29/09/2010

News from the Network: September 2010

    29/09/2010

8th September:
                      Networking sustainability: Dark Sky Reserve in Alqueva

Venue: Alandroal, Portugal
Presenting the outputs of the innovative project of sustainable tourism with sustainable indicators in Alentejo, this seminar represent the opportunity to have a more concrete idea of sustainability in the Region. Academics and european experts will also provide the participants with analyses and advices for the future projects.  

Contact: Apolonia Rodriguez, genuineland@gmail.com

 

 

15th September:

                         NECSTouR Intervention at the European Parliament, Brussels

NECSTouR has been invited by the European Parliament, to participate to the Intergroup "Climate Change, Biodiversity and sustainable development" in order to intervene during their meeting on the theme "Promoting a sustainable Tourism". Intergroups bring together cross-party MEP groups on specific issues.

During this meeting, the presentations focused on the new political framework for the tourism policy (European Commission), on nautical tourism (European Boating Industry), on international tourism related to forest (French Ministry) and on mountain tourism (NECSTouR).

NECSTouR intervention, based on the contribution of the 7 mountain Regions of NECSTouR (Valais, Veneto, Catalunya, Bask Country, Midi Pyrenees and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur), has been presented by the head of Mountain Department of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Mr Philippe GUEDU and included the main challenges related to mountain tourism, the sustainable solutions found, and the remaining issues.

Following to this meeting, NECSTouR was asked to contribute to the Intergroup's newsletter on "the role of regional authorities in the framework of the European Tourism Policy", which article has been written by the President of the Balearic Island, Mr Francisc Antich I Oliver on behalf of NECSTouR.

Photo 1 and 2 of the meeting

---------------Agenda of the meeting, NECSTouR presentation and Report of the meeting, as well as the Newsletter of the intergroup are downloadable at the bottom of the page--------------------

 

27th September:                      
                                             EUROPEAN TOURISM DAY
    
Venue: 
Charlemagne Building - Room GASP; Brussels,Belgium                 

The ETD 2010, organised by the European Commission in cooperation with the German speaking community of Belgium was dedicated to "The role of European Heritage and cultural itineraries in the renewed European tourism policy". NECSTouR was invited to intervene on the role of the regional authorities in programming, implementing and promoting sustainable tourism policies and the importance of a trans-regional network to support the future European tourism policy. The topic of the conference implicating stakeholders from the cultural and tourism field and from the different decision levels (local, regional, national and European), as well as private stakeholders, such as the associations of cultural routes, the interventions showed the importance of trans-national and trans-regional cooperation for the maintenance, development and protection of this pan European intangible heritage.

Programme and interventions of the ETD 2010 are available here

In this respect, in the margins of the conference three Memoranda of Understanding were signed for joint initiatives in the tourism field:

Italy and France, engaged themselves to develop a common long-term strategy for the protection and promotion of cultural routes, starting with the "Via Francigena".

Spain, Italy and France also agreed on a "European Passion" logo for the joint marketing of their tourism offer in the BRIC markets

NECSTouR and the Council of Europe signed a Letter of Intent "in order to implement competitive and sustainable methodologies and targeted actions related to the development of the Council of Europe "Cultural Routes" programme and to pave the pay of a partnership agreement in the future Enlarged Partial agreement.

 

In addition, a meeting between EU Commissioner Antonio Tajani and 10 NECSTouR political representatives from Tuscany (Councillor Cristina Scaletti), Catalunya (Councillor Josep Huguet), German Speaking Community (Regional Minister and in charge of Tourism during the EU Presidency), Balearic Islands (President of Region Francesc Antich I Oliver), Västra Götaland (Councillor Kent Johanson), Emilia-Romagna (Councillor Maurizio Melucci), Alentejo (Vice President Lina Jan), Aquitaine (Vice President Arnaud Lagrave), Consell de Mallorca (Councillor Isabella , and Zlin Region (Deputy President Jindrich Ondrus).

The meeting took form of a dialog between NECSTouR representatives and the Vice President on the future of the European Tourism Policy, focusing on European Tourism composed of the diverse regional identities, the essential role of the Regions, the importance of measuring the sustainability of tourism destinations and on the necessity for tourism SME's to innovate and to be integrated in the future tourism policy. Mr Antich I Oliver, President of the Balearic Islands finished the meeting by insisting on the potential for innovation within the Regions which is essential for adapting tourism to the actual challenges and Vice President Tajani concluded by congratulating the Regions for the creation of NECSTouR, which is an important stakeholder for implementing the Communication of the Commission.

After a cocktail offered by the Generalitat Catalunya, NECSTouR representatives were invited to the EDEN Gala Diner where the winners of the 2010 EDEN competition received their price.

 

 

28th September 2010: 
         
 Culture and Tourism, two strong opportunities in the North Sea Area

Venue: Sweden House,Westsweden office, Rue Luxembourg 3, 
1000 Brussels.
Time: 10.00-16.00

Keynote speaker be prof Frank Go from Erasmus University in Rotterdam, prof Greg Richards, Tilbury/Barcelona and an official representative from The Baltic Sea Commission presenting their strategy for tourism. We will probably also have representatives from The European Commission present.

More information coming soon
Contact: tomas.olsson@vgregion.se