Destination Management for Small Capital Of culture

Transcription

1 Project : Destination Management for Small Capital Of cultre

2 Project : Destination Mnagement for Small Capital Of cultre CONTENTS Introdction Backgrond Project partners Aims Destination Managements The Methodological Framework Destination Manager Profile Destination Manager Job Description Cltral resorces Website Conclsions of the - PHOTOGallery

3 Introdction Torism in Erope is often managed in terms of torism destinations or throgh single destination marketing schemes. Whilst this model can be and is sccessfl in the short term, in order to sstain the attractiveness of a destination in the longer term, a more holistic integrated rban management approach, is reqired. It is this in-depth nderstanding that can allow destination management to improve the qality of visitors experience and keep smaller towns and larger cities competitive in the market. In order to attract heritage-focsed torists, town and city centres need professional managers with an in-depth nderstanding and competencies in the varios mlti-faceted and overlapping aspects of place management to manage cities in an integrated strategic fashion (for example, as Capitals of Cltre or working towards the Eropean Heritage Label). Project : destination management for Small Capital Of cultre () aims to identify professional managers, especially in pblic administration and Town Centre Management partnerships, to stdy their professional profile, their competences, and skills. In doing so, the hopes to promote a holistic, strategic approach to destination management in order to create flfilling and athentic visitor experiences and promote sstainable torism best practice. Sweden, partner 8, has compiled the reslts of the work of each partner, which is presented in this pamphlet. Backgrond It s necessary to respond to the new needs of today s consmer, searching for its own identity and greater involvement in the territory s experience throgh the prchase of a prodct or a service where the prodct itself is an experience. The sccess of this prodct depends on the consmer experience it creates. This is the experience economy. When this prodct is a town or city centre, the consmer experience is directly affected by the ability, competence and skill of town centre managers and the organization and methods they se to manage complex rban environments that are fndamental in sstaining their attractiveness for torists. Today, it is difficlt for local administrations and stakeholders to achieve this withot gidelines, balancing short term interventions and long term strategies. Over the last decade, the torism market has changed dramatically. In particlar, today, the se of the internet (inclding social networks) for the promotion of destinations has become commonplace. New, or at least pdated, models for the management of torism in a town, region or national level are therefore essential. 3

4 For these reasons, in some Eropean contries (e.g. UK, Sweden), there are specialized Destination Partnerships based on a pool of expert professionals (with specific competences and skills), set p in town and city centres to respond more effectively to their needs and to ensre they maintain a pivotal role in local torist development. The reslt is a joint strategic vision with integrated management of varios torism marketing activities implemented at local level, whilst spported by testing and analysis of visitor satisfaction levels that help to refine long-term initiatives offering qalitative and targeted marketing accompanied by international promotion campaigns. The aims to fill gaps in knowledge with regards to the necessary skills and competences of professional managers involved in torism in smaller towns and larger cities. Project Partners Partner 1 Partner 2 Partner 3 Partner 4 Partner 5 Partner 6 Partner 7 Partner 8 Partner 9 Partner 10 Partner 11 Mentore Centro di Assistenza Tecnica & Formazione professionale di Confcommercio Toscana scarl (Italy) Associazione Laboratorio Gestione Centro Citta (Italy) Association of Town and City Management (UK) Regional Chamber of Commerce of Central Bohemia (Czech Repblic) Universitatea Politehnica Din Timisoara (Romania) Fndacja Uniwersytet Ekonomicznego w Krakowie (Poland) OKUL YÖNETICILERI DERNEGI (Trkey) Svenska Stadskärnor (Sweden) Czech It Institte for Strategic Stdies on Torism (Czech Repblic) VCT ENDYSI (Greece) Ayntamiento de Vila-real (Spain) Throghot the, partners have worked together and ndertaken international stdy tors. Roles and responsibilities were otlined at the initial meeting. However, some partners have nfortnately been nable to maintain their inpt into the. Their fnctions were absorbed by other partners. In total, Partners 1, 2, 5, 7 and 11 were absent from either all or some of the. 4

