Overview

1. Draft Agora Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region- Friday, September 7, 2007Wolfgang GüntherInstitute for Tourism Research in Northern Europe, N.I.T.,Kielwww.nit-kiel.dewww.agora-tourism.net

2. Overview Intention of this meeting About agora Development of the agora Strategy Contents of the strategy Work ahead

3. Intention of this meeting • Introduce the agora Strategy • Discussion: • - Which activities do you run at the moment? • - How do your activities fit to our strategy? • - How we can link and coordinate our approach with your activities in order to join forces? • Identification of the 10 most important (relevant, urgent, feasible) activities for the next two years • Draft work plans for their implementation • Discussion on future cooperation on Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region

4. Project backgroundThe agenda 21 for the Baltic Sea Region, Baltic 21InitiatorsBaltic 21 Tourism Task Force (TOUTF) Members: Representatives national tourism authorities and associations from all over the BSR as well as from international organisation.

5. agora project idea • Compile and integrate knowledge & experiences on sustainable tourism in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) • Make it accessible for the tourism development in the BSR and Europe • Strengthen the competence and capacity of tourism stakeholder in the BSR and join there forces in a common network • Develop a strategy for sustainable tourism development in the BSR

6. Pan-Baltic approach 44 partners from 10 BSR states involved! BELARUS DENMARK FINLAND ESTONIA GERMANY LATVIA LITHUANIA POLAND RUSSIA SWEDEN Lead Partner:University of Greifswald, GERMANYProf. Dr. Wilhelm SteingrubeHead of the Institute of Geography and Geology

7. agora Strategy Factory:Development process of the agora strategy Adoption of a work plan (September 05) SWOT Identification of objectives and aims Adoption of terms of reference for the strategy development Mandate for a Drafting Group Discussion and improvement of the draft Communication and implementation

8. Vision Baltic 21 Common Vision of a Baltic Sea Eco-RegionStrategy:Target orientated, focused action plan for sustainable tourism development in the Baltic Sea Region Focus on selected aspects of strategic importance and activities which are relevant, feasible and effective from the Strategy Factory’s point of view.

9. Starting points Baltic 21 Tourism Task Force Baltic 21 Tourism Sector Report 7/98 Three main overarching objectives UN Task Force Sustainable Tourism 12 aims for Sustainable Tourism (2005) EU Tourism Sustainability Group Report: Action for More Sustainable European Tourism (2007)

10. Objectives … Baltic 21 Tourism Sector Report 7/98  To sustain a sound environment, safeguarding the recreational quality of natural and man-made landscape and integrating natural, cultural and human environments; To promote and sustain the competitive quality and efficiency of the tourism business; To create satisfactory social conditions for tourists and the local population.

11. … andaims 12 Aims for Sustainable Tourism Ex: “Making Tourism More Sustainable“ A guide for policy makers, UNWTO/UNEP, 2005

12. Terms of reference for the agora strategy  take into account and make use of existing approaches promoting sustainable tourism (BSR, EU, worldwide) and the Baltic 21 Common Vision of a Baltic Sea Eco-Region;  be short, simple and easy to communicate;  focus on aspects of strategic importance;  give concrete and feasible recommendations;  have a clear profile and message;  consider the practitioner’s perspective; and  include a communication strategy and an evaluation procedure.

13. Drafting Group for the agora Strategy Aiga Petkevica (Ministry of Economics, LV) Bjarne Rasmussen (Region Sjaelland, DK) Christa Morawa (Federal Environmenmtal Agency, D) Zivile Eteviciute (Thomas Mann Centre, LIT) Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Steingrube (University of Greifswald, D) Assisted by: Wolfgang Guenther (Institute for Tourism Research in Northern Europe, D)

14. Strategy for sustainable tourism development in the Baltic Sea Region Focused on five fields of action: • Policy for Sustainable Tourism • Knowledge & Competence Development • Product Innovation and Marketing • Destination development • Cooperation and networking for each field: Key aspects & recommended activities plus: Recommendations for involvement and implementation 

15. Examples of key aspects (1) Policy for sustainable tourism  Economic, ecological and social costs of tourism products and public as well as private policies have to be visible and comparable for the customer and the public.  Financial support by public authorities and private institutions for tourism projects should be dependent on passing an ambitious sustainability check.  Baltic Sea tourism needs to prepare for coping with future challenges like global competition, demographic development and climate change internationally as well as on national and destination level.

16. Examples of key aspects (2) Knowledge and competence development  Sustainability has to become a key issue intourism education at schools, universities and in business trainings.  Tourism competence clusters and knowledge networks should be identified or initiated and used as a stimulating environment for knowledge building and effective use of existing resources.

17. Examples of key aspects (3) Innovation and product development  More sustainable tourism products should be developed. They should make use of Baltic natural and cultural assets, offer high quality experiences rather than only services and contribute to a Baltic Sea Region branding.  A stringent customer orientation and coordinated market research in product development is crucial.  Professional innovation systems, IT and e- media solutions have to be employed.

18. Examples of key aspects (4) Destination development  Tourism development should be linked to Local Agenda 21 processes, respecting local communities as well as cultural and natural values.  Synergies of rural-urban tourism cooperation should be exploited.  A pan-Baltic project on sustainable destination development with a limited number of case studies should generate transferable models for other destinations in the region.

19. Examples of key aspects (5) Cooperation and networking  Networks of excellence and strategic alliances in sustainable tourism on provider, tour operator and destination level should strengthen the competitiveness of Baltic Sea tourism.  The significance of sustainable development in existing tourism networks has to be fostered.  People-public-private-partnerships should be employed to implement the participatory approach of sustainable development.

20. Involvement and Implementation Broad involvement of key stakeholders and decision-makers in tourism development in the Baltic Sea Region – expressively including the local level - is needed. We would like to and have to join forces with all other stakeholders interested in a Sustainable Tourism Development in the BSR Implementation requires a responsible coordinating body. Proposal: Baltic 21 Tourism Task Force

21. Still work ahead • High dependence on TOUTF resources • No time schedule • No clear budget • Not well known yet Here we need your advice and cooperation!

22. Thank you!

23. Discussion - Which activities do you run at the moment? - How do your activities fit to our strategy? - How we can link and coordinate our approach with your activities in order to join forces?