at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org Destination Management

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org The outbound and incoming tour operators’ positions Outbound Tour Operator Accommodations Transport to/from destination Restaurants Cultural/social / religious events Travel agency Consumer Ground transport Cultural attractions Natural attractions Excursions Incoming tour operator

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org The ICLEI Network of Sustainable Tourism Destinations The Network is part of ICLEI (but it does not include all ICLEI’s local authorities). The Network was created in Rimini as part of the Sustainable Tourism Conference (in 2002). 16 members in the Mediterranean area. Within the network 2 association - so it represents in fact 25 municipalities (representing then overnight / arrivals a year) Tourism should be the main economic activity.

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org The aim of the Network is to improve local government strategy for the future main aim: exchange of experiences (All cities have developed a local agenda 21 strategy, including all stakeholders in the tourism business). One challenge in Local Agenda 21 - the challenge is the tour operator as often is not a locally based but still it influences development of the tourism in destination within the network influence the marketing of the tourists. Within the network : different working groups on sustainable procurement, seasonality, certification - and within each issue try to find best strategies on how to go on. The big challenge is how these mass tourism destination can move towards sustainability - this without loosing main focus of tourism destination.

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org TOI members’ interest in existing network members : –Calvia, Sousse, Georgioupolis (Hotelplan) –Riccione, Venezia, Sousse, Calvia, Costa del Sol, Georgioupolis (Aurinkomatkat) –Spain (Lloreto del Mar, Calvia, north part of Adriatic sea but not package as clients use their own transport, Georgioupolis/Crete and Rhodes, Sousse) LTU Touristik –Greece, Portugal, Spain (First Choice) Possibility of TOI and Network to cooperate to put pressure on these to work with the network: –South of Turkey (Antalya, Side) –Tunisia (Monastir, Tabarka, Tunis, Djerba) –Morocco (Agadir) –Portugal (Algarve) –Sicily (Taormina) –Emerging countries: Croatia, Bulgaria

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org ICLEI view on benefits for a cooperation: Incorporate all stakeholders in the Local Agenda 21 development phase = in destinations where tourism is an important economic activity it is important to include also tour operators in the long term planning. Reach the customers through the TOI members. It is more effective to have a link with a network of tour operators rather than individual tour operators. For TOI to test in mature destinations ‘sustainability’ integration in destination management.

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org TOI view on benefits for a cooperation: Identify a qualified contact within the local government/communities to support better management and provision of environmental infrastructures = open doors Identify what the sustainability issues are including what are the challenges that local authorities face in their efforts to integrate environmental sustainability in the destinations. Information about the destination is not always credible and this creates a problem with customers’ un- met expectations.

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org Common benefits/ideas for action: Quality development is a common goal of destination authorities and tour operators. Ensure long term business based on environmental, social and economic sustainability. Working in networks - to reach out / go beyond the borders and protect the market share of the Mediterranean ICLEI’s network can provide access to local authorities / entrance door TOI can support ICLEI to lobby for sustainable development in local authorities Identity Card collecting information about the members (25 members) = possibility of sharing this information and tour operators can express what is the information that tour operators want to know about the destination

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org Common benefits/ideas for action: Feedback from the customers - collect this feedback on the members of the network and provide feedback on a structured basis through the network. Share with local authorities what are the indicators for choosing a hotel from tour operators perspective. In specific destinations: lobby for better environmental infrastructures

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org Next steps - focus on INFORMATION SHARING. Project I: SHARE information on the ICLEI’s NETWORK members’ sustainability through the Identification Card (ICLEI Network to TOI): TOI to revise the Identification Card - and provide the ICLEI’s network if additional indicators of sustainability are needed from tour operators’ perspective by end of January ICLEI Network to collect again based on new ID form within two months Project II: SHARE Customers’ feedback on destinations sustainability (TOI to ICLEI Network): TOI to share customers’ feedback with ICLEI Network (without having to create new / additional ways to collect feedback) and eventually organized an ad hoc structured survey (through tour operators reps) and/or exit surveys and suppliers’ feedback ON THE DESTINATIONS

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org Next steps: Project III. Workshop between the two networks How to use the information? Next steps in the collaboration between TOI and ICLEI Network. Date to be defined - taking into account also time needed to collect concrete proposals. TOI representatives could participate in a meeting organized during the ICLEI Congress. Focal points: OLGA AVILA - ICLEI Network Focal Point JANE ASHTON - TOUR OPERATORS INITIATIVE GABOR VERECZI - WTO/OMT

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org WWF International Marine Programme Germany WWF has the responsibility of tourism sector in coastal and marine habitats WWF started one year ago to think about promoting sustainable tourism in marine coastal sensitive areas. Intensive workshop in Antalya to identify synergies and cooperation opportunities Policy work / field work and consumers’ awareness are the main three areas of activities of WWF The partnership can strengthen conservation in areas of high volume tourism- it can ‘secure’ coastal and marine areas.

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org WWF / TOI Discussion: The idea of piloting the partnership was endorsed by the members and go ahead on testing if the tow organizations can join forces on these issues and if MORE can be achieved by cooperation. The decision on the pilot projects: pros and cons of both ideas. The idea of finding a third one was also proposed. Both projects have their positive and negative aspects. It will be then Croatia but it will not exclude the lobbying for Turkey. How to proceed? A small group of people will be in the TOI Design Team. Paolo Guglielmi from WWF and from TOI Aurinkomatkat will be in the Planning Team.

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org Concerning the Croatia project: in the background material more information on how to proceed and status of the project (launched in 1998). Next step: meet with Paolo and have a working plan. In addition to the planning meeting with Paolo (possibly 11 February 2005 in Paris) and the local NGO/partner (Sunset). Funding: common fund raising Stakeholder workshop on the islands: not only with islands players but also national ones. Two stakeholder workshop : one in May/June and the second one in September/October, to introduce the idea and practices of sustainable practices and MPA management and best practices example. Result: an action plan.

at the United Nations Environment Programme-DTIEwww.toinitiative.org An awareness campaign could be added to target consumers - to integrate this area of join activity between TOI and WWF. Internal and external communication: materials for the ministries/stakeholders workshops and press. Key representative in WWF: Paolo Guglielmi and at the beginning also Birgit Weerts. Need to integrate from the outset indicators on how to measure the effectiveness of the PARTNERSHIP to be integrated in the agreement. Communication to media: only when some results have been achieved. Need to define activities and roles of the two partners. Simon Creeps : Marine Advisory Group at the end of January / a meeting on tourism and have the endorsement of the pilot project.