European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas, "Carta Europea del Turismo Sostenibile nelle Aree Protette"

Best Practice

Topics

• Regional value added
• Protected areas, Mobility, Policies and instruments

Short description

The European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas is the instrument for the definition of the strategies on which the offer of sustainable tourism should be based. The general principles of the Charter are contextualized in the local realities with the involvement of the local tour operators, farmers, co-operatives and parks administrations, who can organize an integrated tourist offer of high quality. Among the best experiences, there are the Natural Park of Maritime Alps (Italia, Piedmont Region) and the Regional Natural Park of Vercors (France, Rhone-Alpes Region), which have passed the auditing by Europarc (that happens every 5 years). Thematic round tables formed by tour operators, farmers and shop keepers have led to the definition of rules of behaviour and to the promotion of sustainable tourism in a participatory way. The project started in 1995, since 1999 the Charter has been adopted by 17 protected areas, located in 7 European Countries. The project is not meant to have a conclusion. There are no towns involved in the project, but it is useful to notice that Western Alps are located in a region with important urban centres such as Turin, Grenoble and Gap. Endogenous resources: local tour operators, shop keepers, farmers, traditional architecture, handicraft products, environment and landscape. Economic sectors involved: tourism, agriculture, handicraft with local and tipical products. Even if the project executive promoted some adjustments at the beginning of the process, the project has not been changed during the implementation phase.

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Project executive

Ente Parco Naturale Alpi Marittime (Piazza Regina Elena, 30 - 12010 Valdieri (CN), Tel: 0171/97397; Fax: 0171/97542; e-mail: parcalma@tin.it; internet site: www.parks.it/parco.alpi.marittime); Ente Parco Naturel Régional du Vercors (255, Chemin des Fusillés - BP 2 - 38250 Lans-en-Vercors, tel. +33-0476943826; fax +33-0476943839; e-mail info@pnr-vercors.fr; internet site: www.pnr-vercors.fr); Eurparc (auditor of the Charter) Contacts: -Natural Park of the Maritime Alps: Director dr. Patrizia Rossi and dr. Villani (Promotion Office) -Natural Park of Vercors: Anne Zukowski (Tourism Office)

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Participants

Parks, municipalities, WWF France (for the label "Gite Panda"), Fédération des Parcs Naturels Régionaux de France, "Ecoturismo in Marittime" Association, "The Tourist Company" Society (consulting for the definition of the strategy in the Maritime Alps Park). There is no key person since the project belongs to a european initiative based on the co-operation between the Fédération des Parcs Naturels Régionaux de France and Europarc. In the French case, the participants can identify with the project because the Charter has been adopted in a context in which the tour operators and actors were already part of networks such as Gite Panda and Hotel au Naturel. In the Italian case, on the contrary, the local communities were not used to projects of that kind and, for this reason, the local operators consider the Charter more a promotional instrument than a project in which identify. Regular (physical) meetings represent the main structure of co-operation among actors.

Objectives

The objective of the Charter is the improvement of the quality of tourist offer through the definition of activities in the different protected areas with the participation of the local community. The aspects contained in the Charter are quality of the offer, tourist accomodation, promotion of the territory, democratic tourist offer, management of the fluxes.

Activities

Both of the two Parks: definition of a sustainable tourism strategy contextualized in the local reality, with the involvement of the local tour operators. Natural Park of the Maritime Alps: support to the creation of a local tour operators association ("Ecoturismo in Marittime"), involvement of the local actors, stimulation of the operators to improve the tourist structures. Natural Park of Vercors: promotion of the quality offer through already existing labels (Gite Panda e Hotel au Naturel), definition of specific action plans, editing and publication of a catalogue of the products, initiatives to promote sustainable tourism, promotion of the territory through a network and through guided visits, implementation of new technologies and telework, creation of the figure of "Park mediator", professional training, improvement of the accessibility of the pathways, initiatives dedicated to deseasonalization.

Process

Participation of the local actors in the definition of a common strategy for tourism; training; realization of specific actions in the territory; auditing on the application of the principles contained in the Charter every five year by Europarc.

