What is Touring Nature? - a rural development process through sustainable tourism

- a promotional tool via the participation in the pan-European routes

- a sustainable development European Label awarded by the Assembly of

European Regions to become of destination of excellence

- a new sustainable development dynamic (sustainable energy) involving at

least 100 local professionals in your territory

- concrete and effi cient actions to enhance your local labels and the quality of

your territory.

What would Touring Nature bring? - In the future 139 500 visitors on your territory during the 4 seasons

> i.e. 4,8 millions every year of economics benefi ts by labelled territory.

What budget is needed for a 3 years period (renewal of the label)?

- Assessment auditing, labelling process, dues and renewal of the label:

50 500 for 3 years

- Financing of ecotourism and sustainable development actions in your

territory: 100 000 to 200 000 for 3 years.

What time does it take?- 3 to 12 months to commit 100 local professionals in your territory- 3 years to implement sustainable development actions before the renewal

of the label.

How take part to Touring Nature Routes and to be awarded the Village+ label?

- Apply with the form and choose a pan-European Route for your territory.

Please contact: touringnature@wanadoo.fr

Touring Nature in a few words

4

At a time where the European continent is expanding with the entry of new

countries in the EU, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) believes that rural

development is key to achieve cohesion and balanced economic development in

Europe. Rural areas have reached an even greater signifi cance in the enlarged EU

and now account for 80% of the European territory.

Considering this situation, the AER is committed to support

The diversifi cation of rural economies and the development of non-agricultural resources

The reconciliation of rural development with environmental interests and the

promotion of sustainable development

The discovery of rural territories by the European public

The AER sees the development of sustainable forms of tourism as a key tool to achieving these objectives. Sustainable Tourism and Rural Development have

been set as political priorities of the AER Committee on Economy and Regional

Development, which is eager to promote them through concrete proposals of

cooperation among its member regions and to build up local partnerships with the

managers of rural areas.

Rural developmentthrough sustainable tourism

> 5

Responding to tourists environmental demand

Today, nature-related tourism is among the fastest-growing tourism market: it is increasing by 10% to 30% per year according to European regions, while

tourism overall is growing at an annual rate of 4%. Thus, it is clear that ecotou-

rism is no longer a niche, as general visitors preferences tend to be moving in the

direction of the ecotourists. A growing number of tourists are interested in

discovering new places and seek new experiences: they are particularly appealed by beautiful scenery and outdoor activities, and look for local and unique

experiences. What is more, environment has become a very important con-cern of European visitors, who are eager to opt for greener holidays.*

These new trends constitute major opportunities for European regions. They have the potential to develop their resources and meet the ever more-deman-

ding visitors expectations: throughout Western, Central and Eastern Europe, our

regions have a particularly rich and diversifi ed natural and cultural heritage, which need to be enhanced to bring about tourist development. To make the

most of these resources, Touring Nature aims at supporting eco-friendly forms of

tourism by bringing together the regions and professionals willing to commit to

ecotourism of international quality, so as to enhance at the European level regional

labels and appealing to environment-friendly tourists.

* According to a survey conducted by the European Union, almost half of the tourists says that environmental performance will be a crucial criterion when choosing their holiday destination (Press release from the European Union, 15/05/2003)

>>Rural development through sustainable tourism

6

Promoting regional identity through sustainable tourism

The Touring Nature project aims at developing sustainable tourism in rural areas

throughout Western, Central and Eastern Europe. It is driven by two main concerns:

- Environmental protection and the promotion of sustainable development strategies

- Involvement of regional authorities and stakeholders and interregional cooperation

These core orientations are grounded on the observed trend of growing envi-

ronmental expectations by European citizens and tourists and their motivation to

engage in holidays alternative to mass and seasonal tourism. Touring Nature describes itself as an opportunity for European territories* to commit to sustai-

nable tourism development and thereby to enhance their territorial identity and

be recognised by visitors for their positioning that distinguishes them from the

competition.

In this perspective, the AER strongly believes that a bottom-up strategy is the best way to put together accurate projects as regional stakeholders know best

what their region has to offer. In addition, the Touring Nature project constitutes

an opportunity for the regions to pull their efforts together through interregional

cooperation as a means to set up pan-European Routes to rural tourism.

