Within the framework of the SUREST project, Lisa Presciani, coordinator of the Planning and Development Unit, is leading a series of initiatives aimed at connecting the agricultural sector with the tourism sector.
At the Bicentennial Campus of the UIS Socorro Campus, Presciani coordinated a training where she spoke about European practices that combine economic and environmental sustainability, focusing on experiential tourism, short supply chains and gastronomy. These strategies seek to preserve rural territories, promoting tourism that respects the essence of local communities.
“Tourism should not alter the conditions of the territory, but empower rural inhabitants as protagonists of their own destinations. There is great potential in the department of Santander and it is important to work hand in hand with rural communities to design joint solutions,” said the Italian who also added that the project contemplates the implementation of four diploma courses in tourism in the Regional Headquarters of the UIS, strengthening access to higher education and promoting a comprehensive approach to local development.
This project with a sustainable approach will continue during the year 2025, when the SUREST consortium partners will meet again to evaluate progress and set new goals, this time in the Colombian territory. For Lisa Presciani, directors and professors, these meetings are essential to strengthen Santander’s leadership as an example of sustainable integration between tourism and the agricultural sector.
This project began in 2023 and among the participating universities are two European and three Latin American, including the Universidad Industrial de Santander, UIS, from its headquarters in Socorro.
