilot of Sóller revealed the reality of some problems in the municipality, caused by the massification of tourism, by the aging of the population, by the lack of data, digitalization and data sharing, and by the lack of knowledge and lack of cooperation between local entities and actors. More specifically, the results have shown:  Lack of data to improve decision making and/or to develop new products/services. This goes along with the lack of deployed infrastructure (such as sensors or integrated data platform).  Need for training of local actors on issues of digitalization, technologies and innovation.  Need for integrated systems, both for data collection and analysis (especially for tourism and mobility sectors), and for the marketing and promotion of products and services (agriculture and cultural sectors).  Need for public policies and services adapted to the reality of Sóller (control of vacation rentals, classification of urban gardens, management of the flow of tourists and mobility within the municipality...).  An intangible but crucial point is the need to better inform tourists about the reality of the tourist destination of Sóller, in order to influence their behavior and improve coexistence with residents. Therefore, carrying out communication and awareness campaigns continues to be very necessary. In consequences, the action plan for P2 will focus on:  Promote cooperation and data sharing among local stakeholders.  Provide training and enhance the digital skills of local stakeholders.  Deploy technology (sensors, platforms...), and develop and implement tailored digital services (apps, dashboards, marketplaces...) to be co-defined by local stakeholders.  Provide policy recommendations.  Implement communication and outreach activities for residents and tourists. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 114 5.3 PILOT 3: NORTHERN OSTROBOTHNIA The data collection and analysis phase enabled to identify key characteristics and factors affecting the pilot. Strengths include a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, advanced technological infrastructure, committed stakeholders, effective local communication, and well organised entrepreneurial education. Weaknesses involve a limited market size, aging population, partly insufficient digital marketing skills, resource constraints, and potentially entrepreneurial hesitation. Key opportunities are related to young entrepreneurs, improved rural services, expanded markets, enhanced life quality, increased tourism and remote work, and integrated support services for the elderly. Again, threats include platform misuse, population decline, economic viability challenges, competition from urban-centric solutions, regulatory obstacles, and a deteriorating business environment for small entrepreneurs. Work will continue with the following actions:  Phase 1: Establishment of a core working group. Supported by the analysis, the next step is to establish a core working group. This group will consist of motivated individuals from BSOs and municipalities who are committed to taking the project forward. Workshops will be organised to facilitate discussion and set clear objectives.  Phase 2: Strengthening Motivation and Commitment. With the core group in place, it is time to engage the wider community. Local events and meetings will be organised to strengthen the motivation and commitment of all stakeholders. These events provide a platform for entrepreneurs, BSOs and municipalities to share their thoughts and ideas. The events are instrumental in fostering a sense of unity and common purpose. They also provide an opportunity to gather feedback and refine the project objectives.  Phase 3: Co-creating and rewriting the pilot aims. The core group, with feedback from the community, will begin the process of co-creating and rewriting the pilot objectives and activities. Workshops will be held to ensure that the revised plans are inclusive and meet the needs of the municipalities and BSOs. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 115 5.4 PILOT 4: EAST HERZEGOVINA On the base of conducted research in P4, and after analyzing collected data, some facts are very prominent such as:  sparse population, as much as three times lower than the average for Republika Srpska  poor road infrastructure  underutilised vast cultural, gastronomic and natural heritage in rural areas of the EH  the locals don't have a tradition and experience in tourism entrepreneurship  local administrations and tourist organisations have rather poor vision of rural tourism in EH. On the basis of the collected data and carried out analyses, action plan for P4 will be focused on:  work with local tourist organizations on the elements that focused on branding EH as rural tourism destination  work with local producers, women’s associations and young ones on the rising awareness of possibilities offering by engagement in rural tourism entrepreneurship  rising awareness on necessity to preserve local cultural, natural and gastronomic heritage  branding rural EH like a new rural touristic destination  work on media promotion of rural EH heritage  provide support in improving the visual identity and sales of local products and to train interested local people on the basics of rural tourism D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 116 5.5 PILOT 5: ŠMARJE-PADNA Following the two conducted SEROI+ workshops and analysis of data of both pilot communities, the need to develop a multilayered, modular sustainable mobility service has been underscored. In particular the elderly, children and teenagers are target