LEADER Slow Trips Project Closing Celebrated in Guttland

The Guttland Regional Tourism Office (Office Régional du Tourisme Guttland) announced that the closing ceremony of the transnational LEADER Slow Trips project took place on Wednesday 17 April 2024 at the Thillenvogtei Museum in Rindschleiden.

The ceremony was held in the presence of Luxembourg’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture, Martine Hansen, under the slogan “Slow Travel Experience – Land of Meetings”. After several years of work, this closure marked the end of a “successful project” and the beginning of a new era for soft tourism in the Guttland region, according to the regional tourism office.

“Slow Trips” is a cross-border cooperation project as part of the European LEADER initiative, aiming to establish an alternative travel offer based on the values of authenticity, sustainability and promotion of rural development.

The project aims to encourage the emerging trend of participatory and sustainable tourism with a focus on discovering and experiencing everyday local culture. Thanks to “Slow Trips”, travellers can gain in-depth insights into the environment of locals and participate in their daily lives.

The transnational collaboration between the ten partner LEADER regions from six European countries (Italy, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Lithuania and Sweden) focused on three key phases – the development of the “Slow Trips” brand with a definition of common values, the development of slow trip offers and the promotion of these innovative and sustainable tourist experiences.

During the closing ceremony, regional partners of the Guttland Regional Tourist Office were able to to participate in various activities, including the drill session and a trip down memory lane to the Thillevogtei Museum, where they experienced a school lesson from a bygone era. Various players in Slow Trips offers were present with stands, notably the “Aulebäcker” of Nospelt with the famous Péckvillchen, as well as regional beer and Drëpp (Schnapps) producers. The ceremony was enriched with surprise performances such as the intervention of customs officials, known from the Slow Trip “Smugglers’ Night” in Beckerich.

Since its launch in 2018, the Slow Trips project has made considerable progress, the regional tourism office noted. Currently, ten Slow Trips exist in the Guttland region, making it possible to discover the daily culture of the region with all senses. The international “Slow Trips” network aims to continue to develop in the years to come.