On the 9th and 10th June, the Interreg MED HERIT-DATA project held its Mid-Term Conference. We were there to share our data strategy as the Horizontal Angel for HERIT-DATA, in charge of monitoring advancements from the project to rest of the partnership of the Sustainable Tourism community of the Interreg MED Programme.

HERIT-DATA have already shared some of their key results through their newsletter.

Watch the recordings : Day 1 | Day 2

Here is the report from our intervention. You can also find the presentation here.

We cannot manage what we cannot measure

One of the principles of NECSTouR foundation has always been “we cannot manage what we cannot measure” as one of the 5S in NECSTouR strategy (Statistics and measurability). Like Herit-Data project, NECSTouR strategy was already established pre-covid. Data is a needed tool for smart decision-making, to monitor tourism initiatives, and to address the performance of the destination.

After the covid outbreak, data became even more relevant: the need to effectively manage visitors flows became part of the new normal. For safety reasons but also to maintain the quality of experiences offered. NECSTouR is happy to enhance the Herit-Data initiatives through our members in the partnership: Valencia region, Tuscany and Occitanie.

NECSTouR’s Data projects

Within the Interreg MED Community, there is a group of projects following data and measurability, including MITOMEDPLUS where NECSTouR and Tuscany were previously involved. The project produced an Integrated MED M&C tourism management model, aiming to improve sustainable and responsible tourism planning in MED area. Regarding data, NECSTouR is not only following EU funded projects. Members’ initiatives are available for everyone in our knowledge hub. And NECSTouR took part in the European Tourism Convention 2020 in the working group “Tourism Powered by Data”.

Build from the Smart Specialization Strategy, the Tourism of Tomorrow Lab will combine global, regional and local data and information and provide destinations with data, smart solutions and the necessary support to apply those into effective decision making within sustainable development values providing smart solutions and consultancy. Members of Herit-Data consortium (Invatur, Tuscany) are supporting partners of Tot Lab. The lab is now targeting DMOS at regional and destination level.

NECSTouR happy to support HERIT-DATA

A solid start for a more sustainable tourism would be to connect with regional, national decisions makers to invite them to embrace sustainable tourism solutions during the recovery phase.

NECSTouR urged to start working on the heritage of Herit-Data ideas even before the end of this funding period, using the Sustainable Tourism catalogue built by our partner, University of Thessaly. Following our last event during EU Green Week, we aim for better and more frequent capitalisation events during the capitalisation phase of the last projects.

The goal for HERIT-DATA is still to take control of the governance of data and intelligence for better tourism decision making by public institutions. NECSTouR will be happy to support.