“In the postcovid era we can ensure that people and their way of life do not disappear”
Pedro Aizpun, founder and CEO of a{2} hde
Monday,
24
may
2021
–
01:05
This entrepreneur has proposed from his company, to{2H}of, to value the rural and demonstrate that life in a village is not at all a retreat. On the contrary, more possibilities arise because rural is fashionable. The time has come to combat the phenomenon of empty Spain.
Pedro Aizpun, founder of a{2h}of.
The Rural Spain it is the authentic, our roots, our origins. They are territories that have incalculable resources in terms of heritage natural, cultural and human. Today, many of these territories are being depopulated. Others innovate and bet on attracting talent in the form of people, jobs and future. But how to attract people? How to attract projects? How can these areas be provided with services?
Peter Aizpun (Talavera de la Reina, 1974) wanted to answer all these questions and design a present and a future for rural environments. When five years ago he traveled to his native Talavera for a family matter, he realized “the potential that these destinies have, nearby paradises two-hours-from, which are apparently not relevant to tourism but have enough resources to make that proximity tourism a tool for Sustainable Development”.
And founded To{2h}from, projects tailored to each territory in which it connects institutions, professionals and inhabitants of the area to create new tourist products and promote them in media and social networks. “We are currently working in Castilla-La Mancha to Mezzanines, northwest of the province of Ciudad Real. A destination of nature of reference that has Cabañeros, the Archaeological Park of Alarcos and many surprises two hours from Madrid. In Extremadura we started a project called Ik itinerary that integrates the gastronomy and the figure of Charles V with the territory through the producers, the DO and the cooks. In Covarrubias we are designing a contemporary cultural destination that generates a call effect for people who want to come to live in a village and participate in an initiative of ecological gardens against depopulation.”
From Malasaña to a village in Burgos
It is in Covarrubias that Aizpun has established his residence. Because he not only preaches, but sets an example. Less than a year ago he moved from Madrid neighborhood of Malasaña to this village of Burgos. “It was a decision I had in mind for a long time and when the company came up with the possibility of carrying out a project in this town, I did not hesitate and moved. The idea is live, Know, Learn, participate and tell the experience first hand and do it from the village, not from the city. In{2H}from we work from and for the people, it is a matter of coherence that we settle into one.”
What if I had to define in one word the experience of living in a village? “Stimulating“, he says emphatically. “It’s been a very positive experience both personally and professionally, it’s not a retreat at all., nor do I have the feeling of giving up anything, on the contrary, more possibilities arise. What rural is fashionable and there is an effervescence in terms of projects, the moment is now and we have to take advantage of it to do things well.”
But is living in the village better or just different? Aizpun is clear. “In my case it is being best. It improves the quality of life, is healthier, more economical, a more direct contact with the people and nature… Of course, in a{2h}of we think that we must try it before you decide and create a bond with the place so you don’t get unpleasant surprises afterwards.”
BAD PRACTICES AND OUTDATED MODEL
Founder and CEO of a{2h} de, Aizpun did not have it easy in the beginning, despite having previous experience in sustainability and social innovation in sectors as diverse as textiles and tourist rental: “five years ago we talked about sustainability, rural Development, social Innovation… it was not easy when it came to tourism. We came from a clear drop in what the perception of rural tourism referred to by bad practices and a model that was beginning to be out of date.”
Another concept that Aizpun tries to combat is that of the Emptied Spain. “It is still our roots and has exceptional resources, very usable if managed well”, he declares before apostilling: “back to connect with all this always has its charm and if in addition to enjoying it as a traveler we get that connection to come back and stay to live, we are meeting the goal of halting and reversing that problem.”
According to his experience, there are three profiles of people moving their residence from the city to the countryside: entrepreneur who want a change; family who seek higher quality of life at a more affordable price; and older persons who long for a quieter life in the village to pursue their hobbies.
TELECOMMUTING AND PANDEMIC
The pandemic, of course, has contributed the most to the transition from the city to rural areas. “Now we have the option of teleworking that allows the transition to be more fluid and less traumatic because you don’t have to quit your current job, you can move to another place and continue with your profession,” says Aizpun.
Everything that is happening with the pandemic ” makes many things rethink and I believe that a sustainable proximity tourism and responsible as a tool for rural Development, which is what we propose from a{2h} de, has now its moment of relevance”, confesses Aizpun.
“Scenario postcovid it is yet to be known, I trust that you can recover the good of the above and above all improve what we were doing wrong. I am optimistic and I believe that, with the necessary governance, the impulse of entrepreneurs and the support of institutions, it can be possible to stop and turn the situation around to get village and their way of life don’t disappear“, concludes Aizpun.
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