1st CEETO Stakeholder Workshop in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Salzburger Lungau
May 2nd - the first CEETO workshop in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Salzburger Lungau took place, in which visions and objectives of a sustainable tourism development were discussed together with stakeholders and experts.
The Salzburger Lungau is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2012 and thus also a model region for sustainable development. The implementation of CEETO Interreg CE project, in which the Biosphere Reserve is one of the partner institutions, opens the possibility to promote a sustainable tourism development together with regional actors and experts. The aim is to protect nature and to give value to the natural habitat by developing appropriate offers to avoid conflicts between users and to raise awareness on the creation of the regional value.
On the 2nd of May the first workshop with experts and regional actors took place in the Ferienregion Lungau, where 9 stakeholders from tourism, agriculture, hunting, nature conservation and regional development sectors were represented. After a short introduction to CEETO project and the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas, expectations, problems, desirable developments and visions as well as possible linking points for tourism were discussed. Special emphasis was given to the importance of an attentive and sustainable development plan for the region and a related socio-economic quality development in all areas. Regarding tourism development, it was highlighted the necessity to make the Biosphere Reserve tangible for locals and guests through the Be.Genuine initiative (https://www.salzburgerland.com/en/be-genuine/). Therefore, more comprehensive efforts on awareness raising and capacity building among employees, partners and locals regarding the Biosphere Reserve and sustainable development are considered important to raise the value of quality tourism offers.
1st CEETO workshop in Salzburger Lungau - Photo by UNESCO Bisophere Reserve Salzburger Lungau
Possible actions for the next years are to create one outstanding event per year on a core topic and related awareness raising, education and training programs. Likewise, the need to develop specific tourism offers and services according to the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas, a quality label for the Biosphere Reserve’s partners and a continuous monitoring programme were also identified. The following items were set on the to do list and will be discussed on the 25th of June during the 2nd Workshop:
- Planning and implementation of a basic survey;
- Development of the strategy and action plan;
- Organisation of the first event in autumn 2018 under the subject “Tracking people and nature – nature related quality tourism in the UNESCO Biosphere Salzburger Lungau”.