* The term territory refers to a group of villages where the politicians and the population have a common objective: developing their rural territory in a sustainable way and enhancing their local resources. A territory can be a natural park, a Local Action Group, a Natura 2000 area, a reserve Man and Biosphere, a World Heritage site, a Ramsar Convention zone or all rural territory having a strong local identity deserving to be recognized at European level. The fi rst labelled territory was the Regional Development Council of Lake Tisza in Hungary (4 Counties-73 villages- 151 local professionals committed in the labelling process). It is at the same time: a National Park (Hortobgy), a Natura 2000 area, World Heritage, Ramsar Convention and a Man and Biosphere reserve. It takes part to the Route of Eurovelo and the Danube Basin waterways.

Touring Nature: an ambitious project of sustainable tourism

> 7

>> Touring Nature: an ambitious project of sustainable tourism

Connecting rural territories with the European tourists

The Touring Nature project aims to set up Routes of rural areas throughout Europe, and promoting them to the European and International potential visitors. Through the www.touringnature.com web portal, a bridge will link local professio-

nals of tourism to the public. This will make tourism possible in territories that have

been largely undiscovered so far, by including small territories in a wider network

and provide international customers with guarantees and recognisable referen-

ces.

www.touringnature.com The web portal will give the visitors opportunity to:

- Find all information they need to explore these territories: where to stay, to

eat, to go out, what to visit, where to fi nd a tourism board, directory of the local

craftsmen, etc.

- Design their own customised trips, using the web portal to compare destina-

tions and fi nd pan-European routes.

Village + sustainable development labelThe label Village + is compulsory for the territories to become members of the

Touring Nature Routes. It is awarded by the AER and submitted to evaluation and

it has to be re-assessed every three years.

On the one hand, the labelling process commits local professionals to sustainable

development actions,

On the other hand, the label is a clear reference and guarantee that can be used

by local professionals to promote their products and services to the International

and European visitors.

8

An integrated project of sustainable tourism

Visitors are guaranteed that the territories that display the Village+ label have engaged in extensive dynamics of developing sustainable tourism. The label is

awarded on the condition of a commitment by at least one hundred profes-sionals*. The label rewards the involvement of the community cooperating with lo-cal/regional authorities to contribute to the collective project of developing sustainable

tourism and to implement guidelines for improvement. It entails practical actions that

will be taken on a daily basis to support sustainable development. Professionals parti-

cipation is subject to control and quality monitoring.

A supportive institutional recognition

OECD: The Village + concept was originally presented to the Organisation for Econo-mic Co-operation and Development (OECD) who chose to publish it in a workshop on

the specifi cs of rural territories.

UNESCO: The project was presented to UNESCO - Division of Ecological Sciences which has agreed to have its logo and 200 Man and Biosphere reserves featured along-

side the 200 Regional and National Nature Parks on the European Touring Nature Map.

The aim is to encourage these protected nature areas and nearby areas that are not

protected to apply for the Village+ label and be part of the pan-European Routes to rural

ecotourism.

UNEP: After running a pilot site in Italy, the method was presented to the Tourism Programme Coordinator of the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) who

expressed a favourable opinion. In particular, it has evaluated positively;

the idea of involving visitors in the control/monitoring process (expert visitors),

the involvement of local professionals of tourism as a condition to the label

awarding,

the focus on sustainable development beside tourism development.

AER (NGO): in order to be operational, the labelling process and the costs of the initiative have been adapted following a seminar about Sustainable Tourism gathering 100 tourist

managers from 17 European countries (Region of Jmtland-Sweden-2005).

> 9

The labelling process, a reliable guarantee for European visitors

* The term professional refers to anyone whose business or profession involves dealing directly or indirectly with visitors.

>>The labelling process, a reliable guarantee for European visitors

A rigorous methodology

The Assembly of European Regions signed a partnership agreement with Pluris Consultants for the implementation of the label: application, methodology and promotion of the Routes.

Before the label awarding

Pluris Consultants work together with the territory to determine the guidelines for improvement:

- Examining the application of the territory. It validates the number of local professionals wishing to commit to sustainable development actions to contribute

to environmental protection and ecotourism development on their territory,

- Carrying out an assessment auditing on the territory based on a perception grid allowing to identify the territorys strengths and weaknesses from the point

of view of potential visitors,

- Providing the territory with an assessment report. This report aims at determining the priority improvement guidelines regarding sustainable development

and ecotourism. The territory will choose one or several improvement guidelines.

