About the Project
The Sustainable Rural Tourism Project was an initiative covering the Nadder Valley Area (all villages to the South of the A303 and north of the A30) and the Chalke Valley (from Salisbury in the east across to Shaftesbury, in the west – a beautiful and largely undiscovered area with over 20 picturesque villages along the Rivers Chalke and Ebble).
Its aims were to work in partnership with a range of visitor related businesses and key organisations to encourage sustainable tourism to the Nadder Valley and Chalke Valley, benefitting rural businesses and the local economy as a whole. It is planned to roll it out across the whole of the National Landscape in the future.
The Project was externally funded through Sowing Seeds, a locally funded programme which aims to support local rural businesses and bring about benefits to local communities.
Why do we need the Project?
The project aims to bring about a number of benefits including encouraging visitors into the area to stay locally, eat locally, explore, enjoy and learn more about this outstanding area, not just simply pass through on their way to somewhere else.
A lot of visitors do not realise that they are actually visiting an National Landscape (National Landscape), how stunning the rural landscape is, and how much there is to see and do. The area offers a fantastic range of quality accommodation, delicious local food/drink, visitor attractions, enchanting villages with thatched roofs, a rich abundance of history, wildlife and natural beauty as well as a range of excellent countryside pursuits such as walking, cycling, horse-riding, picnicking, bird-watching and fishing.
How can the Project Help You?
- Raise your profile by being part of a network of tourism businesses, both locally and further afield
- Help save you money through improved business management and by using local products/services which in turn help support other small businesses
- Give you a green and caring image with the potential for attracting new customers
- Improve the quality of your visitor experience, thereby encouraging repeat business and ‘word of mouth’ promotion
- Help you foster closer working links with your local community
- Ensure the long-term success of your business