5 Aims The intends to identify professional destination managers and stdy their professional profile, their competences, and skills. In doing so, a common evalation methodology for gaging a torism professional s profile will be developed in order to better facilitate the development of an experience economy. The Eropean added vale of this lies in the exchange of different torism management models in order to recognise and validate knowledge, competences and skills of torism professionals. Another added vale is in networking western and eastern Eropean contries, and from exposing different stakeholders (instittions, associations) to holistic, sstainable torism themes. Ultimately, the is aimed at enhancing and promoting Town Management or Destination Management schemes across Erope, allowing for: The strengthening of cooperation among EU city centre stakeholders and spporters. The sharing of tools and initiatives for growth at a Eropean level. The increment of knowledge and best practices exchange for contries that are ndertaking town centre revitalization throgh the setting p of Town Management or Destination Management schemes. The acqisition of new ideas and approaches to toristic themes (impact of torism on the rban environment, city branding, new technologies and innovative ideas to make a city centre attractive). Spport and dissemination of reslts toward the network partners and all relevant stakeholders. Less experienced partners to join a consolidated, expert network throgh which they will acqire training models, evalation of skills and competences and new methodology to manage town centre isses. More experienced partners to enrich their experiences and improve their practices and tools. Increased external visibility for the methodology and prodcts prodced internationally, and a sbseqent increase in credibility and vale of their work at a national level. The is the first serios attempt to create a set of practice-based performance indicators on a pan-eropean level for cltral events organized in the broader context of rban renewal programs. This promises to bild a solid monitoring methodology for cltral events planned in the Small Capital Of cultre of Erope and an operational tool for assessing expected ftre initiatives. 5

6 Destination Management At this point, it is important to give a definition of Destination Management. Drawing pon literatre, a comprehensive definition was fond on the docment England, A Strategic Action Plan for torism , mentioning that Destination Management is a collective and holistic approach it is the gle that holds together a variety of interdependent, co-existing partners that together can make a destination greater than the sm of its parts. The objective of this part of the pamphlet is to make an adit of existing professional qalifications for Destination Management Professionals. It is based on the synthesis of information coming from different sorces in order to identify existing Destination Management professionals, knowledge, competences and skills throghot the 6 contries participating in. The sorces of information refer either to bibliography either to empirical research performed by partnership. In the last section all Destination Manager Knowledge, competences and skills are organised in a table so that a Job Description is prodced. The Methodological Framework The adit of professional qalifications for Destination Managers has been completed based on methodological elements inclded in Eropean Credit System for Vocational Edcational and Training, the Eropean Qalifications Framework, Interviews with professionals working as Destination Managers in the contries participating in as well as the answers of 209 participants in srvey implemented by partnership. The prpose of the srvey had been to nderstand better the activity of professionals who work to make destinations better, regardless of whether they are big cities, medim-sized towns or small rral locations. The srvey asked not only abot respondents areas of activity bt also abot their relationship with cltre as destination management/marketing professionals. The srvey was anonymos, thogh respondents were given the opportnity to provide their name and address at the end in case they wished to receive frther information abot the findings of this research. 1 ECVET: Eropean Credit system for VET Facilitates transfer, recognition and accmlation of learning otcomes of individals on their way to achieving a qalification. Its application is volntary. It can always be ndertaken only in accordance with the existing national laws and reglations. 2 EQF: The Eropean Qalifications Framework acts as a translation device to make national qalifications more readable across Erope, promoting workers and learners mobility between contries and facilitating their lifelong learning. The EQF aims to relate different contries national qalifications systems to a common Eropean reference framework. Individals and employers will be able to se the EQF to better nderstand and compare the qalifications levels of different contries and different edcation and training systems. 6

7 Destination Manager Profile According to the srvey performed in the six (6) participating contries in order to draw the Destination Managers Profile some very crcial information can be extracted. The nmber of respondents was 209 in total. In the following table, the Average Respondents Age is presented. The most highly represented age grop is the years old, followed p by the age grop Graph 1: Average Respondents Age Graph 2: type of employing organisation In terms of sexes representation in the specific profession, given that 53,6% of respondents have been women while 46,4% have been men, it can be assmed that Destination Management it s not a single sex dominated profession, on the contrary eqal representation has been observed. 7

