Wonderwood Challenge 2025 - II edition

The Wonderwood challenge 2025 is proposed by the University of Eastern Piedmont (UPO), under the scientific responsibility of Professor Stefania Cerutti.

Students from two courses will participate:
- Tourism Geography Laboratory (DISUM UPO) Professor Cerutti
- Landscape, Tourism, Sustainability (DISSTE UPO) Professor Cerutti and Professor Benetti

The challenge, which is also aimed at students from the University of Insubria of the Tourism Business Marketing course held by Professor Roberta Minazzi, will take place at an innovative Piedmontese facility: the Wonderwood Park.

The park, located a few km from the lakeside town of Cannero Riviera, has been offering a different and diversified use of the mountain area behind Lake Maggiore since 2019, aiming at family-friendly, outdoor, slow and sustainable tourism. Founder and manager of the management company Dr. Massimiliano Freddi.

The aim of the Challenge is to involve students in identifying possible destination management and marketing strategies aimed at making Wonderwood the gateway for mountain tourism in the lake area of ​​north-eastern Piedmont, starting from Lake Maggiore and involving Lake Mergozzo and Lake Orta. A particular focus will be on the Terre Alte, marking the border between Lake Maggiore and the Val Grande national park.

PHASES
1. INTRODUCTORY PHASE: students are trained at their universities on the reality of the Wonderwood Park and the aims of the challenge; this is an activity carried out in the classroom, with the presence of the teachers involved and the Park representative Dr. Freddi. UPO VERCELLI 10 MARCH 2025

2. EXPLORATION AND CONTACT PHASE: students are accompanied to the Wonderwood Park with a dedicated coach; at the facility they will be able to visit the immediate surroundings, map the existing tourist attractions, better understand the mix of attractions of the park and start brainstorming on potential developments. UPO and UNINSUBRIA 6 MAY 2025

3. PROCESSING PHASE: students are divided into work groups/teams; the content of the challenge and therefore the project required of them will be detailed.

4. RETURN PHASE
The projects will consist of presentations accompanied by any attachments/insights. The documents will be both presented de visu and delivered via PDF. Materials such as videos, printed materials, etc. can be used in support.

5. EVALUATION PHASE AND IDENTIFICATION OF THE WINNING SOLUTION
At the end of these phases, and of the activities that fall within them, the Wonderwood park team will select a winning project. In addition, a press release will be issued with the main learnings of the initiative and the key points identified by the winning group. UPO VERCELLI 17 JUNE 2025