Brussels set for sustainable destinations meet

European destination managers learn to promote sustainable tourism

European Commission’s new initiative helps destination managers promote sustainability and accessibility in Europe’s touristic regions.

The initiative also foresees the first sustainable and accessible tourism awards to be presented to best practice destinations in late March.

Leading experts from the European Commission, the UNWTO, the European Environmental Agency, the European Network for Accessible Tourism and many national/regional tourist boards and tourism destination managers will assemble for a full-day conference on Managing and Promoting Sustainable and Accessible Tourism this week.

The European Commission is committed to ensuring that the tourism sector thrives in a way that is sustainable for local communities and businesses while at the same time providing an improved and more diverse visitor experience.

In 2013, the European Commission launched the European Tourism Indicator System (ETIS), available for free to all destinations, in order to assess their sustainability and accessibility performance.

Over 200 destinations have been engaged on voluntary basis, testing ETIS between 2013 and 2014 and on 28^th January, best practice examples and results will be shared.

In particular, the conference is set to provide an occasion to hear first-hand accounts on the ETIS assessment from the destinations involved, including representatives from Spain, the Netherlands, France, Montenegro, United Kingdom, Slovenia and the Bulgarian Danube Region, as well as from the Italian urban destination network of Rome, Milano, Florence and Venice.

The conference will also put a specific focus on accessible tourism. Attendees will be able to explore this issue in depth in an interactive World style seminar.

Key speakers are: Carlo Corazza, Head of the Tourism, Emerging and Creative Industries Unit, DG GROW, European Commission;  Dr. Dirk Glaesser, Director Sustainable Development of Tourism, UNWTO; Stefano Dominioni, Director of European Institute of Cultural Routes, Council of Europe; Ivor Ambrose, Managing Director, European Network for Accessible Tourism ENAT; Roberto Vitali, Founder, Village4All and Ignace Schops, President of EUROPARC Federation

Organisations represented include: Global Sustainable Tourism Council GSTC, NECSTOUR, ACCESSTOUR, Visit England, South Limburg Tourist Board, Anglia Ruskin University, City of Milano, Birmingham City Region, LABturisme Barcelona, Tourism Board Podgorica.

The agenda and other information is available HERE

Valere Tjolle

@ValereTjolle [email protected]