National park hosts in the Eifel National Park (Nationalparkgastgeber im Nationalpark Eifel)

Best Practice

Topics

• Protected areas
• Regional value added

Short description

Gastronomy businesses which use the brand “Regionalmarke Eifel” can be trained as “Na-tionalparkgastgeber” (national park hosts). Until now there are 25 participating businesses who have to fulfil specific criteria. They have to act as ambassadors of the national park and are provided with special information by the national park.

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Project executive

Nationalparkverwaltung Eifel, Eifel Tourismus GmbH

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Participants

35 gastronomy businesses until now

Objectives

Guest businesses within the national park form an offer group "nationalpark hosts" and act as "embassadors" of the national park.

Activities

Certification of nationalparc hosts

Process

Certification after a 5 day training course and fulfilling the defined quality criteria. After a successfull certification process the national park hosts develop their own packages and marketing measures.

Results

Being "ambassadors" of the national park the national park hosts gain higher sensibility among their guests for environmental issues and make them to "ambassadors" of the national park as well.

Evaluation

Evaluation takes place once in three years.

Budget

800.000 (Euro)

Financial backer

Financing of the training courses by federal funds.

Source of information

Competition

Participant at the 2005 Future in the Alps competition

Homepage

http://www.nationalpark-eifel.de/

Comments

Impact on nature and environment

By fulfilling environment saving measures it is anticipated to attract more visitors who are sensitive regarding ecological aspects.

Economic value added

By using the brand “Regionalmarke Eifel” or “Viabono” the national park hosts oblige themselves to accomplish special nature friendly measures such as energy saving measures. Being ambassadors of the national park the national park hosts gain higher sen-sibility among their guests for environmental issues and make them to “ambassadors” as well. Among the local people a higher ac-ceptance of the National Park’s ecological protection targets is aspired.

Socio-cultural value added

By the use of the brand a stronger regional identification arises among the participating businesses.

Innovative content

The innovative content is, that hosts within the national park deal actively with the subject national park and it's philosophy.

Good governance

The national park hosts participate actively in the coordination tasks of the Eifel Tourism Ltd. and the National Park Administration and has its own speaker. They develop their own criteria and packages. Training programs are part of the qualification criteria. Every three years the participants will be evaluated.

PR impact

National park hosts will have their own website with a link on the national park's website.

Multiplier effect / networking

Being ambassadors of the national park the national park hosts gain higher sensibility among their guests for environmental issues and make them to “ambassadors” as well.

Transferability

The principle can be used for any kind of offer groups.