groups which, according to analysis, need an adequate mobility service that would connect them to urban areas of Piran and Koper. Due to Šmarje and Padna unique characteristics, i.e. Šmarje’s world renown winemakers and Padna’s focus on tourism (cycling), with fairly good water resources, villagers proposed to create a service, that would connect mobility to principles of circular economy and tourism and would result in a service that would appreciate the importance of taking care of the environment, i.e. environmental education. More specifically, the results have shown, that the communities would like to obtain a functioning, sustainable rural mobility service, which would be organized as a social enterprise and would be customized for both communities. The service would operate by the principle “on the demand”, and its development would include a very well thought of network of stakeholders, i.e. policymakers, municipalities (in Slovenia, local politics and development of services is very much dependent on the level of municipalities), service providers, investment capital also in the form of donations or sponsorship. The development of the service would follow already existing good practices in Slovenia due to understanding cultural specifics and existing digital skills. In the manner, the action plan for Šmarje-Padna pilot will focus on:  promoting cooperation and focusing on addressing the challenge of data, needed for the development of the service  providing training and enhance the digital skills of villagers and municipality workers  identifying possible education (university level) bodies that would help to map out the pilot status  creating more intense working relation with the policy bodies (municipality level) to provide a more fertile policy environment, if possible, to work on policy recommendations / instruments  working on development and deployment of digital solution/service that would be sustainable on a long run and widely used by the communities D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 117 5.6 PILOT 6: DEVETAKI PLATEAU After consulting the three municipalities and representatives of local stakeholder groups, in order to improve the overall quality of life in the villages in the Devetaki Plateau, the objectives they formulated are in the following four directions:  Improve the access to health services in the villages in the Devetaki Plateau  Stimulate sustainable development of the area and diminish environmental footprint by introduction of intelligent waste management system  Foster community-led rural tourism development and establish the Devetaki Plateau as a smart tourist destination  Encourage and motivate young people to live in the villages by offering a broader scope of cultural and educational services The Action plan would vary in accordance with the specific one or two directions selected out of the above four. In this regard, the steps the Devetaki Plateau Association and the Municipality of Sevlievo plan in the short term, are as follows:  Collect further data and information related to health status, telemedicine practices, waste management companies and solutions, where possible;  Foster community engagement and cooperation, and organise discussions with the three municipalities, the local stakeholders and related companies to assess and prioritise the four directions by means of relevance, feasibility, impact, and resources;  Communicate with the SMART ERA partners the prioritised topics and define the potential SIPs to work on;  Initiate the definition and development of the SIPs with the active involvement of the municipalities and the local stakeholders. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 118 6. CONCLUSIONS The work initiated by the SMART ERA partners under WP5 to identify the needs and gaps of the six pilots have shown:  Large heterogeneity of the different pilots in terms of socioeconomic development, digitalization, maturity and sustainability, but also in terms of climates, geographies and cultural backgrounds.  Great disparity in the availability and quality of data among pilots, sectors and stakeholders. Some pilots/sectors simply do not have data available or lack integrated and/or disaggregated data.  The first community engagement activities have highlighted the difficulty to reach some specific target groups (e.g farmers), and the profound needs for training and knowledge on areas such as digitalization, innovation, sustainability and/or circular economy among others.  All the participating regions have significant tourism potential, but they need to diversify and enhance their offerings to attract different market segments and reduce dependency on seasonal tourism.  Ageing populations and youth emigration are common issues. As a result, the different regions need targeted strategies to retain and attract young people, such as improving job opportunities and quality of life.  