NECSTouR 2023 Annual General Meeting at the Île-de-France Regional Council

Paris, France - The NECSTouR Annual General Meeting 2023 took place on June 6th and 7th at the Île-de-France Regional Council in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, Paris, bringing together more than 30 regional tourism leaders from across Europe. The event aimed to foster collaboration and share strategies to make tourism a catalyst for prosperous and sustainable communities. During the first day, NECSTouR members focused on co-creating the NECSTouR 2030 pathway. Under the theme of "Reset: A New Agenda for 2030 Tourism," the conference focused on addressing the challenges faced by the tourism sector and exploring innovative solutions for a sustainable and resilient future.

THE CONFERENCE

The conference commenced with an opening session featuring notable individuals from the tourism industry. Ms Hamida Rezeg, Vice-President in charge of Tourism for the Île-de-France Region, delivered welcoming remarks, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in revitalizing the tourism sector. She set the stage for discussions on regenerative tourism and sustainable practices.

Mr Peter De Wilde, CEO of Visit Flanders and President of NECSTouR, also addressed the audience, highlighting the people-centric nature of the tourism business. He emphasized the need to prioritize human connections, impactful experiences and acknowledged the challenges involved in transitioning towards sustainable tourism.

Mr. Peter De Wilde, CEO of Visit Flanders and President of NECSTouR - Photo by VANPOULLE Léo

Mr Tim Fairhust, Secretary General, European Tourism Association - ETOA. the master of ceremony at the conference, effortlessly captivated the audience by setting the tone for an unforgettable event and by facilitating impactful discussions between the panellists and speakers. 

A keynote speech by Ms Marie Allantaz, a consultant, speaker, and tourism expert, provided insights into the state of the tourism sector following the health crisis and the impact of the war in Ukraine. She highlighted the shift from "tourism without tourists" to "tourism without staff" and stressed the necessity of adopting a panoramic approach to address the evolving boundaries between daily life, leisure, and tourism. Her speech set the tone for discussions on the future of tourism in Europe.

One of the panel discussions revolved around new models for tourism, focusing on economically profitable and resilient tourism ecosystems. Ms Valentina Superti, Director for Tourism, Proximity, and Digitalization in DG GROW of the European Commission, presented the new European tourism agenda for 2030. The agenda aims to support and protect the sector through governance, green and digital transition, skills development, sector resilience, and inclusion. This presentation highlighted the importance of a holistic approach to sustainability and digitalization in the tourism industry.

Ms. Valentina Superti, Director for Tourism, Proximity, and Digitalization in DG GROW of the European Commission -     Photo by VANPOULLE Léo

Ms Annick Austoni, Head of the Tourism Department for the Île-de-France Region, shared insights into the region's new tourism and leisure development scheme (SRDTL). The scheme focuses on implementing a new marketing strategy, embracing ecological transition, and attracting sporting events to enhance the sector's resilience and visitor experience. This presentation showcased the regional efforts towards sustainable tourism and community engagement.

Dr Aisling Ward, a Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Regenerative Tourism at Munster Technological University, emphasized the significance of skills development and community-based tourism for sector regeneration. Mr Laurent Barthélémy, President of the Training Commission at the UMIH and Vice-president of the National Joint Employment Committee Hôtels-Cafés-Restaurants, shed light on the digitalization needs of the hotel ecosystem and stressed the importance of coordination and collaboration among stakeholders. These presentations highlighted the importance of human capital and collaboration in driving sustainable tourism. Mr Vincent Gollain, Director of the Economics Department - Paris Region Institute, presented the European project "GENIALY”, a performance tool for sustainable tourism, developed by European partners and piloted by the Paris Region Institute and the Regional Waste Observatory.

Panelists of new models for tourism – Photo by VANPOULLE Léo

Sustainable mobility in tourism was another crucial topic discussed during the conference. The moderator of this session was Dr Nina Nestorova, Professor of Sustainable Development of Tourism and Transport, Breda University. Dr Xavier Font, Professor of Sustainability Marketing at the University of Surrey, highlighted the need to reshape the tourism narrative and implement cost-benefit analyses for tourism policies. Mr Robert Thaler, Head of Division Active Mobility and Mobility Management at the Austrian Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation, and Technology, presented the Pan European Program (PEP) Partnership on Sustainable Tourism Mobility, underlining the significance of coordination at European, regional, and local levels. Mr Jérôme Chiasson, brought inspiration to the development of active modes by the bicycle network initiative developed by the Transport Department of the Ile-de-France Region. Strengthening the sustainable development of the hospitality industry: The Swedish experience was explained by Ms Anna Bohman Enmalm, Project Officer, Stockholm Region.Furthermore, Mr Raffaele Cattaneo, Undersecretary for International Relations and European Affairs – Lombardy Regional Government, showcased how regions are getting ready to host major events and how the region is preparing for the Milano-Cortina 2026 games.  These discussions emphasized the importance of sustainable transportation and its contribution to the overall sustainability of the tourism sector.

