Treasure hunt in your neighbours backyard

"<< Background >>In the past years, the global COVID-19 pandemic and the growing need for sustainable living have highlighted agritourism as a viable alternative to mass tourism. In Sweden, the National Board of Schools (Skolverket) introduced an option for upper secondary schools to offer programs in agritourism or nature tourism. Stora Segerstad Naturbrukscentrum planned to launch such a program in 2022 and sought to leverage experiences from other European regions. The economic crises of recent years, coupled with rising unemployment rates across the EU, have compelled young people to explore alternative labor market solutions. Another significant challenge in contemporary Europe is the depopulation of remote rural areas. To address this, it is essential to enhance the appeal of these regions and develop innovative business ideas that capitalize on local resources—ordinary to residents but treasures to visitors. This ""TREASUREHUNT in your neighbor's backyard"" concept has the potential to extend benefitsTherefore, there is a clear need for practical, educationally and entrepreneurially focused curricula that emphasize the opportunities within rural regions beyond the farm gate, fostering positive interactions between farmers and non-farmers. << Objectives >>Thus, objectives of TreasureHunt are to: -train agriculture entrepreneurs on developing skills and competences toinnovate their business by connecting agriculture and tourism -Enhance the possibility for young immigrants and femaleentrepreneurs to get involved in agrotourism -promote innovation capacity in the agriculture sector as a whole thanks tothe link with another relevant sector for EU economy, Tourism -Make agro tourism an attractive business for youngentrepreneurs in combination with other land based businesses -Increase the interest for language learning amongpotential rural entrepreneurs by using interdisciplinary teaching methods, thus learning English and vocational skills in thesame time -to build a strong network for the exchange of good practices in agritourism<< Implementation >>The project implemented several key activities to support agricultural entrepreneurs in agritourism. A Competences Framework was developed to outline the essential skills and knowledge required in the agritourism sector. Training courses were conducted for teachers, trainers, and VET students, taking into consideration public opinion about rural life and focusing on converting farms into tourist attractions, creating agricultural-based tourist offers, ensuring sustainability, and effective promotion and networking strategies. An online platform was created, providing training materials and a space for peer networking among interested entrepreneurs to showcase their tourist offers and benefit from interaction with each other. This platform was designed to and will remain active beyond the project, serving as a long-term portal for business opportunities. Additionally, a standalone Manual for Agritourism was produced, featuring best practices and examples for self-study. The project also developed a methodology and tools for entrepreneurship training in agritourism, alongside self-study materials to improve English language skills tailored to the agritourism context. These activities were designed to equip aspiring agritourism << Results >>Results R1) a framework of a training for young Europeans in agrotourism R2) Agrotourism package for increasing theinterest of young people (especially females and immigrants) to see potential of the country side R3) Social learningplatform R4) a digital booklet business ideas for the beginner in entrepreneurship and agrotourism R5) a digital self study guide with exercises inorder to improve and learn Englishand a digital glossary of the most common words in agrotourism in 5 languages"