8 Another important reslt which came ot of the srvey is that the majority of respondents who recognised themselves as Destination Managers came from the Local Athorities sector. This shows that the centre of decision making and strategic planning regarding the sector of torism and local economic development lies in the pblic sector while the private sector, the NGOs and other kind of partnerships, perform as satellites and flfil the role of local administration in economic strategic planning. Another important qestion which provided crcial information for the development of the Destination Manager Profile had been the 10 factors that the respondents believe that can make a Destination Manager a sccess. The answers are presented in the following table. Table 1: Top 10 sccess factors in respondents job Rank area % 1 Events & festivals 53,6 2 Torism & Leisre 52,2 3 Marketing activities 48,3 4 Engaging with local bsinesses 42,1 5 Engaging with visitors 39,2 6 Engaging with local residents 36,4 7 Strategic Planning 35,4 8 Partnership management 33,5 9 Retail Development 21,5 10 Engaging with NGO s & social enterprises 18,2 The list of sccess factors presented in the previos table confirms in practice the theoretical approach that Destination Management is a collective and holistic approach and precisely it is the gle that holds together a variety of interdependent, co-existing partners that together can make a destination greater than the sm of its parts. 8

9 Destination Manager Job Description Based on the interviews in 6 contries, analysis of srvey reslts and bibliography, the partnership constrcted a profile of a Destination Manager. What kind of person shold he/she be, experience, skills and competences. This description can be sed when there s a job offer for a Destination. Attribte Details Personal characteristics Aptitde Disposition Strong leadership and people management skills. Good networking skills with the ability to inflence and persade Ability to evidence performance, prioritise while working nder pressre and meet deadlines. Excellent time management and decision making skills. Ability to deliver action plans and encorage the involvement of colleages and partners in delivery. Self-motivated, ability to work nder own initiative. Edcation & Qalifications General Edcation Membership of Professional Bodies Frther training, knowledge and skills University Member of any professional body linked to Place Management/Marketing, Commerce, Torism, Cltre etc. Ability to keep abreast of new initiatives and legislative change and being able to articlate and commnicate the information to appropriate adiences. Skills Personal Skills Leadership (be able to motivate) Commnication (open minded, rhetorical skills) Negotiation Conflict management Assertiveness Time management Political awareness Problem solving Presentation skills Report writing (inclding Microsoft office skills) 9

10 Experience and Competences Experience Practicability Knowledge Flexibility of working arrangements Understanding and experience of working at a senior level in the torism indstry, ideally within a Destination Management. Organisation with extensive marketing and commnications expertise. Experience of working in a complex stakeholder environment (pblic sector, private sector, regional and national agencies all with a mltitde of overlapping policies). Demonstrable experience of identifying appropriate fnding streams and sccessflly applying for fnding and then managing fnded programmes. Experience of ndertaking research and the ability to present findings to a variety of adiences. Ability to manage bdgets, demonstrate financial competence. Strong IT skills able to work comfortably with the Microsoft site of software and in particlar excel. Strong presentation and commnication skills. Good knowledge of online marketing methodology and new media. Pblic affairs and relations Event planning Crime and safety Economic development Torism and leisre Retailing Urban planning and design Transport Hosing Regeneration Governance, politics and pblic administration Health and social care Environmental services Sstainable development Cltre and creative indstries Mst be flexible to work at evenings, weekends and bank holidays as reqired. 10

11 Adaptability Achieving reslts throgh others Understand the location in which yor partnership/initiative operates. Identify changes in the micro-environment in which yor initiative/partnership operates. Identify changes in the macro-environment in which yor initiative/partnership operates. Forecast/anticipate changes based on crrent/historical data/ information. Make changes to/within yor partnership/initiative based on external/internal monitoring/nderstanding. Prse the most appropriate opportnities for yor partnership/initiative. Identify and implement/learn from experience from other relevant partnerships/initiatives/sorces. Bild alliances with individals/grops/organisations that can help he partnership/initiative achieve. Inflence the plans/activities of other grops/organisations to help the partnership/initiative achieve. Enable/empower other individals/grops/organisations to achieve on behalf of the partnership/initiative. Identify learning and training needs and opportnities to ensre others have the skills and knowledge they need to achieve on behalf of the partnership/initiative. Seek inpt from other professionals to improve the qality of the initiative/partnership s decision making and/or offer. Understanding Identify who stakeholders are Stakeholders Establish the needs, expectations and barriers to participation of different stakeholder grops. Prioritise the needs of different stakeholder grops. Identify important stakeholders to engage. 11

