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International Tourism growth in Europe has exceeded expectations over the last three years, with the Baltic States outstanding as strong performers. UNWTO’s long-term global forecast of 4% yearly growth until 2020 is likely to be matched or even exceeded in this region, assuming that GDP growth is maintained. Particularly Lithuania has experienced a considerable increase of both its share of arrivals and receipts within Central and Eastern Europe.
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This strong economic performance in Central and Eastern Europe goes hand in hand with the increasing recognition of ensuring sustainable growth in its environmental, social and economic dimensions, based on solid institutional and management structures.
These issues were addressed during the International Seminar on “Sustainable Development of Tourism in Central and Eastern Europe” organized by UNWTO and hosted by Lithuania, from 28 February-1 March, 2007 in the capital in Vilnius. The event brought together more than 200 participants from 20 European countries, ranging from tourism policy makers, managers at national, regional and destination levels, private sector and academia representatives.
Relevance for policy-makers
The principles of sustainable development, as often expressed through Sustainable Development Strategies, have been embraced by most countries and are finding their way into national policies.
UNWTO considers the need for policy-makers to regard the Travel & Tourism sector as a social activity which cross-relates to vital sectors of the economy, with important implications and effects on areas such as employment, transport or infrastructure. Therefore the general sustainability approach should also be streamlined into tourism policies, bearing in mind the steady growth of tourism in the coming years.
This favourable inbound and revenue perspective should foster the initiative to further develop the natural and cultural resources of Central and Eastern Europe. These assets represent a basis for sustainable tourism. The challenge for policy-makers lies in managing the increasing development pressure in the area, which might pose a threat to natural and cultural resources.
Key conclusions
The achievement of sustainability - as a balance between environmental, economic and social aspects - has to build on a set of institutional and management structures. Therefore creating a solid institutional framework, which in itself is a long-term process, is a necessary condition to reach sustainability objectives.
Among the specific challenges underscored, the Seminar paid particular attention to:
reducing the seasonality of demand,
maintaining and enhancing community prosperity in the face of change,
minimising resource use and the production of waste; and
conserving and giving value to natural and cultural heritage.
The key conclusions of this UNWTO Seminar are varied and comprise general and specific aspects, among which the following stood out:
Sustainability is a cross-border task: Regional co-operation is relevant to improve the results, as the Pan Baltic approach demonstrates. The participation of a number of institutions and networking processes could turn this region into a pilot area for cooperative sustainable tourism.
Strategies and tools: Experts underline the critical importance of effective land use planning and development control. These types of measures must be backed by effective legal empowerment.
Voluntary measures: Standards and recognition through certification, such as the Blue Flag award scheme, have proven to be a useful approach. This example proves the success of a high profile awareness scheme amongst tourists, which in turn persuades destinations to maintain required standards.
Consumer patterns and behaviour: In order to decrease seasonality and other negative impacts, demand can be influenced at the source, for instance through the staggering of school holidays or similar measures. At the same time, consumer behaviour can also be influenced by the nature of the product, for example by improving the design, standards and presentation of accommodation.
Monitoring success: The tracking of the results of the steps taken serves as a feedback on the implemented measures and policies and are an important step towards achieving sustainability. As this will require regular surveys, the authorities will have to commit and provide the needed resources.
Environmental trade-offs: The effect of climate change might have specific implications for the pattern of demand, the location of new development and pressure on natural resources. While natural areas can host diverse activities, some of these might in turn threaten the environment or even conflict with each other. These trade-offs need to be addressed by improved management plans.
Rural impact: Tourism can make a strong socio-economic contribution in rural areas, such as substantive complementary income alongside more traditional activities. The quality of tourism services in rural areas need to be improved, alongside with the know-how in small tourism businesses and staff training in many protected areas with little experience of tourism.
Cultural heritage: Uncontrolled tourism development can have negative impacts on cultural heritage sites, but if adequately planned and managed it can promote awareness and support for their conservation, provide business opportunities for local residents and a high quality experience for tourists.
The way forward
All these key conclusions and aspects lead to the challenges facing the development of sustainable tourism.
The Seminar concluded that there is a need not to repeat past mistakes from developments in other parts of Europe, where the short-term perspectives of increasing revenues prevented sound planning and protection, hence making a sustainable approach much more difficult or even less likely.
In this regard, the European Union’s Tourism Sustainability Group, also supported by UNWTO, has set out a policy and action framework in order to make tourism more sustainable in Europe.
The experts gathered at the UNWTO Seminar agreed for the clear need to create sustainable tourism strategies, which have to involve all stakeholders in the process, both at a national and local level. Furthermore, strategies at different levels must relate to each other and be mutually consistent.
UNWTO considers that there is considerable room for improvement and a real chance to build principles of sustainability into the design and implementation of tourism policies.
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Martes, 10 Julio, 2007 - 11:07
