Concept for A Journey to Yourself
The promo video shows the Curonian Spit all year around, and invites people to enjoy its nature in a sustainable way. By means of a few main characters in the film, visitors are invited to get to know the UNESCO World Heritage site through the eyes of storytellers.
In 2000, the Curonian Spit cultural landscape was inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage List. Humans have populated this sandy peninsula since prehistoric times. Throughout this period it has been threatened by the natural forces of wind and waves. Its survival to the present day is a result of ceaseless human efforts such as continuing dunes stabilization and reforestation projects.
Curonian Spit National park administration is the main institution responsible for the Curonian Spit protection and maintenance of the cultural landscape elements.
One of the Curonian Spit National park administration responsibilities is to promote and actualize information about OUV of the Curonian Spit as a World Heritage site. Curonian Spit national park often represents the site in various international conferences and meetings and very often faces a challenge to show representative videos of the site and its all-year beauty.
Despite a few videos on youtube or some thematic ones, oriented only to one theme (usually on the nature), there is no video, that could represent the Curonian Spit as a UNESCO Heritage site and its values. The only movie, which was created especially for the Curonian Spit before inscription into UNESCO WH list is outdated (Klajojančio smėlio kraštas ir Jūros dukra) and doesn't fulfill quality requirements.
Another problem is that, in different media, Curonian Spit is mostly represented as a summer destination.
Development Process
The Product has been developed during the implementation of the project DUNC. We had a consultation with Gediminas Tamulynas who often works with films about protected areas in Lithuania. His company – Wide wings – gave a consultation on what a promo video could look like.
Wide wings is a creative studio of professional video storytellers, their movies are based on documentary style, animated explainers, 360° virtual and augmented reality content for products and services, so they have enough experience to cooperate with us as an external expertise.
Stakeholders
Local stakeholders from tourism and cultural heritage sectors such as Tourism and Culture Information Center Agila, Neringa museums, Liudvikas Rėza Culture Center in Juodkrantė have been involved in the script writing.
The Product
The product main idea is to show the Curonian Spit OUV all year round.
The main product specification
- Duration 3-5 minutes.
- Should tell a story, bring message "Curonian Spit is worth visiting in all seasons".
- Filmed all four seasons, especially focused on spring, autumn and winter.
- The storyteller should talk in the national language with English subtitles.
- Must be included not only natural, but cultural heritage as well.
- Should show the community daily-life, traditional living.
- Should promote outdoor, sustainable activities during off-season.
- Should bring a message - Curonian Spit is UNESCO heritage site. (At the beginning of the video such text as "welcome to the WHS and we are inviting you to see what you can do here….", UNESCO label in the end.
This promo video can be placed on internet sites, be used in different events as background, maybe in public places (transport or etc.), definitely should be used in national and international meetings.
Sustainability
One of the problems is a very short season. For several decades we have tried to extend it. Such a product is intented to be an attractive promotion tool to invite people to see the UNESCO Heritage site in off-season time. The promo video will encourage responsible behaviour in nature, sustainable travelling or free-time activities.
Evaluation
The Curonian Spit released one video and 5 short teasers.
CSNPA made a marketing campaign in the social media channels Youtube, Instagram and Facebook. 170 420 people were reached only in the first month after the release of the video. 13 003 people shared, commented or watched it till the end.
These results show that this product was rather successful.
Costs
The cost for the promo video was approximately 10 000 euros.
Relevance to Other Sites
A promotional video which shows the site in different seasons is beneficial to other sites who want to spread out the tourist season to the off peak seasons.
This product can represent the Curonian Spit and be shown at other world heritage sites in the Baltic Region.
For our Associated partners, Kurshkoja Kosa national park, this product is extremely relevant for showing one united site, not only one part of UNESCO.
A Journey to Yourself and the Global Goals
A Journey to Yourself has contributed to the Global Goals targets 8.9 Promote Beneficial and Sustainable Tourism and 11.4 Protect the World’s Cultural and Natural Heritage.
