Wadden Sea Board. WSB March 2016 Leeuwarden. Report Task Group Sustainable Tourism Strategy

Transcription

1 Agenda Item: 5.1 Wadden Sea Board WSB March 2016 Leeuwarden Subject: Report Task Group Sustainable Tourism Strategy Document No. WSB 17/5.1/5 Date: 14 June 2016 Submitted by: Chairman TG-STS Attached is the progress report of the Task Group Sustainable Tourism Strategy (TG-STS) Proposal The WSB is invited to endorse or comment as appropriate on the progress report.

2 WSB 17/5.1/5 Progress Report TG-STS page 2 Task Group Sustainable Tourism Strategy (TG-STS) Report to WSB-17 Chair / Secretariat: Oeds Bijlsma / Harald Marencic, Anja Domnick Meeting: TG-STS 16: St. Peter-Ording, 2-3 June Coordination of tourism and marketing projects The TG-STS discussed the coordination of the ongoing and planned Wadden Sea projects implementing the Sustainable Tourism Strategy and Action Plan in the Wadden Sea World Heritage Destination. This covered: a. The Waddenagenda, Interreg VA Deutschland-Nederland, October 2015 December 2018, lead partner: Ostfriesland Tourismus GmbH (budget 2.6 Mio ), implements main parts of the Trilateral Tourism Strategy and Action Plan (13 work packages). Project partners are members of the Dutch World Heritage Kerngroep and the Lower Saxon AG Weltnaturerbe. b. Interreg VA Denmark-Schleswig-Holstein: submission of an application in June 2016, start planned in January Development of nature experience offers including cycling and hiking, qualification of bird watching guides, and training of tourism entrepreneurs. c. Schleswig-Holstein: ITI project (ERDF co-financed), application process ongoing, earliest starting date spring Enhance visibility of World Heritage (extension of visitor information system BIS, new edition of WH columns, sign posts), media products, market research. The TG-STS underlined the importance of exchanging information about regional activities, in order to make use of synergies and to exchange experience and results. Therefore, the TG-STS will act as a coordination platform for all tourism projects related to World Heritage. 2. Sustainable Tourism Strategy and Action Plan The TG-STS took stock of the implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan. A number of activities have already been carried out or finalized in the framework of the PROWAD project, whereas other actions are still ongoing or being carried out at the regional level. In Denmark, the focus is on the development of a World Heritage strategy and action plan for the Danish Wadden Sea National Park. A National Park Communication Plan will be launched in June 2016, and the National Park Partner Programme will be re-arranged.

3 WSB 17/5.1/5 Progress Report TG-STS page 3 In the Netherlands and Lower Saxony, a feasibility study is being prepared about ways to develop and market a transnational hiking path along the Wadden Sea coast (using the existing signposts along the E9). Having in mind a possible extension to the entire Wadden Sea World Heritage, this experience will be shared with partners in Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark to discuss possibilities. To note 3. ITB Berlin 2017 (8-12 March 2017) The TG-STS acknowledged the successful presentation of the Wadden Sea World Heritage at the International Tourism Fair (ITB) in Berlin (9 13 March 2016), in cooperation with tourism organizations, the UNESCO World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Programme, the UNESCO WH Review Magazine, and the German World Heritage site Messel Pit. This new concept of a platform for different organizations, international specialists and local entrepreneurs, was awarded the third prize in the category Travel Support & Media of the Best Exhibitor Awards ITB Berlin (among 10,000 exhibitors). The TG-STS suggested to attend the ITB 2017, building on the successful concept. For the ITB 2017, a discussion area with a small stage and various counter spaces is being planned. The program and participation for 2017 will be developed based on the proven successful trade show pavilion concept with the possibilities to use additional exhibition space. The UNESCO Tourism Programme as well as the World Heritage Magazine already expressed their interest in participating again as sub-exhibitors at the ITB It is intended to also invite other partners from the World Heritage Network, such as the Marine Programme. The official partner country of the ITB 2017 is Botswana. This is an opportunity for integrating and promoting the Flyway Initiative with West African countries into our ITB presentation. Using birds and bird-related themes as ambassadors for the World Heritage Idea could be the central idea for our participation at the ITB The concept will again include activities at the ITB congress (high-level discussion panels), master class, presentations, partner and press meetings, social events during the first three days (trade visitor days), and sponsored activities by local Wadden Sea stakeholders, providing them with an opportunity to present their products during the last two days, when the ITB opens its doors for the general public. To agree to the participation of the Wadden Sea at the ITB 2017 and to task TG-STS with the further elaboration of the concept, programme and budget by 15 September 2016 for approval by WSB 18.

4 WSB 17/5.1/5 Progress Report TG-STS page 4 4. Business Cooperation Programme The TG-STS invited tourism entrepreneurs from all three countries to present their experience with the use of the logo, the opportunities to get engaged, and the ways to develop ownership and identification with the World Heritage brand. At the TG-STS meeting, a presentation was given by Ms Andrea Boyer of the Kurzentrum Godetied in Büsum, which is a partner of the Schleswig-Holstein National Park programme. She underlined the advantages of the programme, which allows businesses to show their commitment to the protection of nature as a basis for their commercial activities. The network of National Park partners also helps entrepreneurs to improve their performance on the market. She also suggested exchanging information with entrepreneurs in Denmark and the Netherlands. The TG-STS concluded that a business cooperation programme would offer many opportunities to enhance the protection of the OUV and at the same time to provide benefits for entrepreneurs through sustainable development. Further aims could be to enhance the awareness of nature values and to engage business partners in the protection of the fragile nature of the Wadden Sea. The TG-STS emphasized the inclusiveness of the World Heritage concept inviting all stakeholders to engage with the overall aim of the WH status in protecting the OUV. The TG-STS regarded an active involvement of tourism stakeholders in the development of a World Heritage business cooperation programme as necessary in order to create ownership and benefits. The development of a business cooperation programme should be aligned with the envisaged establishment of a Wadden Sea World Heritage Partnership Center. To note and consider the comments of the TG-STS in the further preparation of a WH partnership programme as proposed by the joint meeting of TG-WG and TG- STS. 5. QSR chapter on Tourism and Recreation The TG-STS noted the final draft of the QSR 2016 chapter on Tourism and Recreation prepared by a Danish-Dutch-German consortium and financed by the Dutch Wadden Academie. The report analysed the most recent tourism figures and compared it with the results of the QSR As expected, there was no accelerated increase of the number of visitors as a result of the World Heritage status. This can be explained by the fact that the Wadden Sea was already a prominent tourism destination before.

5 WSB 17/5.1/5 Progress Report TG-STS page 5 At the same time, the interest in the Wadden Sea Word Heritage among visitors and the ways to experience the OUV have increased since the inscription in 2009 (PROWAD visitor survey at the German Wadden Sea 2013). Almost every visitor to the German Wadden Sea is aware of its status as a World Heritage site. For about 33% of the visitors, World Heritage is a (very) important factor in deciding to visit the region, and for almost half of the visitors, the protection of the Wadden Sea by national parks is a (very) important reason for selecting the destination. The QSR revealed again that collecting and measuring tourism data for the Wadden Sea World Heritage area is a challenging task. Due to the different administrative regulations in the three countries, transnational statistics on tourism, even for basic figures like the number of overnight stays, lack a common, uniform data basis. Therefore, the development of joint methodology to monitor and assess tourism impacts on nature and socio-economic values would help to support planning and sustainable development. The QSR report also recommended conducting transnational surveys among visitors and representatives of the local tourism industry. To note 6. Next TG-STS Meetings The next meeting is scheduled on 6 7 October 2016 in Lower Saxony.