Strong local networks and community involvement have been identified by all pilots as critical assets. Local action groups are being implemented throughout the project and shall support the development of initiatives and improve local governance. Despite the geographical, demographic and socioeconomic heterogeneity of the different pilots, clear similarities can be observed in the expectations of local stakeholders with the SMART ERA project and the type of solutions and activities to be developed and implemented:  Improved knowledge (capacity building)  Improved access to information and digital services  Improved market opportunities for local/rural products  Improved infrastructure for connectivity and data management  Improved community development and networking D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 119 7. REFERENCES Cvar Nina, Stojanova Simona, Trilar Jure, Kos Andrej, Stojmenova Duh Emilija. (2024). Transformative smart rural tourism in adversity of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Journal of Infrastructure Policy and Development: https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i6.4065 Folco Giuliana, Gaboardi Elena, Lischetti Serena, Martinoli Mario, Mazzolo Giulio, & Schmid Elisabeth. (2022). Two new tools for science communication assessment: the community engagement index and communication effectiveness quadrants. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6985584 Global Market Insights (2021) Hydrogen generation market size by delivery mode. September 2022. https://tinyurl.com/4uchk2ty Global Market Insights (2021) Industrial sensors market size by product. September 2022. https://tinyurl.com/4hj28mxc Leonardi Chiara, Not Elena, Gerosa Matteo, and Lotti Roberta. A Case Study of CrossOrganizational Co-Design with Public Bodies: Opportunities for a Collaborative Platform. In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Communities and Technologies, pp. 611. 2023 Mevlja, B., & Podmenik, D. (2021). The Role of Non-Governmental Organisations in the Regional Development of Slovenia: The Case of the Coastal-Karst Region. Management, 16(2), 4751 MOK - Mestna občina Koper. 2021. Sustainable Urban Strategy of the City of Koper 2030. https://www.koper.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/TUS-novelacija-2030.pdf (10.06.2024) Not, Elena, Chiara Leonardi, Diego López-De-Ipiña, Daniel Andres Silva Palacios, Ruben SánchezCorcuera, Raman Kazhamiakin, and Matteo Gerosa. Designing a Digital Environment to Support the Co-production of Public Services: Balancing Multiple Requirements and Governance Concepts. Digital Government: Research and Practice (2024). Stojanova, Simona, Cvar, Nina, Verhovnik, Jurij, Božić, Nataša, Trilar, Jure, Kos, Andrej, Stojmenova Duh, Emilija. (2022). Rural digital innovation hubs as a paradigm for sustainable business models in Europe’s rural areas. Sustainability, iss. 21, 14620, str. 1-20, ilustr. ISSN 2071-1050. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/21/14620/htm Trilar, Jure, Božić Nataša, Cvar Nina, Budalevska, Deniza. (2023). Community based data approach: report and guidelines. Salzburg: Interreg Alpine Space, https://smartalps.eu/smartcommunity-deliverables/SC_WPTAN_D2-1-1_DataApproach.pdf D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 120 8. ANNEXES All annexes A are related to Pilot 1 Valle di Sole/Trentino All annexes B are related to Pilot 2 Tramuntana/Sóller All annexes C are related to Pilot 3 Northern Ostrobothnia All annexes D are related to Pilot 4 East Herzegovina All annexes E are related to Pilot 5 Smarje-Padna All annexes F are related to Pilot 6 Devetaki Plateau D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 121 ANNEXES A – P1 VALLE DI SOLE ● Annex A1. Research methodology followed in Valle di Sole ● Annex A2. Statistics of Valle di Sole ● Annex A3. Datasets available in Valle di Sole ● Annex A4. Results of brainstorming with mayors ● Annex A5. Document elaborated by the mayors of Valle di Sole D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 128 Marital status distribution Percentag e or count of single, married, divorced, etc. Average number of families: 7075,0 Average number of family members: 2,3 Percentage of married individuals 43,6 % Percentage of unmarried individuals: 45,4 % Percentage of divorced individuals: 3,2 % Percentage of widowed individuals: 7,8 % (2022) Average number of families in province of Trento: 241.941 (2022) Ispat ECONOMY Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita €/inhabita nt data not available at the local level GDP per capita for the overall Province of Trento = 43.320 euros (2022) Gross disposable income per household €/househo ld data not available at the local level Average gross disposable income per household in the Province of Trento in 2021 = 38.526 euros (43.650 when including imputed rents) Istat Primary sources of income from household disposable income data not available at the local level Registered companies (Total) 1.645 (2022) Registered companies (Sector of activity) Agriculture 366 Industry 120 Construction 290 Third sector 878 Employme nt status and occupation types Number of employed individuals over the population aged 15 and over in the census * 100 Employment rate among the resident population 51,3 (2011) was 49,7 in 1991 Province of Trento: 52,9 (2011) D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 129 TOURISM Accommo dation index Total number of beds in accommo dations for tourists / total number of residents (2022) Cavizzana 0,1 Caldes 0,2 Terzolas 0,3 Croviana 0,4 Malé 0,4 Pellizzano 0,7 Rabbi 0,9 Commezzadura 1,1 Ossana 1,7 Peio 1,7 Vermiglio 2,0 Dimaro Folg. 2,3 Mezzana 6,8 Higher values are associated to higher importance of tourism for the municipality economy Average tourism intensity Average number of tourists in accommo dations per day / total number of residents (2022) Caldes 0,0 Cavizzana 0,0 Croviana 0,0 Malé 0,1 Pellizzano 0,1 Terzolas 0,1 Rabbi 0,2 Ossana 0,3 Commezzadura 0,4 Peio 0,4 Vermiglio 0,6 Dimaro Folg. 0,7 Mezzana 1,3 The value expresses the average concentration of tourists with respect to the local community. Maximum tourism intensity Maximum number of tourists per day / total number or residents (2022) Cavizzana 0,0 Caldes 0,1 Croviana 0,2 Terzolas 0,2 Malé 0,4 Pellizzano 