Define a generic Operative Model to generate and market products based on individual
arrangements that facilitate transnational tourism flows of seniors in low season to rural microand
SMEs and their destinations. In order to create tangible or bookable products, they need to
be specified in detail for every concrete implementation. Flexibility of the Operative Model to
define any kind of tailor-made tangible products is intended, the project includes several of such
pilot product implementations.
The Operative Model consists of two transnational components that establish a common
framework for generating such real products:
(1) Guidelines for a “Senior-friendly” product accreditation “Seniors Go Rural. This
accreditation, with a content agreed and supervised by the representative transnational
organisations EuroGites and AGE Platform, sets specific criteria for rural tourism
hospitality services and destinations to receive Seniors. It is complemented by Guidelines
for rural tourism businesses on the preparation of products that are adequat to senior needs.
(2) Operative Systems for promotion, sales, and clearing such as off-season voucher,
discount / club card, or similar. The accredited senior-friendly products will be made
accessible for Seniors by means of agreements that regulate promotion, sales, and payment
in a homogeneous way across Europe. They will have the format of framework agreements;
for practical application, these framework agreements will always require a separate specific
adaptation to be closed between affiliated organisations of AGE and EuroGites. However,
homogeneous basic procedures and rules are always maintained across Europe and for all
implementations.
The complete Operative Model – from definition to implementation – is a B2C solution, based
on the direct responsible involvement and self-regulation of the interested parties. The Public
Administration participates at the side of beneficiaries (through social support to senior orgs), or
at the receptive side (NTOs and DMOs) in the setting up and running of the system.