Sustainable Tourism – ALPS 2005 (Nachhaltiger Tourismus ALPEN 2005)
‘Sustainable Tourism – Alps 2005’ is a European pilot project with the following goals: 1. creation of a co-operation network between Benelux and the Alps; 2. integration of sustainability in travel to and holidays in the Alps with NL tour operators and NAP member organisations; 3. awareness building among NL tourists. Project implementation is a joint activity with actors of the tourism chain. The project also supports implementation of international agreements (Alpine Convention) and the environmental policies of the NL government.
Project executive
NAP was founded in 1991 to promote sustainable mountain tourism through awareness building for Dutch tourists. Among other things, it supports the travel industry in the development of sustainable forms of mountain tourism. NAP is an initiative launched by the Dutch Environmental Alps Group (NMGA), the Dutch Ski Club (NSkiV), the Dutch Climbing and Mountain Sports Club (NKBV), and the Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB). NAP represents a total of 3.5 million members.
Particpants
Netherlands: 1. ANVR (umbrella for tour operators) 2. TUI Netherlands, Hotelplan, Vrij Uit, SNP 3. NS-International (railway) 4. Royal Dutch Transport (umbrella for coach operators) 5. NC-IUCN 6. Office of the National Tourist Boards of the Alpine Countries. Alpine countries: 7. GAST (Switzerland) 8. Soft Mobility Working Group – IG Sanfte Mobilität (Austria) 9. Hohe Tauern National Park 10. Ministry of Life (Austria) 11. Canton of Valais (Switzerland). Europe: 12. Network for Soft Mobility in European Tourism (NETS).
Objectives
The project continues from the ‘Wintersport 2005’ brochure published by NAP and TUI NL. The brochure lists measures designed to make sustainable forms of mountain tourism available to the Dutch consumer by 2005. The main objective of ‘Alps 2005’ is a substantial contribution from the Netherlands (with its annual total of 2 million visitors to the Alps!) to environmental protection in the Alps and the sustainable use of the biodiversity of the Alps in tourism. It involves the development and marketing of complete travel and holiday packages for Dutch consumers with eco-friendly means of transport, certified accommodation, environmentally aware mountain activities and (on-line) information for tour operators and tourists. These objectives are pursued in collaboration with 20 representatives of the authorities, the travel industry, consumer organisations and environmental organisations in the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland (supply chain management method).
Activities
1. Development and monitoring of a network (workshops, conferences) to link the actors in the Alps and the Netherlands and for the joint implementation of project activities. 2. Study tours for Dutch tour operators/transport companies and journalists in the fields of biodiversity, national parks and tourism, soft mobility and eco-labels in tourism. 3. Hard-copy and on-line publication of information for both tourists and the tourism industry (Alpen on-line). 4. Development of a door-to-hotel service (bus and train) including logistics for luggage on the international railways (New Mobility International). 5. Development and marketing of sustainable travel and holidays by Dutch tour operators. 6. Development of an environmental yardstick for mountain tourism. 7. Draft of a Lowlands Protocol (agreement between mountaineering clubs for sustainable mountain sports). 8. Monitoring, evaluation and application of results.
Results
1. Packages available for booking: 20 sustainable Alpine packages to car-free destinations (winter and summer) offered by the tour operators TUI Netherlands, Hotelplan and SNP Reisen as of winter 2004 with environmental information in the brochures and the Internet. 2. On-line database with environmental information and offers for tour operators and consumers (in collaboration with Ecotrans/Eceat): www.greentravelmarket.info. 3. Lowlands Protocol: a ten-year agreement signed by the mountaineering clubs in the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark in which they undertake to put their mountain sport activities on a sustainable footing in co-operation with the Alpine countries and to inform their members accordingly. 4. Environmental yardstick for mountain tourism: a tool for the mountaineering clubs to reduce the environmental impacts of their programmes and to make them sustainable. 5. Communications strategy for sustainable mountain tourism for consumer organisations, the tourism industry, and mountaineering and ski clubs.
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