The Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta recently took part in a working meeting for the European Eu_VET_RDM4.0 project (European VET Model for the Rural Destination Manager 4.0), an initiative funded by the European Union’s ERASMUS+ programme which aims to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness as a tourist destination through the professionalisation of rural destination management.
The meeting brought together the eight project partners from five European countries, who shared experiences and knowledge to develop training proposals for tourism management in rural settings. This model focuses on the integration of innovative strategies, as well as the use of digital and sustainable tools applied to destination planning and management.
The project also aims to improve the capabilities of rural businesses, both in terms of their internal organisation and their presence in the international tourism market, whilst promoting more sustainable, participatory management processes that respect European heritage.
Eu_VET_RDM4.0 was launched in November 2025 and will run until April 2028. The initiative is coordinated by the Confederazione Nazionale dell’Artigianato e della Piccola e Media Impresa in Rome (Italy) and involves various European organisations: the Periphery of Epirus and the University of Ioannina (Greece), the Bulgaria Training association in Sofia and the Local Action Group of Pomorie (Bulgaria), the University of Niš (Serbia) and, representing Spain, the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta and the Institute of Educational Techniques (ITE Network) in Las Rozas, Madrid.
During the working sessions, the partners analysed the reality of European rural areas and highlighted the key role of digital innovations in tourism management and the sustainability of these territories. They also shared best practices in education and vocational training and addressed the main challenges facing rural and peripheral areas.
The meeting also served to advance several project objectives, such as facilitating transnational and cross-sectoral dialogue, promoting joint methodological design processes, sharing innovative experiences in vocational training linked to sustainable tourism, and integrating digital, environmental and social skills into destination management systems. In addition, work has begun on the first draft of the curriculum framework that will shape the project’s future training model.
As part of the programme, participants also visited a rural area to see real-life examples of land management at first hand and apply the project’s learnings in a practical setting.
With this meeting, the Eu_VET_RDM4.0 project continues to make progress towards its goal of creating new training and development opportunities for European rural areas, contributing to more sustainable, innovative and competitive tourism.