0,4 Rabbi 0,7 Commezzadura 1,1 Ossana 1,1 High values indicate stressful conditions (peaks of overtourism) D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 130 Peio 1,5 Vermiglio 1,8 Dimaro Folg. 2,2 Mezzana 4,2 AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT Type of land use hectare Percentage of used land with respect to provincial surface of the same type (2010): (e.g. Valle di Sole crops / Trentino crops * 100) Arable crops 2,13% Fruit trees, grapevine 1,67% Grassland 6.7% Pasture 11,8% Cultivated land 9,14% Land for forestry 7,64% Other 12,18% Protected areas Surface of protected areas / total surface 45,5 (2022) Province of Trento: 28,4 (2022) D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 131 Annex A3 – Datasets available in Valle di Sole Kind of Data Data Owner Sensit ivity Access Model Short Description Purpose of usage Data format Frequency of acquisitio n Statistical indicators for the Province of Trento, segmented by districts (Communit ies of Valley) and municipaliti es ISPAT Public Data tables can be exported from the web (web access for district data) (web access for municipality data) The provincial office for statistical data provides a large range of detailed indicators that model the socioeconomic context of the Province of Trento. Several indicators are segmented by district (Communities of Valley) and municipality. Annual time series are available. The following sectors are covered: ● Land usage ● Environmental issues (e.g. waste production and recycling) ● Build environment ● Population ● Households and social behaviour ● Education and training ● Culture, sports, free time ● Health ● Work Market ● Business structure and competitivenes s ● Agriculture, forestry and fishery ● Industry ● Constructions ● Commerce ● Tourism ● Transportation Statistical indicators can be used to assess various socioeconomic aspects of local districts and to draw compariso ns with respect to previous periods. Tables can be exported in .csv (to be checked whether data can be accesse d through REST API calls for research purpose s) Indicators have different update timings according to the raw data they refer to. (Annual or decennial when the raw data comes from census) D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 132 ● Financial services Predictive models for selected indicators for the Province of Trento, segmented by districts (Communit ies of Valley) ISPAT Public Data tables can be exported from the web (web access) For some data segmentati on, data is available on request For a selected set of indicators, predictive models envisage the value of the indices in 10 years' time. Currently, available indicators are related to population evolution. Prediction s of statistical indicators can be used to better assess the criticality of certain phenomen a in the medium term. They can also be used as a term of reference when evaluating the efficacy of certain policies. Tables can be exported in .csv, .json, .xls (to be checked whether data can be accesse d through REST API calls for research purpose s) Annual update Comparis on of statistical indicators of the Province of Trento with other areas in Italy ISPAT Public Data tables can be exported from the web (web access) For a selected set of indicators, comparison is offered between the data of (i) Trentino, (ii) the adjacent province of Alto Adige and the region of Veneto, (iii) the overall area of Northern-East Italy, (iv) the region of Lombardia, (v) Northern Italy and (vi) Italy. Statistical indicators can be used to assess various socioeconomic aspects of the overall Province of Trento in compariso n to nearby regions and Italy overall. They could be used to assess the more general context with which Valle di Sole compares. Tables can be exported in .csv (to be checked whether data can be accesse d through REST API calls for research purpose s) Annual update D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 133 General statistical data for different socioeconomic sectors and environme ntal aspects for the Province of Trento, inner districts and municipaliti es ISPAT Public Data tables can be exported from the web (web access) Different sorts of socio-economic and environmental data related to Trentino and its inner districts. Annual time series are available These are statistical data that compleme nt the indicators by providing further informatio n useful for the assessme nt of the territory (e.g. environme ntal aspects, safety, mobility, quality of life, etc.) Tables can be exported in .csv (to be checked whether data can be accesse d through REST API calls for research purpose s) Annual update List of public services OpenD ata Trentin o Public via API (open data) The information included in the official websites of the municipalities of Valle di Sole has been published as open data. It includes information about available public services like schools, social and health services, associations, and legal services, … Open data on local services could be used to automatic ally assess certain dimension s of territorial developm ent. .json static information, infrequently updated by municipaliti es List of points of interest and public services OpenS treetM ap Public via export Information about points of interest and public services available in Valle di Sole have been annotated inside the Open Street Map and are available for export. Data from OpenStre etMap can be used to automatic ally assess certain dimension s of territorial developm ent. .osm periodically updated by volunteer contributors Data on transportati on services Gestio ne MITT (Mobili tà Public (data set) Information about public transport infrastructure. (bus lines, timetable, geoOpen data on local services could be used to GTFS in zipped files D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 134 Integra ta Traspo rti Trentin o) referenced bus stops) automatic ally assess certain dimension s of territorial developm ent. Mobility data Trentin o Digital e Restric ted On request, via API (Available for research purposes upon negotiation) Information about the actual usage of public transportation means, subscribed passes, ticket selling channels Daily mobility data, aggregate d by bus line or ticket selling channel. Data extracted from onboard ticket check-in. Daily update Real-time statistical data for the Tourism sector ISPAT Restric ted / Public Daily data has restricted access. (Available for research purposes only upon negotiation) Different types of data are available for the tourism sector: - data updated daily on arrivals and overnight stays (databas es with restricted access) - monthly and seasonal statistics (web access) - general statistics on the tourism sector (web access) This type of data can be used to assess the seasonalit y of socioeconomic phenomen a affecting Valle di Sole Daily update Real estate registry and land registry Trentin o Digital e Restric ted On request, via API (Available for research Data on urbanization and fractionation of the land, parcels Data is aggregate d at municipal D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 135 purposes only upon negotiation) in land and buildings registry, destination/cultiva tion of land parcels., level and type of use. Data may support decision making Weather Meteot rentino / OpenD ata Trentin o Public Via API (open data) Different types of region-specific weather data, including current data (temperature, precipitation, air humidity, and wind data), forecasts and historical analysis Weather informatio n to be utilised in field operations planning (cultivatio n, harvest), in tourism planning or in decision making for risk prevention .json / .xml / .csv / .geojson locationbased weather data is updated every 15 minutes D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 136 Annex A4 – Results of brainstorming with mayors In the following we present the main themes emerged from the brainstorming of the 13 mayors of the Valle di Sole: ● Abandonment of the home villages by young people and the difficulties of creating attractive opportunities for them to stay, both at the educational level and at entrepreneurial level. While there are no major economic development problems and the area has professional growth potential, retaining young people is a challenge across the territory. In this regard, it would be valuable for the mayors to identify the reasons why the area does not meet young people's expectations. ● Abandonment of traditional activities related to land use and maintenance, also related to the above mentioned issue. The abandonment has severe implications for the areas, such as the degradation of landscape quality and the increase of environmental risks (such as landslides and mudslides). Related to this issue is also the deterioration of the built environment because of the high costs for renovating old houses in the centre of villages. ● Coexistence with large carnivores, such as bears and wolves, is a significant issue in this area. Overall the area has seen an increase in the presence and activity of these species which can lead to conflicts with human activities and livestock. Bear presence is affecting the area's attractiveness and the safety of the resident population. ● Lack of attractiveness of the territory in terms of training and employment. The area has limited job opportunities, with many low-profile occupations available. ● Underdevelopment of the agri-food sector, which is very much related to a larger vision encompassing sectors like the protection and valorisation of the environment, the landscape, ecology, health, and innovative forms of entrepreneurship. The area was once dedicated to livestock farming, which ensured regular maintenance and care of the land. However, with the decline in this practice, the land now suffers from neglect, leading to increased vulnerability to rockfalls, landslides, and other natural hazards. It is therefore crucial to restore the landscape to its former state of beauty and utility, and to enhance safety through risk monitoring and management. ● New models for sustainable tourism are needed that flexibly adapt to climate change. At the moment winter tourism is strongly dependent on skiing and the area offers several skiing opportunities with numerous ski resorts. However, different models of tourism are needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the area’s tourism industry while protecting its natural and cultural heritage D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 137 Annex A5. Document elaborated by the mayors of Valle di Sole TITLE: The Value of Ecosystem Services in Agricultural and Forest Areas of Val di Sole: The Green Balance of Alpine Communities For the Val di Sole region, it is a priority to include in systemic thinking the value of agriculture and forestry, as well as the value of protected areas under conservation. The mountains today face phenomena of depopulation in some areas and over-tourism in others. Both can be potentially harmful but also have positive aspects if carefully managed. Achieving social, environmental, and economic balance is essential in both situations to mitigate these phenomena. The project aims to define an economic value - not