Sustainable Tourism: what perspectives and opportunities for the Regions?
Visit the new PRESERVE website!
Finland : North Ostrobothnia : NP Syöte
Roumanie : Tulcea : MAB Danube Delta
Regions are eager to implement sustainable policies that bring economic, social and environmental development to their communities. Recently tourism has been recognised as a priceless tool to value local initiatives and to promote eco-development. All these initiatives contribute to the communitie's development and may attract visitors, thus bringing economic growth and jobs, which is why the AER has taken it at heart to assist its members in building sustainable tourism practices.
In this context, the AER has developped 4 initiatives:
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AER Webportal for sustainable tourism.
The Webportal aims at promoting efficient strategies of sustainable quality tourism at the regional level.
Documents to download and other links:
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Partnership with the International Bureau for Social Tourism
A partnership convention was signed on 8th November, between Mr Illy (AER) and Mr Tonini (BITS). This agreement will allow both organisations to carry out long-term project together. For more information, please refer to the Convention.
Partnership convention
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Peer Reviews on Sustainable Tourism
Following the AER pilot Peer Reviews on Economic Development carried out in 2006, we are now equipped to carry audits in the the field of tourism, to measure the sustainability of regions' tourism policies and to offer advice for improving these policies.
Peer Review meeting
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PRESERVE Interreg IVC project proposition
The project "Peer Reviews for Sustainable Eco-Regions via Europe" was presented on 15 January 2008. The AER is the lead partner in a consortium with 13 other member regions. For further information, please download the powerpoint presentation on the right.
PRESERVE: project description
Launch of the INTERREG IVG PRESERVE Project
Regions must be careful when developing their cultural heritage strategies, to think in sustainable terms and to use the right indicators, should they want to fully benefit from their tourism assets.
The main objective of PRESERVE is to contribute to an improved effectiveness of regional development policies, specifically of regional policies considering cultural heritage as an endogenous factor of economic development and supporting sustainable tourism. Based on commonly defined methodologies, partners will exchange best practices in the field, mainly through the means of on-site peer reviews and exchange seminars. The project activities will also lead to policy recommendations and holistic regional action plans that reconcile ambitions for modernisation and increased competitiveness with issues of sustainability and preservation of cultural heritage.
For further information, please contact Ms. Céline Dawans, Policy Coordinator: c.dawans@aer.eu, tel: +32 (0)2 421 83 89
Partner Search for a project under the Culture Programme
The Provincia di Perugia (Italy) is preparing a project proposal on Cultural Heritage in Europe under the 2007/2013 Culture Programme (deadline for submission: 1 October 2008). The project «Tobacco workers: Female employment in Europe at the beginning of the 20th Century» aims at preserving and valorising the popular culture that was born and developed with the tobacco industry in Europe.
The Provincia di Perugia is interested in identifying potential partners (local authorities, cultural associations and foundations, public or private bodies, etc.) characterized by a specific local history related to the tobacco industry. The deadline for the identification of partners is August 27.
Further details are available on the following page. For further information you can directly contact : Mrs. Silvia Calabresi silvia.calabresi(at)provincia.perugia.it or Mrs. Rossana Cheri r.cheri(at)upi-tecla.eu from UPI-TECLA european office: Rue du Commerce, 124 1000 Brussels - Belgium. Tel: +32 (0)2 503.51.28 / Fax: +32 (0)2 514.34.55 / www.upi-tecla.eu
CIP - Networks for the competitiveness and sustainability of European Tourism
The overall objective of this call for proposals is to support initiatives of public and private bodies, or their existing networks, to contribute to enhancing the sustainability and competitiveness of European Tourism especially for SMEs, while allowing for wider economic, social and environmental benefits to be gained.
Further information here!
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2nd Plenary meeting of the BITS - 22-24 May - Barcelona (ES)
The 2nd Plenary meeting of the Network of local and regional authorities of social and solidarity tourism and the Mediterranean Seminar on sustainable development and the implications of climate change on the tourism sector took place in Barcelona on 22-24 May.
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International Congres for social tourism, Quebec, 6-9 October 2008
The International Bureau for Social Tourism (BITS) network chose theme of the conference to be "Tourism for development: challenges and new practices". With this event, the BITS seeks to give room to the important initiatives which highlight the principles of social, sustainable and solidary foms of tourism. AER members will benefit from a reduced registration fee by indicating "member or partner of BITS" in the registation form. Invitation, registration form, fees and programme are available on the BITS website.
BITS - 22-24 May - Programme
AER Report
(reserved to AER members, please log-in)
Newsletter August 2008
Newsletter on Tourism - Edition November 2008
This working group is the main support to the AER tourism activities. It is chaired by Thomas Carlsson, Tourism Manager, Västerbotten, Sweden.
Please log in to access the minutes of the last meetings and the agenda of the next one.
Draft minutes of the next meeting, Linz, Upper-Austria (28/10/2008)
Draft minutes of the Lillehammer meeting: 28 February 2008
Terms of reference of the new AER network for sustainable and social tourism
Description of the PRESERVE Project
Proposal for concrete joint projects with BITS
Minutes of previous meetings
Minutes working group on tourism: 20 September 2007, Kazan
Minutes working group on tourism: 21 March 2007, Amaro
AER Reaction to the EU draft guidelines for tourism
Following a call for reactions to the EC draft guidelines of the renewed EU Tourism policy, presented by Mr Commissioner Günther VERHEUGEN in October 2005, the AER has produced a position, which was sent to the European Commission.
EC draft guidelines of the renewed EU Tourism policy
AER reaction to the EC draft guidelines for tourism
Conclusions of AER Seminars on tourism
(see below)
3rd AER Seminar on quality tourism: the problem of seasonality? Which impact and which solutions? Are, Jamtland, 10-12 March 2005
Proceedings available here!
2nd AER Conference on Sustainable Quality tourism 'Linking quality and distinctiveness', Exeter, Devon, 25-26 March 2004
You can find a presentation of the Conference and all outcomes here.
1st AER Seminar on Sustainable tourism on 26-27 June 2003 in Istra
Final Conclusions of the seminar and list of participants available here.
If you want more information on this group or its initiatives, please contact the AER General Secretariat:
Ms Agnès Ciccarone, a.ciccarone(at)aer.eu, tel: +33 (0)3 88 22 74 37
Mrs Estelle Delangle, e.delangle@aer.eu tel: +33 (0)3 88 22 74 38
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The AER on DG Enterprise & Industry website
The AER's sustainable tourism page is referenced on the tourism section of the European Commission's DG Enterprise & Industry page under "useful links"
DG Enterprise and Industry - Tourism
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