Networking Agreement between the Municipality of Aristotle and the Municipality of Ajaccio, Corsica

School exchanges, gastronomy, wine tourism, culture, are the fields of cooperation envisaged by the Networking Agreement signed in Ierissos between the Municipality of Aristotle, Chalkidiki and the Municipality of Ajaccio, Corsica. The initiative completed the Municipality's tourism approach to Corsica that began in April 2022 within the framework of the implementation of the program titled "green Mediterranean islands on the same geographical parallel".

The self-governing mission of the Municipality of Ajaccio, consisting of Mr. Simone Guerrini, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Cultural Heritage, Ms. Rose-Marie Ottavy Sarrola, Deputy Mayor for School Affairs, Ms. Sylvia Hugon, Public Relations Manager, Mr. Christelle Combette, Deputy Mayor for Tourism & President of the Ajaccio Tourism Organization, made a 4-day visit to the region in order to understand its product offering. The reception of the group at the Agia Paraskevi Grove in Arnea was accompanied by a meal - a demonstration of the use of local products: the black pig of Varvara, wines / feta / yogurt of Arnea and olive oil of Gomati, monopolized the interest of the French, who made particularly flattering comments about the products recognized with a Local Quality Label.

Pilgrimage cruises, diving activities related to cultural wine tourism, visits to archaeological sites, guided tours of local mussel farms and gastronomic demonstrations framed the axis of the 4-day tour. During the visit, the Corsicans presented Ajaccio as a school holiday/excursion destination. At the same time, they received a proposal from the Municipality of Aristotle, which defines Eastern Chalkidiki as a corresponding destination in Ajaccio.

This proposal will be promoted in Corsica by the local tourism organization Ollandini in collaboration with travel agents from Chalkidiki and Thessaloniki. Among other things, the cooperation agreement provides for the creation of an imaginary sea route, which will connect Eastern Chalkidiki with Ajaccio. The agreement stipulates that educational programs, as well as gastronomy, wine tourism and culture programs will be developed along the route. The first stage of the partnership of the memorandum was agreed to be the visit of the Mayor of Ajaccio to Eastern Chalkidiki during KOUZINA 2023, who will be accompanied by Corsican travel agents and local chefs. A social media campaign to promote the school holidays will precede, targeting the Mediterranean island’s students.

“By gradually implementing a very strong commitment to the targeted attraction of new and robust tourist markets in Eastern Chalkidiki, the Municipality of Aristotle is setting the promotional bar higher and higher, activating all the methods of modern tourist marketing”, the Mayor of Aristotle, Mr. Stelios Valianos pointed out. “In the case of experiential familiarization trips, which strengthen the overall promotional process, the dynamics of the Municipality’s Professional Partnership operate exemplary, forming small or large production nuclei of a particularly serious tourism project for the Municipality.”