12 Cltral resorces The category of cltral resorces incldes both pblic and private goods. Frthermore, cltral resorces are an otcome of hman activity that allows a historical, social and economical continity of a society. Every society believes in certain vales that are a basis of its existence. These vales materialize in cltral goods de to creative processes, prodction and exchange in the society. Sch a wide nderstanding of cltre makes cltre more important than any other hman activity. Referring to the spatial aspect of cltre and vales, the city space shold be perceived as a space where vales are exchanged between varios grops of entities (stakeholders). The stakeholders inclde i.a.: residents, investors, torists, local entrepreners, pblic instittions, local and regional self, regional and central athorities, organizations and associations, real-estate owners etc. In order to benefit from cltral potential of smaller settlements and city districts (inclding town centers) actions mst be taken in two fields. The first one is identification, analysis and valation of cltral resorces as well as assessment of cltre s potential for achieving social, economical, political and other goals. The other field is the appropriate tilization of cltral potential by the stakeholders. Cltre-related knowledge is not the only element necessary for managing cltral capital. First of all it reqires appropriate managerial skills and competences. Formed by a team of experts in market research, marketing analysis, place marketing and service marketing, the Fondation of the Cracow University of Economics (Fndacja Uniwersytet Ekonomicznego w Krakowie), being a Partner in the, created a srvey. The prpose of the srvey was identification of: Desired competences and characteristics of professionals engaged in managing cltral resorces. Cltre-related fields of managerial activity. Stakeholders and scope of mtal cooperation. Priorities of managers involved in cltre-related s. Featres shaping a profile of a place / destination. Goals for cltre-related actions. The degree of openness and internationalization of managers action. The final version of the qestionnaire for the srvey was the reslt of mltilateral consltations with the Project coordinator from ATCM (UK) and all other Partners. The qestionnaire inclded overall 22 qestions. Frthermore, a dedicated on-line qestionnaire was prepared in six langage versions, inclding overall several dozen of records to fill in by potential respondents (in each langage version). Frthermore, a database was created inclding entities employing professionals managing cltral and cltre-related s. 12

13 For the exection of the srvey, each Partner was responsible for creating a database on entities in Partner s contry of origin. The preparation process for the srvey lasted till mid March Afterwards each partner has started promoting the srvey and the Project as a whole among potential managers in every Partner s contry of origin. More than 200 qestionnaires have been filled in till mid May That enabled the Polish Partner to prepare the preliminary reslts and send the database from the qestionnaire to all the partners. Fondation of the Cracow University of Economics, as a Partner responsible for this phase of the Project exection, has prepared the srvey reslts in the form of analyses, calclations and presentations. The overall srvey reslts Among 209 respondents, the biggest fraction were representatives of local athorities (48,4%) and private-sector companies (other than BID s) (18,2%). Among 15 sggested names of positions held by the respondents, the most poplar answers were: Town Centre Manager / coordinator (19,6%), Torism Officer/Manager (12,4%), Chief exective (11%). Among the respondents, the age grop 35 and nder (23,4 % overall) is relatively small in the UK and Sweden (10 %) and relatively very big in Trkey (71 %). No significant differences in terms of respondents gender were identified (overall: women 54%, men 46%). Overall: local athorities (48%) and private sector companies (other than BID s) (18%) seem to be the most active entities in the field of destination marketing and management. In the UK those are mainly: Local athorities (69% ) and BID s (21% ). In Sweden: Private companies (26% ), local athorities (15% ), NGO s (13% ) and ad-hoc partnerships (13%). In Poland: Almost niqely local athorities (86%). In Greece & Trkey: Private sector companies (respectively: 50% and 65%). In Czech Repblic: Local athorities (54%). Almost half of the srveyed entities has got a formal (written) torism strategy (44%). In contrast, a strategy for the, Integrated Destination Management is the least poplar (only 10% of the responding entities). Written strategies for Management of the Town Centre are poplar only in UK (53%, and the top 1 strategy type), and Sweden (60% and the top 1 strategy type). 13

