Destinations go back to a green future

EU official tells English destination managers to remember Agenda 21

Speaking at the Tourism Management Institute meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse, EU tourism official Mathieu Hoeberigs, said that Agenda 21 – the much-lauded concept for sustainable tourism – is still guiding the industry to a sustainable future.

The agenda, envisages activities to promote of sustainable tourism development and capacity-building to contribute to the strengthening of rural and local communities.

It includes action at all levels to enhance international cooperation, foreign direct investment and partnerships with both private and public sectors, at all levels;

And, from a destination’s point of view, it should "Assist host communities in managing visits to their tourism attractions for their maximum benefit, while ensuring the least negative impacts on and risks for their traditions, culture and environment."

Moreover, a key part of the agenda envisages assistance to destinations to diversify their economic activities, help to access markets and assistance to small and medium enterprises.

The TMI ‘Hot Topic’ conference also featured many destination-related digital opportunities, with presentations about the benefits of social media, e-strategy, digital add-ons, widgets, and customer care journey-mapping.

A key issue to many destinations is the power of the online booking market and the conference was introduced to a digital innovation. Tripetik by Ftima Gonzlez  of the Union Professionnelle Hospitality, Tourism & Commerce . This will be an ethical online B2C co-operative reservation platform, now in development in Belgium, for hotels and restaurants. including management and marketing tools.

Fascinating destination presentations were made by Val Hawkins, Mid Wales Tourism (working on an innovative car-free destination project), Jude Leitch, Northumberland Tourism (who had taken the brave – and successful – decision to take their website and digital marketing in house) James Wood, Visit Liverpool (a public-private tourism organization marketing more events than ever following a fabulously successful ‘European City of Culture’ year) and finally, a round up by Jason Freezer, destinations manager at Visit England.

Valere Tjolle

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