Regional brand Eifel (Regionalmarke Eifel)

Best Practice

Topics

• Protected areas
• Regional value added

Short description

The brand “Regionalmarke Eifel” which was applied by the nature park “Naturpark Südeifel” contains high quality standards for organic and regular products. By the brand cor-poration these products are offered in trade. Gastronomy can also be user of this brand when having 15% (in 2006 25%) of brands in the kitchen goods and material employed. The competitiveness of farms and forest enterprises within a network of food and wood manufacturing trades and tourism services generate an active development of the traditional cultural landscape. Thus an attractive tourist area can be preserved by the support of the tourist industry itself.

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Project executive

Naturpark Südeifel e.V.

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Participants

30 organisations in a regional development group as a subdivision of the nature park.

Objectives

Preservation of cultural landscape by regional products and services of high quality.

Activities

50 quality criteria for 50 products thereof 35 in trade.

Process

Development of quality critera by the regional development group, cooperation with brand users, implementiation by a private limited company (Eifel Tourism GmbH).

Results

0,3 Mio € turnover in 2005 and 1,0 Mio € turnover in 2006 expected.

Evaluation

Evaluation takes place once a year by an extern institute (Nova in Cologne).

Difficulties

Aquisition of new brand users is difficult.

Financial backer

During the four year implementation phase the project will be completely financed by federal funds (2,5 Mio €). The following seven years will be supported by state funds (Landesmittel) and district funds (Kreismittel). 1,8 Mio € in total will be released decling over the seven years (70% in the first year down to 0% in the last year). From 2012 on self-financing should be ensured by licence income.

Source of information

Competition

Participant at the 2005 Future in the Alps competition

Homepage

http://www.regionalmarke-eifel.de/

Comments

Impact on nature and environment

By saving the competitiveness of farms through environmentally friendly land use the cultural landscape and the diversity of species is preserved.

Economic value added

As a basis of tourism the attractive cultural landscape is preserved. By using the brand “Regionalmarke Eifel” farmers received an added value of 5-15%, manufacturing crafts 10-25%, and tourism 10-20%. For the year 2006 the brand is expected to generate a gross turn-over of 0,3 up to 1 Mio €.

Socio-cultural value added

Preservation of socio-economic structures in rural areas. Farmers can remain farmers. The local and regional supply is guaranteed.

Innovative content

The project achieved the willingness of cooperation between different interest groups. A private limited company (GmbH) consisting of partners in agriculture, trade, craft and tourism has not been imaginable before.

Good governance

The development of the brand's philosophy is settled within the regional development group whereas the implementation is in charge of the Eifel tourism limited company (Eifel Tourismus GmbH). President of the nature park is the district administrator. Another leading person is the president of the farmer’s union. Participants composed of farmers’ unions, chambers of crafts, Eifel Toruismus GmbH, and Naturpark Südeifel, are equal.

PR impact

The project has a wide media presence. Advertisements in all regional newspapers and posters assure a high optical presence in the regioanl market.

Multiplier effect / networking

Networking exist by a regular informal knowlegde exchange of all 30 members of the regional development group. In future they will meet four times a year on symposia. The 30 members from 10 different districts (Landkreise) are multipliers themselves.

Transferability

The principle of brand development is transferable.

Further information