RURAL TOURISM IN APULIA REGION, ITALY: RESULTS OF 2007-2013 RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AND 2020 PERSPECTIVES

Apulia Region has many resources for rural tourism development. The review paper analyses opportunities of Apulia region (south-eastern Italy) in rural tourism. The paper describes financial instruments of the European Union (EU), mainly the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), allowing rural operators to develop innovative and unique rural tourism offer. An important share of the EAFRD is dedicated to diversification including rural tourism. The paper sheds also light on opportunities offered by 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme (RDP) of Apulia region and the role of Local Action Groups (LAG). The manuscript illustrates as well tourism statistics evolution in the period 2007- 2013. The paper ends with perspectives offered by the new RDP 2014-2020, that was just approved; it specifically focus on new financing measures for strategies to develop incoming rural tourism in Apulia region and cooperation networks among LAGs.