AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Betina Meliss University of Greifswald GERMANY

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project Lead PartnerUniversity of Greifswald, DE Project partners44 partners from all Baltic Sea States, incl. Russia and Belarus ProgrammeINTERREG III B, Baltic Sea Region Duration July 2005 – December 2007 ApproachCross – sector approach Pan – Baltic approach Strategic approach approved as Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project Project AGORA approved!

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project Lead Partner University of Greifswald Institute of Geography GERMANY

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project BELARUS DENMARK ESTONIA FINLAND GERMANY LATVIA LITHUANIA POLAND RUSSIA SWEDEN 44 partners from 10 Baltic Sea States: Pan Baltic Approach

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project Most important results of the project Agora:

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project a data base including information about (more than 200) tourism related projects which have been part-financed by different European programmes (e.g. INTERREG II A, C, INTERREG III A, B, C, LIFE, LEADER+….) as an expandable data base of tourism projects, to save existing knowledge and to make it easily and free accessible to the public Most important results I YepaT – the Service Hub of Tourism Projects

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project Most important results II Sustainability Check for Tourism Projects to measure sustainability of tourism projects as a mandatory part for assessing tourism related project applications and as a precondition for granting projects. to stimulate sustainable projects and to avoid the support of projects with negative impacts Its flexibility allows to use it for different kinds of tourism, on different levels from local to international.

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project Frame:9 Sustainability Objectives

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project DimensionEconomy Objective Strengthen local/regional economy Employment of local people Sustainable capacity planning Aspects Added valueEmploymentMeeting market requirements DiversityQualification Stability + Professional economical expertise involved Aspects

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project DimensionSociety Objective Satisfaction of most stakeholders impacted by the project Participation of local people in decisions Respect for local/regional culture Aspects Access for the disabled/elderly Local opinion & transparency Culture Gender equalityTradition Capacity limits Access (to project benefits) Satisfaction (of people affected) + Professional social expertise involved Aspects

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project DimensionEcology Objective Minimise resource use Reduce environmental load Preserve biodiversity Aspects LandWasteNumber of species WaterEmissionsComposition of species EnergyWater pollution Renewable energy + Public awareness (of environmental issues) + Professional ecological expertise involved Aspects

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project Fields1 Policy for sustainable tourism; 2 Knowledge and competence development; 3 Innovation and product development; 4 Destination development; and 5 Cooperation and networking Discussed by Agora partners and approved during the final meeting Stakeholder Meeting involving international organisations Berlin, 7 September 2007, Agreement on implementation Agreement on further close cooperation on 10 most important actions for next 2 years Most important results III Strategy concept for developing sustainable tourism in the BSR

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project Participating Organisations Baltic 21 ICLEI, Local Governmemnts for Sustainability VASAB Secretariat Baltic Sea Tourism Commission (BTC) Union of the Baltic Cities (Commission on Tourism) UNWTO Task Force Sustainable Tourism Coalition Clean Baltic ECOTRANS Finnish Tourist Board Latvian Country Tourism Association Project AGORA and others…

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project a technical platform for exchange and networking for internal communication and international exchange Database Yepat will be established there Improved cooperation between stakeholders For example: DESTINET Portal Hosted by the European Environmental Agency / DK (EEA), partnered by UN World Tourism Organisation (UN WTO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), administered by ECOTRANS.

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project 2008 ff ? Agora follow-up project in preparation - strongly involving tourism business  new partnership  Application INTERREG IV B (1 st call: March – May 2008) Participation in different projects related to sustainable tourism development in the BSR Implementation of the Strategy Concept and the European Agenda in the Baltic Sea Region – BSR as a pilot region

AGORA - Network Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Tourism – Chances and Challenges, Reykjavik, 15 February 2008 Project part-financed by the EU Project approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project Thank‘s for your attention!