14 Urban planning consmes most of the time of more than 20 % of Swedish respondents, and retail development consmes most of the time of 36 % of Swedish respondents, while in other contries they are both declared less important. The declared main characteristics of a sccessfl destination manager destination marketer are overall: no 1 openness to cooperation, no 2 innovation and entreprenership, no 3 creativity. In Greece the top 3 was the same with only 1 exception, that creativity was ranked no 1. In Sweden self-motivation is far more important than in other contries. Referring to sccess factors in respondents job there are significant differences between contries: UK entites are most local bsiness focsed, (80% of UK replies). Swedish entities are most retail development focsed, (57% of Swedish replies). Polish entities are most local residents focsed, (67%). Greek, Trkish and Czech entities are most torism & leisre focsed (arond 80% each). Events and Marketing seem to be the sccess factors in all srveyed contries (events were ranked top 2nd and marketing top 3rd in both UK and Sweden, in Poland these activities were ranked respectively: 3rd for events and 6th for marketing). Cltral attractions and cltral events are most freqently sed by the respondents from Greece, Czech Repblic, Poland and Trkey. In terms of the sed cltral attractions (incl. events) the most poplar ones (replies often sed and always sed) are: in UK (historic sites 53%, traditional festivals, heritage/craft centres, msems % each), in Sweden (world msic events 43%, traditional festivals 30%, msems 28%), in Poland (historic sites 67%, monments 63%, religios sites 54%, msems 49%), in Greece (historic sites 82%, msems, monments and heritage / craft centres 71% each). In all srveyed contries respondents agree that managing a destination well is jst as important as marketing it sccessflly (87 % of respondents from all contries agreed or strongly agreed this) Local residents are the most important target grop for the cltral activities planned by the respondents in all contries except Trkey (the no 1 target grop in Trkey are BTO s, and local residents are no 2). 14

15 62 % respondents overall claimed they se fll potential of cltre in their work related to their town, with the lowest percentage 46% in UK and highest in Sweden and Czech Repblic (respectively 75% and 77%). In Poland 9 in 10 respondents holds a Master or a higher degree. Post-gradate diplomas dominate in Sweden, and niversity gradates in Greece. A fifth of the respondents in the UK and Czech Repblic has vocational qalification. Former place of respondents employment: Destination and torism managers and marketers have worked mainly in: torism, marketing and edcation. Town Centre Managers, BID Managers & Economic Development Officers have worked mainly in: retail, general management, local athorities and marketing. Adit of tools available to destination professionals for monitoring events Technical discssions among partners completed with a srvey in each participating contry ncovered disparities in terminology. It had soon become obvios that there were differencies in what respective partners mean by a small city and an event. Therefore, in step one, we felt obliged to reach an agreement on a definition to both terms, and set p common basic characteristics. Hence by a small city we nderstand a place with p to inhabitants (e.g. in Poland, its poplation shold not exceed residents and sch size conts for abot 75 % of polish cities). On the other hand, there is no minimal size reqired. By an event we nderstand a planned and organized activity with temporary occrence, often focsed on tradition, history, arts, sports, religion, or gastronomy. Its specific featres are sally tied with local resorces, either natral or cltral. In some contries, it has to be free of charge. Sggested criteria for evalating event benefits: total nmber of visitors nmbers of domestic (local) and foreign visitors, residents motivation and visit incentive total costs of the event comparing nmber of visitors dring the event period with nmbers of visitors dring the weekend before and/or after the event It s recommended to monitor selected data periodically, to make time series. 15

16 Sggested tools for collecting data: nmber of tickets (when free admission there has to be fond other ways; the soltion is not to insist on charging the entrance of all events, which brings frther problems involving ticket categories: childrends, teens, adlts, pensioner, disabled or gratis and makes no difference between domestic/incoming visitors). mobile operator residal data face-to-face srvey (event) accont docmentation Even thogh there is no minimal nmber of visitors set p for an event, we recommend to cont only events with more than visitors, which is abot the size which already jstifies formation of destination managment. Specific city size is not so important, more relevant is the event potencial measred mainly by amont of visitors splitted into cathegories (e.g. domestic or incoming). On the other hand, the city size largely affects monitoring possibilities, reglarly collected data, marketing and strategy planning and the event s bdget. When collected reglarly, mobile operators residal data are sefl sorce of detail information as for locations, change nmbers (incomes, leaves) and social data abot mobile owners (places of residence, age etc.). Chosen tools shold answer following types of qestions: 1. How many visitors have come? 2. What kind of visitors have come? 3. How had they learned abot the event? 4. Why these visitors came (motivation)? 5. How is the visit rate changing? 6. How satisfied they were? Some events are not monitored by their providers. It largely applies for the events organized by local athorities, who tend to focse on providing services to local visitors (electors) and skip the evalation part. It s possible to collect new more or less detailed primary data (nmber of tickets, face-to-face srvey) or to se information already gathered data sally sed in other ways, e.g. waste prodction in the location sally collected for monitoring environmental aspects combined with the economical views (cleanp costs). It can also be helpfl to calclate average waste prodction per person and to determine growth/decrease prodction in the first step and the visit estimation in the second step. 16