exclusively monetary - to the natural and seminatural environment of Val di Sole. This analysis should focus particularly on the contribution of the landscape, composed by forests, the biodiversity of species and habitats, and the direct work of those in the agro-forestry-pastoral sector who maintain these areas in an optimal state. The proper maintenance of the territory ensures numerous services, such as environmental protection, climate change mitigation, human health and well-being, and recreational activities. Considering the modern use of the mountains influenced by urban lifestyles, can local communities achieve a sustainable economic, social, and environmental balance that allows them to be resilient to climate change and centered on the authentic and real quality of life? To address this question with an inclusive and innovative governance model, we believe it is important to start by identifying the ecosystem services related to the cultivated and forested areas of Val di Sole. These areas are characteristic of the region and form the basis of a well-established cultural model that is currently unstable. Assigning them significance in the decision-making process for conservation and enhancement actions, supported by public authorities, is crucial. Increasing understanding of their function allows the local population to develop awareness of the role sustainably managed rural areas play in improving quality of life. This awareness also helps to clarify the individual willingness to contribute to their conservation and to explore alternative management or development methods. This transforms the costs of active conservation into investments in enhancement. Balancing biodiversity protection with sustainable local development, starting from an appropriate recognition of economic and social activities, ensures that current and future generations can enjoy a quality of life that, according to climate change data, seems more feasible in mountainous areas than in other contexts. Expected Results ● The general objective of the project is to incorporate the environmental balance into the strategic decisions of local public administrations and major private players to ensure authentic sustainability for local communities and businesses operating in the area. The tourism and crafts sectors, which drive the local economy, can thus include risk assessments related to the value of these often overlooked but crucial assets in their development plans. Potential Outcomes ● Improve the management of agricultural and pastoral areas. ● Encourage active participation of local communities in the strategic decisions of relevant authorities, enabling stakeholders to weigh diverse inputs and contribute to the socioeconomic balance of the territories from a sustainability perspective. ● Quantify the direct and indirect impacts of conservation, monitoring, research, enhancement, maintenance, and use actions on silvo-agricultural-pastoral areas to generally improve the quality of life. ● Develop a methodology that allows comparison with other projects in different sectors evaluated with economic parameters and market prices. ● Consider environmental costs as investments whose benefits accrue to current and future local communities. D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 144 CHALLENGES AND NEEDS 1. According to you, what are the main challenges of Sóller in terms of digitalization? 2. According to you, what are the main socioeconomic challenges of Sóller? D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 145 3. What type of digital service(s) would you like to have or improve? D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 146 Annex B2 – Results of P2 First Workshop D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 147 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 148 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 149 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 150 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 151 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 152 D5.1 – “Pilot needs and gap analysis” 153 Annex B3 – Statistics of Sóller UNIT VALUE (YEAR*) *If no information for 2023 is available, use the most recent value and indicate the year Value for comparison (Historical data, national-wide values or similar) Source TERRITORY Surface In km² Municipality of Sóller: 42,8 km² The municipality of Sóller has four main nuclei: Sóller, Port de Sóller, L´Horta and Biniaraix (data from 2015) 0,86 % of the total surface of the Balearic Islands and 1,17% of the surface of Mallorca. Ibestat POPULATION Population size Number of inhabitants 13.454 (2022) Population distribution: Sóller (67 %) , Port de Sóller (18 %), L´Horta (12 %) and Biniaraix (3 %) population decreased by 5% since 2012 (14.150 inhabitants) but has risen by around 1,1 % since 2002 (12.118) due to a higher percentage of foreigners moving to Sóller from 2008 until 2013 (from 13% in 2002 to around 20%). In 2013 Sóllers population reached its highest number yet, counting 14.229 inhabitants. Mallorca: 876.147 (2022) Ibestat Population density Number of inhabitants/k m² 315 / km² (2022) 330 / km² (Sóller, 2012) Average Mallorca (2022): 252 / km² Ibestat Age Average 44,62 (2022) Average Mallorca (2022): 42,11 Ibestat Age distribution Percentage or count within each age group, 0-15: 14% 15-65: 65% >64: 21% (2022) Average Mallorca (2022): 0-15: 16% 15-65: 67% >64: 17% Ibestat Dependency ratio (Number of people < 16 + Number of people > 64 / Number of people 1664)*100 55% (2022) 49,5% (2012) Ibestat Longevity Index 0,18 0,15 for Mallorca Ibestat