FAST-LAIN (Further Action on Sustainable Tourism – Learning Area Innovation Networks) Project Overview ACTION N °: /CIP/10/B/N04S00 T ITLE : Knowledge networks for the competitiveness and sustainability of European tourism Ecotrans Network for Sustainable Tourism Development Brussels 8 th March 2011

Objectives of the Call overall objective of this call is to strengthen the research potential on competitiveness and sustainability tourism-related issues on a European scale, in particular by encouraging and supporting the development across Europe of regional ‘research-driven clusters’, associating universities, research centres, enterprises and regional authorities. The call also lists 3 further specific objectives, aiming to: a) create a more favourable knowledge exchange framework to improve cooperation and coordination on research activities related to competitiveness and sustainability tourism-related issues; b) encourage transnational tourism research activities with a clear EU added value; c) and to pave the way for the future constitution of a virtual European-level tourism observatory.

FAST-LAIN – Meeting the Objectives 1.Defining & mapping existing research activities related to sustainable tourism development to build a European-wide policy- relevant knowledge management and collaboration framework for tourism research and innovation. 2.Establish a tourism development best practice transfer mechanism between EU countries aimed at improving both tourism destination and SME competitiveness and sustainability. 3.Implement a working Information and Communications Technology (ICT)- based knowledge networking system developed by the European Environment Agency that will provide field-tested feedback to specify the elements, structure and work flow of the proposed virtual European Sustainable Tourism Observatory.

Ecotrans will manage: ICT tools for Stucturing Regional Research and Innovation Clusters Co-ordination of Clusters DestiNet Portal Organisation of Knowledge base Dissemination of Research Results Project administration Project Coordination

Define & map existing research activities related to sustainable tourism development Build a European-wide policy-relevant thematic knowledge management and collaboration framework, include a tourism development best practice transfer mechanism between EU countries aimed at improving both tourism destination and SME competitiveness and sustainability. This knowledge management system will be hosted on the existing working Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-based knowledge networking system developed by the European Environment Agency known as the DestiNet Sustainable Tourism Information and Communications Platform. The knowledge management platform will serve as a pilot system for the proposed virtual tourism observatory. (see WP 1 and 2) European Research Framework Design Developing the Sustainable Tourism Research Framework

Thematic Research Expert consortium Developing the Sustainable Tourism Research Framework Thematic Research TopicsEcotrans Experts Project Partners Supporting Organisations Natural and Cultural Heritage Climate Change- Energy & Resource Efficiency Sustainable Transport & Travel Destination Management & Good Governance Sustainable Supply Chain Management Knowledge Networking, Training & Education Quality Assessment, Certification & Marketing Sustainable Consumption and Production & Tourism

7 European regions offer a territorial test base to promote: regionally-clustered links between European universities, research institutes, regional administrations, small businesses and consumers both in and between the regions Using a common ICT platform as the European-level knowledge management system (DestiNet) each region will implement an updated version of the knowledge network formation methodology elaborated in the Tourism Learning Areas approach Guided by the principle of ´from research to market place` the regions will map and support regional innovation processes that can draw on the European-level knowledge management and best practice transfer system. An 8th virtual knowledge network will be established to pilot an observatory process with the EEA focused on environmental sustainability. (see WP 3 and 4) Regional Cluster Development

France Germany Norway Portugal Spain Sweden Croatia Regional Cluster Development – List of Partners

The final phase of the project will pull stages 1 and 2 together to evaluate the projects´ development in order to provide field-tested feedback to specify the necessary elements, structure and workflow of the proposed virtual European Sustainable Tourism Observatory. Using a combination of the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, SDS indicators, the DG Enterprise destination management indicator system, SME performance indicators and the Tourism Learning Area progress assessment, a decentralized regional-European-level information feedback system will be specified for further analysis. The projects´ expert consortium will engage in a series of on-line surveys, regional workshops, and a final project conference to discuss and disseminate the results, oriented towards supporting the Commissions` assessment of its own agenda for a competitive and sustainable tourism (2011 review) and the European Union contribution to the global-level Agenda 21/WSSD Sustainable Consumption and Production reporting process that takes place in (see WP 5 and 6) Concept for a Web-based European Tourism Observatory

The web-based observatory will host the knowledge management and collaboration system, composed of: 1.the European map of universities, national public and private research institutions and regional bodies related to sustainable tourism research and development 2.the policy-relevant thematic research framework for sustainable tourism development 3.a tourism sustainability best practice knowledge transfer system 4.regional sustainable tourism observatories 5.a European-level observatory focused on environmental sustainability within the overall framework of tourism sector sustainable consumption and production 6.a global sustainable tourism marketplace that highlights European certified sustainable tourism commercial activities

Target group a: key research institutes and departments in tourism, regional development, IT and environment administrations from local to global level Global Organisations10 European Union Bodies 10 National Tourism Organizations 39 National Environmental Authorities 33 Regional Tourism Destinations 27 Target group b: Educational/Academic Bodies, NGOs and other Civil Society Groups Tourism Networks and Intermediaries 200 Academic Institutes 60 Consultants 30 Target group c: Micro and SME businesses and their associations Chambers of Commerce 27 Enterprise centres 27 Certification bodies 30 Certified product and service suppliers 3000 Estimation of stakeholders in the target groups that will be involved in the project Project Dissemination and Replication

1.Thematic Research Framework Folder System on the DestiNet Portal 2.Final Report on Design Elements, Structure and Work Flow of a Virtual European Tourism Observatory System 3.Contribution to the EC 2011 Evaluation of an Agenda for a Competitive and Sustainable Tourism – Results of the FAST-LAIN Project 4.Contribution to the EU 2012 Report to the UN-WSSD follow-up Process – Mapping Tourism Sustainable Development in Europe 500 Copies + 5.Tourism Learning Areas Made Easy -A Destination Development Manual to Improve SME and Regional Competitiveness through Implementing Sustainable Tourism. 6.Learning tool for destination managers – Managing Multi-Stakeholder Learning/Knowledge Transfer to Create Innovation Processes in the Tourism Sector, e-Training Module 7.Induction Manual for the FAST-LAIN ICT system 8.ICT System for European Sustainable Tourism Development 9.Regional Research Folder System 10.Leaflets on European Research Framework and regional Clustering Approach and each regional clustering process Summary of Outputs

Time Table by Outputs OutputsQ2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3 Thematic Research Framework Folder System Report on European Tourism Observatory System Contribution to the EC 2011 Evaluation of COM 2008 Report to the UN-WSSD follow-up Process Tourism Learning Areas Made Easy Manual Destination managers – e-Training Module Induction Manual for the FAST-LAIN ICT system ICT System for Sustainable Tourism Observatory Regional Research Folder System Leaflets on European Research Framework Clusters

For further information on this presentation please contact: Herbert Hamele, Gordon Sillence, ECOTRANS e.V. Futterstrasse D Saarbrücken T: / F: / March 2011