17 It always depends on destination managers, how qalified they are to plan and realize events based on solid and time comparable data. The event shold be SMART (specific, measrable, achievable, reslts-focsed and time-bond) becase what I can not measre, I can not manage. FLOWCHART flow of the event monitoring process Answer following qestions: 1. Do yo have solid and valid data abot visitors? 2. Do yo have reglary collected data in the same cathegory? 3. Do yo have alternative primary data sorce yo can se for indicators? Select data and determine event monitoring indicators worthwile to follow and comparable to events data provided by other destinations. 17

18 Website The Regional Chamber of Commerce of Central Bohemia have prepare the website of the in cooperation with Trkish partners and also administrate the website. The Regional Chamber of Commerce of Central Bohemia has commnicated with the Trkish partners abot the division of tasks which shold be done. Other activity which was performed by the Regional Chamber of Commerce of Central Bohemia was dealing with proposals for the main part of website. Those were processed and send to the Trkish partners together with an appeal for comments and notes. Some parts were later pdated and changed. The Chamber has also conslted IT specialist and asked him for help. Website Scot Parts of website: 1. Home page so far there are logo of, logo of Lifelong Learning Programme and logos of partners. 2. ABOUT PROJECT is linking two connected themes improving small and medim town s artistic and cltral heritage, and the effective professional management of place. Eropean torism policy and practice have in recent years witnessed increasing interest towards the cltral torism which is today considered as one of the key priorities for the sector s growth and competitiveness. In order to attract heritage-focsed torists, town and city centres need professional managers with in-depth nderstanding and competencies in the varios mlti-faceted and overlapping aspects of place management to manage cities in an integrated strategic fashion. 18

19 This strategic approach shold incorporate: Increasing the accessibility to/from mini capitals of cltre and among them Increasing the visibility of these mini-capitals of cltre Increasing the competitiveness of the local SMEs by providing them ICT tools for marketing and advertising Creating, adopting a specific brand of cltral heritage small towns and cities Creating a manager s network for cltral small towns and cities in Erope. This intends to identify Professional Managers, especially in pblic administration and town centre management partnerships to stdy their professional profile, their competences and skills. 3. News and events there are informatic directly linked to the. 4. Project partners there are informations abot all partners (names, address, telephones etc.). 5. Reslts there are reslts which are ready to be Pblisher at the international meetings of the. 6. Gallery there are photos from meetings, in Konya, in Dndee and in Malmö etc. 7. Contact s contact from partners 8. Private section there is discss form. Discss form Task which was given to the Chamber of Commerce was to administration of the Discss form together, Trkish partner and Czech It ( partner). Chamber of Commerce has commnicated with Trkish partner (P7) DISCUSS FORUM add to the PRIVATE SECTION. Each partner mst register and pload their opinions on an isses here. 19

20 Three themes have been added to the discss form: 1. PROJECT WEBSITE What is yor opinion on the actal form of the web page of the? 2. RESEARCH EVENT What is the definition of the word/concept EVENT in yor contry? 3. INFORMATION PAMPHLET Discss form 20