The territory is given 3 years to implement them in order for the label to be

renewed.

These three steps lead to the choice of improvement guidelines, which commit

both the territory and the professionals to implementation. This commitment is

necessary for joining the Touring Nature Routes and for the offi cial attribution of the

label to be displayed on the commercial administrative and tourism documents.

10

After the awarding of the label

The labelling process does not end with the label awarding. It involves a quality monitoring process and a compulsory re-assessement of the label every three year.

1st year: Assessment of the degree of participation of local professionals who are involved and who use the label:

- Number of professionals who signed their commitment to the label,

- Activities of professionals,

- Type of commercial documentation presenting products and services from

local professionals that feature the label,

- Suggestions from professionals.

2nd year: Assessment of the visitors perception: - Perception of the territory,

- Perception of professionals,

- Perception of the label and the pan-European Routes,

- Suggestions from visitors, European associations and federations recom-

mending visits (automobile-clubs, hikers and motorhomes clubs).

3rd year: Assessment of commitment to sustainable development actions- Initiatives of the territory authorities,

- Professionals personal initiatives.

Label renewal at the end of the 3rd year: - Pluris audits actions in line with improvement guidelines undertaken during the past 3 years. The territory and local professionals have to prove what ac-

tions they carried out (invoices, pictures...) and what are the outcomes. What is

important is the effi ciency of the actions and not the amount of investments.

- New improvement guidelines for the next 3 years are submitted to the terri-

tory by Pluris on the basis of 3 reports: participation/perception/ commitment,- Pluris assesses the new territorys and professionals involvement for sus-tainable.

> 11

A strong communication strategy

12 13

Budget to gain the Village+ label and take part to the pan-European Routes

Amounts to transfer in the framework of a 3-year convention to Pluris Consultants, executive partner of the initiative: (basis: index Syntec 2007), WITHOUT Value Added Taxe and without travel and accommodation expenses

* The annual dues is made of 3 500 to enhance the territory and 9 000 (package price) to enhance 100 to 200 local professionals allowing the territory to gain the Village+ label thanks to their commitment to sustainable development and ecotourism, i.e. an average of 60 by professional.

**After the approval of your application, Pluris will coach your territory through the process of acquiring the Village+ label. The labelling process (12 months instead of 3 months with the Option 1) is not only about imposing environmental criteria. It is meant to back your territory in the process of setting up of a solid tourist development project. It involves about 6 meetings on your territory for training on sustainable tourism and coordination of regional authorities and tourism professionals to determine a tourism strategy adapted to your territorys resources and defi ne improvement guide-lines. Among other things, Pluris will help you making the information material (commercial documentation for products and services, guide-map, sign-posts) will gather test groups representing a sample of visitors to ensure that your territorys project and communication strategy meet the tourists expectations. NB: Your territory can take one or several supply of the Option 2.

Note: Your territory should be able to gain for itself regional and/or Community fundings (Leader+, interreg...) allowing it to fi nance notably the following actions for 3 years: e.g.: offi cial ceremony of the Label awarding (cocktail, press conference, press books, fees for the auditing organisation), training for local professionals to renewable energy and sustainable development, creation of the guide map of your territory in collaboration with local professionals, printing of 30 000 guide maps in 4 languages and sending to 500 European clubs of visitors, signposting in your territory, implementation of one or several improvement guidelines by your territory (e.g.: educational signs of natural and cultural heritage, displaying of the energetics report of public buildings): total estimate for 3 years : between 100 000 and 200 000 .

More information, please contact: touringnature@wanadoo.fr

14 Aer-General secretariat - 6 rue Oberlin - 67000 Strasbourg - France www.a-e-r.org - Tel: +33 3 88 22 07 07 - Email: e.delangle@a-e-r.org Brussels Offi ce: 2 place Sainctelette -1080 Bruxelles - BelgiumTel: + 32 2 421 85 12 - Email: s.cools@a-e-r.rog

Pluris has been consultant to the OECD to propose economic op-portunities favouring rural development and enhancing territorial specifi cities through local products and ecotourism. The company signed a partnership agreement with the AER to propose to the Regions to set up a European network of ecotourism favouring em-ployment in rural territories in all seasons. > Pluris Consultants - Inovalle - BP 176 - F- 38244 Meylan www.touringnature.com - Tel: + 33 4 76 41 91 82 Email: touringnature@wanadoo.fr Ph

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