Facing The Future the European Commission chooses Vetrina Toscana as the Italian “Best Practice” for the agri-food promotion

Particular attention was also paid by the Commission to the retail sector, referring to the exchange of "best practices", taken from its "Facing the future" guide, identifying initiatives aimed at promoting local food products through common brands and local projects such as, for example, for Italy: "Vetrina Toscana".

"Facing the future - Looking to the future" is a practical guide to promote the revitalization and modernization of the small retail trade. "Each suggestion is based on real life examples (success stories), collected among the best practices from all over Europe and replicable in the local context, which can be an inspiration for other countries.

Among the suggestions it is highlighted how online platforms, based on a specific community or area, can make "tourism" promotion more effective. Marketing and promotion activities, aimed at raising customer awareness and increasing the visibility of small retailers, can lead to greater visibility on the market. This can be achieved mainly in three ways: through search engines and online platforms, communication and promotion (including social media) and events, all characteristics summarized by the portal www.vetrina.toscana.it.

Vetrina Toscana is selected as: "success story" for having known promote local food and wine specialties with a common brand and events that combine food with culture, tourism and retail trade, increasing sales to those who are part of the supply chain and for having made a communication strategy available to the project "to hoc ", both traditional and digital.

"A recognition, by the European Commission, which makes us proud and which has a double value: on the one hand it recognizes the far-sightedness of the project and the goodness of the work done to date; on the other it is an excellent driving force to celebrate Vetrina Toscana in the twenty years since its birth and project it towards the future - comments Leonardo Marras, councilor for tourism of the Tuscany Region -. Among the travel themes of our promotion campaign there is the 'return to the villages and authentic flavors' to which the project di Vetrina goes perfectly, guiding travelers among the regional agri-food excellences ".

"Receiving this" stamp "from the European Commission is a great signal and makes us understand that the road taken so far by Tuscany is heading in the right direction - says the vice president and councilor for agri-food Stefania Saccardi - Tuscan showcase sends a series of fundamental messages and vital for the sector and for the future of the agri-food sector of our region. First, that Tuscan agri-food products are a guarantee of quality and genuineness. That buying them means not only making a nice gesture towards ourselves because they are products that are good for health, but also towards the environment and those who are committed to protecting it. And finally, it means supporting this sector of excellence in Tuscany and helping to safeguard the traditions that are an expression of the identity of the territories from which our products come ".

The Tuscany Region was far-sighted starting over 20 years ago to pay attention to issues such as local production, organic, seasonality, and sustainability because supporting the territory means taking care of it and protecting it. In 2000 he launched the territorial marketing project that combines tourism, trade and agricultural production through the "know-how" of restaurants and shops that become real ambassadors of the territory: Vetrina Toscana. Over 1000 restaurants, 320 shops and more than 300 producers make up the largest Italian regional network of this kind.

It is a network that connects consumers, restaurateurs and producers in a virtuous circuit of promotion and events that allow you to discover even the lesser-known corners of this region.

The project has a dual purpose: to help the user to orient himself in the offer, giving him indications on where to eat "typical" and authentic dishes and at the same time give restaurants and shops the opportunity to make themselves known and propose their excellence.

Vetrina Toscana is created by the Region and Unioncamere Toscana and promoted by Toscana Promozione Turistica and allows to protect the food and wine tradition, telling the typical products and recipes, so that the richness of this heritage is not lost, promoting the culture of recovery to the teaches about biodiversity and trying to show the consumer the authenticity of the product and also of the relationship with those who make that product. It enhances the food and wine culture as a tourist attraction and the identity of the territory.