Panelists of sustainable mobility in tourism – Photo by VANPOULLE Léo

THE MEMBERS' DAY

Hosted by the Île-de-France region and Ms Hamida Rezeg, Vice-President in charge of Tourism of the Region, the NECSTouR Annual General Meeting 2023 also provided a platform for new members to join the network. Regions such as Kotka-Hamina, Centre-Val de Loire, Waterland-Friesland, Skåne, and Slovenia, as well as associated members like the Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUAS), the Hellenic Institute of Transport, Hellenic Mediterranean University, the Munster Technological University (MTU) and Visit Valencia, were welcomed into the NECSTouR community. The expansion of the network showcased the growing interest and commitment of various European regions and organizations towards sustainable tourism.

In addition to plenary sessions and panel discussions, the Members' Day featured workshops that delved deeper into specific topics.

A first workshop, facilitated by experts from the Travel Foundation and Surrey University, focused on envisioning tourism in 2030. This has represented the overall goal of the whole day and represented the first co-creative milestone of the NECSTouR 2030 pathway.

An exchange of views among the members of NECSTouR with Ms Mariana Oleskiv, President of the Tourism Agency of Ukraine, Mr Cédric Guillon Lavocat, Director of European Strategies at the Île-de-France Region and a video message of Mr István Ujhelyi, Vice-President of the Tourism taskforce at the European Parliament focused on how NECSTouR can support the Ukraine tourism recovery plan. it highlighted the importance to keep investing in resilience and recovery and offering the experience developed under the covid-19 outbreak to support the European initiative “Industry of Peace for Ukrainian Tourism.

A workshop with Mr Panagiotis Markantonatos, Policy Officer at the DG Reform of the European Commission Ms Piera Tortora, Senior Economist at OECD, the Tourism of Tomorrow Lab team and the members explored the importance of measuring sustainable tourism at the NUTS 2 level, drawing insights from Spanish cases and highlighting the interconnectedness among European countries. This workshop emphasized the role of data-driven decision-making and collaboration in fostering sound tourism governance.

Another workshop facilitated by experts from the Travel Foundation and Surrey University centered on the regenerative tourism framework, discussing practical applications and case studies. Experts shared their experiences and best practices, encouraging participants to embrace a holistic approach to tourism development that goes beyond sustainability. This workshop aimed to inspire regenerative tourism governance across regions, empowering participants to create destinations that leave a positive impact on the environment and communities.

The Members' Day concluded with closing remarks from Ms Marie Hélène Pradines, Head of Unit Tourism at the European Commission, and Mr Peter De Wilde, President of NECSTouR. They reiterated the significance of data, skills development, and collaboration in shaping the future of tourism. They emphasized the need for collective action and a coordinated approach to achieve the goals outlined in the NECSTouR 2030 pathway.

The NECSTouR Annual General Meeting 2023 served as a platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and inspiration in driving tourism that benefits both visitors and residents. With its focus on regenerative tourism and sustainable practices, the conference showcased the commitment of NECSTouR and its members to create flourishing communities through responsible tourism. As the event concluded, the participants left with renewed energy and a shared vision for a sustainable and prosperous future for European tourism.

NECSTouR Members – Photo by VANPOULLE Léo

Next year’s appointment is going to be in Swedish Lapland which will host the 2024 NECSTouR Annual General Meeting. The community of policy-makers from 45 regional authorities from 20 European countries will gather in Lulea to deepen the ambitious sustainable development paradigm that Swedish Lapland has for the Arctic region and capitalise it in the various territories around Europe.

Note to editors

NECSTouR is the Network of European Regions for Sustainable and Competitive Tourism. Based in Brussels, it develops Interregional Projects to improve Tourism Governance in Europe. Since 2007 it has undertaken a unique journey, representing today more than 70 organisations around Europe and connecting Regional Tourism Governance with European levels of government, EU financial instruments, Academic Organisations (Universities and Research Institutes), and Private Sector (Representatives of Tourism Enterprises, Associations, and Networks). For more information, visit https://necstour.eu/ and follow @NECSTouR. Find all the event pictures on Flickr.

ENDS

DOWNLOAD THE PRESS RELEASE HERE! 

MEDIA CONTACT

Irene Paolinelli

Marketing & Communications Manager

Irene.paolinelli@necstour.eu  

Ph: +32 (0) 47 14 12 314

NECSTouR 

Grasmarket 61

1000 Brussels - Belgium