Results

Natural Park of Maritime Alps: in 2001 it has passed the first auditing by Europarc, at the beginning of 2004 it established the "Ecoturismo in Marittime" Association, which involves 35 private operators (hotels and restaurants) and about 10 other partners (municipalities, mountain communities, parks administrators); improvement of the cooperation between the local operators, improvement of the consideration of the park among the stakeholders; more than 8000 students per year have visited the park, improvement of the environmental performances of 2 mountain refuges owned by the Park; increase of the tourists' number (300.000 in 2005 during summer time), puchase of eco-counters for the computation of the cars and of the excursionists + distribution of a questionary in order to analyse the tourists' behaviour. Natural Park of Vercors: in 2002 it has passed the first auditing by Europarc; development of the networks Gites Panda (about 100), Hotel au Naturel (3 in 2003), in 10% of the territory the circulation of private vehicles is not allowed; creation of 3 Vercors spaces in the nearby towns, consolidation of the Park's mediators (about 30), creation of holidays centres for children (120), widening of the pathways network (2800 km). The specific relevance of the results for the Alps is the possibility to use an instrument that is particularly flexible and, thus, which can be adapted to the local context. This contributes to the creation on a common understanding about alpine tourism management and can facilitate the exchange of experiencies even on an international level. The project it is also important because it supports the experimentation of innovative actions (tour operators' network, with a behaviour code, deseasonalization initiatives). Success factors for implementation depend on fitting financial resources (specially Interreg project with the Park of Mercantour); involvement of the local actors in the definition and application of a common strategy on sustainable tourism and satisfactory relationship with French partners (with the Park of Mercantour the Ente Parco Naturale Alpi marittime has signed an agreement since 1986).

Evaluation

The application of the Charter for the firs five years has been already verified through the Europarc auditing.

Difficulties

Natural Park of Maritime Alps: passivity of the context due to the problem of depopulation, difficulties in the involvement of the local operators. Natural Park of Vercors: difficulties to turn theory (very specific and innovative guide lines) into practice. problems appearing during the implementation phase are related to difficulties in the involvement of the local stakeholders. At the beginning of the project it was difficult to build a network among participants. Anyway, when stakeholders perceived good results of the project, they adhered to the initiatives with more enthusiasm and determination. In the cross-border context, some problems depend on linguistic difficulties with French partners and administrative framework differences between France and Italy.

Financial backer

Natural Park of Maritime Alps: budget of "Ecoturismo in Marittime" association (4500 euro) plus 5000 euro financed by the park plus private investments. The Park's chief executive is paid by the Interreg project (with the Park of Mercantour). Natural Park of Vercors: both private and EU funds. Natural Park of Maritime Alps: private, public and EU funds.Natural Park of Vercors: both internal and EU funds.

Source of information

Competition

Participant at the 2005 Future in the Alps competition

Homepage

http://

Publication

Sustainable Tourism Strategy for Vercors 2003-2007; Sustainable Tourism Strategy in Maritime Alps

Project executive as above

Contact person as above

Comments

Impact on nature and environment

Decrease of the impacts of the tourist structures and of pollution.

Economic value added

The increase of the tourist fluxes (300.000 visits during summer time) in the Natural Park of Maritime Alps has certainly contributed to the increase of the volume of affairs of the entire province of Cuneo. In the Natural Park of Vercors the creation of new professional figures (the mediators and ambassadors of the Park) contributes to the regional value added together with the increase of touris activities. Multiplier effects on commerce. The project has a high potential to keep people in the region. It could be new development possibilities since the number of foreign tourists has increased in both parks.

Socio-cultural value added

Increase of cohesion and cooperation between local actors.

Innovative content

Quality tours in the tourist offer.

Good governance

Involvement of the local actors in the definition and application of a common strategy on sustainable tourism.

PR impact

Promotion of the territory, which has led to the increase of tourist fluxes.

Multiplier effect / networking

Network of tour operators, in particular in the Natural Park of Maritime Alps where an association dedicated to the promotion and management has been established ("Ecoturismo in Marittime" Association).

Transferability

The entire methodology can be easily transferred, especially thanks to the principles contained in the Charter. No special basic condition are necessary to implement the project in other regions.