marcoruggieronline

A small skiing area, shared between a few small towns, close to Ligurian Sea but in Cuneo region, a development plan that could bring here investments and more tourists. An area that put as its point of strength the small dimensions, the contact between residents and tourists and the lower prices. An area that wants to grow remaining "natural" as it is, where the difference is made by the people who attends these towns and live them. S. Giacomo di Roburent is the biggest town of this area, but, as appointed by the guys of the Parpaiun Association is the Area their focus point, because a town alone is not enough: together is the power. The Parpaiun Association is a nice case of how people who live or share interests in a certain area can help its growth using internet as a vehicle of information, helping building a sense of belonging through all the stake holders would they be residents, second houses owners or tourists. Throughout this sense they can stimulate information sharing and User Generates Contents, increasing the brand knowledge. I've been in S. Giacomo di Roburent in March, there was still a lot of snow (even too much, we couldn't ski!) and I had time to talk with some shop owners. They were quite upset about the weather because happened more than a few times in the season that was snowing during the week-end, when would have been better to snow in the middle of the week and then be sunny when tourists were coming. Well, everybody knows you can't have always what you want, but you have to try to get the best out of what you have. You can't control the weather and that's what makes having a business in a skiing area a pure bet. You invest money but if for a couple of years the weather is not good enough you might get in trouble. And here comes the need of diversify the offer of a mountain area. If during the winter you have skiing tourism, you have to find something else for the rest of the year: second houses for elderly could not be enough, considering the low propensity to consume of that segment. Trekking, horse riding, mountain biking and all sorts of natural sports and leisure for families with kids and people of 30-40 year olds. The Parpaiun Association could help this keeping the same effort they are doing during winter for the summer. Even more, considering how attractive is the winter for skiing compared to the summer. And, who knows, perhaps one day the summer will become the touristic pick of the year.