21 Conclsions of the - The linked together two connected themes: improving small and medim towns artistic and cltral heritage, and the effective professional management of places. Eropean torism policy and practice in recent years has witnessed increasing levels of interest as there has been an increasing interest towards the cltral torism which is considered today as one of the key priorities for the sector s growth and competitiveness. As a reslt of this, many initiatives have been spported and promoted to sstain Eropean cltral heritage inclding the Eropean Capital of Cltre Programme, Eropean Heritage Days and the newly proposed Eropean Heritage Label. In order to attract heritage-focsed torists, town and city centres are in need of professional managers with an in-depth nderstanding and competences in the varios mlti-faceted and overlapping aspects of place management to manage cities in an integrated strategic fashion (for example, as Capitals of Cltre or working towards the Eropean Heritage Label). This integrated strategic approach incorporated Increasing the: Accessibility to/from mini-capitals of cltre and among them. Visibility of these mini-capitals of cltre. Competitiveness of the local SMEs by providing them ICT tools for marketing and advertising. Creating, adopting a specific brand of cltral heritage small towns and cities. Creating a managers network for cltral heritage small towns and cities in Erope. This was intend to identify Professional Managers, especially in pblic administration and town centre management partnerships and to stdy their professional profile, their competences, and skills. All mentioned partners have collaborated in the partnership regarding task of the. The first thing the partnership defined was the reasoning behind the evalation of the and what we wanted to know from the evalation process. These were necessary qestions that had to be investigated before starting the actal evalation process and choosing tools, items and methods. 21

22 In the, three main aims were selected: 1. Measre the coherence with what was foreseen in the itself and identify the necessary actions to correct possible deviations from the expected reslts. (PROCESS LEVEL). 2. Measre the impact of the evalation process (of competences and skills of torism professionals) on different organizations involved in partnership that are the main aim of the (IMPACT LEVEL). 3. Underline the pecliarities of the performances achieved in the (PRODUCT LEVEL). EVALUATION AT PROCESS LEVEL: Definition of process aims and nominal condition and identification of critical sccess factors for the process control throgh the partnership were completed dring the first plenary Mobility in Konya (Trkye). Frthermore a qarterly report was created to monitor the progress of the. EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT: 1. Employment of torism managers/professionals (employment indicators). 2. Monitoring of stage/exchange programs implementation in the different contries where the partners operate. 3. Monitoring of implementation of specific training and edcational programs (formal and not formal) for nder gradated and gradated stdents. EVALUATION OF PRODUCTS: Definition of critical sccess factors for otpts for the following prodcts was: Transfer, adaptation and dissemination of the otpts and tools (if respects and at which level or which deviances there are). Testing of the training model and tools directly on the target grops. Prodcts that works on KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and general benchmarking methods and tools. Set of practical gides, information pamphlets and action implementation schemes. 22

23 Main milestones for Evalation were: Interim Qality Report Final Qality Report Impact assessment The has relied on a nmber of organizations, VET providers, colleges, niversities, trade federations and associations. In order to reach dissemination and se of reslt s aim, the partner organizations developed a comprehensive dissemination strategy at the beginning of the which contained all single activities on transnational, national, regional and local level for all participating organizations. To spport the single activities on the different levels, a nmber of materials for information diffsion inclding the website were developed. It inclded the following content: Presentation of the network aims and main otpts, presentation of partnership with Download Area for all prodcts in electronic format. To additionally spport a good dissemination of the otpts beyond the partnership we also engaged ATCM s Annal Congress on Town Centre Management and Destination Management schemes in Dndee (Scotland). It was the ATCM Smmer School, an important event collecting together many Town Centre and Destination Managers and a wider network of International, Government, Regional and Local Athority. EFVET (Eropean Form Technical and Vocational Edcation and Training) in qality of silent partner, raised awareness of the and its final prodct reslt. EFVET made se of its commnication channels: website ( newsletters and annal conferences which are to be held in October each year. Progress reports and development activity inclding the promotional material were distribted across the EFVET network of 1500 VET instittions throghot Erope. The website received roghly hits per year from members and stakeholders. To frther strengthen the s knowledge dissemination Malmo (Sweden) arranged a research conference in connection with the s third meeting. There was a perfect opportnity to network and share knowledge across borders, and take advantage of the latest research on Destination Management. 23

24 A final meeting was held in Thessanoliki (Greece) in order to present reslts. The partnership regarding destination management practices applied in the city and the wider area. The partners were gided to the main archaeological sites of the city. The partnership visited Vergina where a giding tor took place to the palace and tombs of the royal family of the Macedonian King Philippe II, father of Alexander the Great. A partnerhip meeting also discssed internal administration isses of the. The partners attended a conference organized by the greek partner in cooperation with the City of Thessaloniki and beneficiaries from the Torism Department of the City. The conference s theme was Destination Management. The was presented together with best practices identified within the from UK and Sweden. 24

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