SUMMER SCHOOLS

The BIP brought together 30 students from different European countries to explore literary, film, and wine tourism through an interdisciplinary and experiential learning approach. Based in Brežice, the programme examined how literature, film, cultural heritage, local identity, and wine traditions contribute to destination development and tourism storytelling. Through lectures, workshops, field visits, guided tours, and discussions with local stakeholders, students investigated how places are represented, interpreted, and communicated to visitors.

Participants worked with concepts of storytelling, destination interpretation, heritage communication, and tourism marketing while engaging directly with cultural institutions, tourism organisations, and local communities. The programme combined physical activities with online lectures delivered by international experts, offering diverse perspectives on literary tourism, travel writing, cultural heritage, storytelling, and destination communication. Virtual guided tours further demonstrated how narratives shape visitor experiences in both physical and digital environments.

A key outcome of the programme was the creation of students’ own stories inspired by places, people, cultural heritage, and tourism experiences encountered during the summer school. Through observation, research, creative writing, reflection, and feedback, participants developed original narratives while strengthening their communication, critical thinking, and intercultural competencies. The programme also resulted in the development of the handbook Cultural Heritage Communication, extending the educational impact of the summer school beyond the duration of the programme.