Welcome to the 17th issue of Tourism Around Europe, a quarterly newsletter for competitive and sustainable tourism in Europe.

For this issue I had the pleasure to interview Dr Dave Randle, Director of the University of South Florida's Patel College of Global Sustainability. We spoke about the 2016 key challenges for the tourism industry, the educational opportunities and best practices. “The key challenge” David says “is responding to the new U.N. Sustainable Development goals (SDG’), preserving cultural and biodiversity resources. Tourism has something to offer for each of the new 17 SDG’s”. Among the best practices we learn from David about the Walt Disney Company’s strong sustainability leadership commitments, goals, and practices.

The observatory includes 4 key documents:

1. The United Nations Resolutionthat adopts 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development
2. The “Tourism for Growth and Jobs” Manifesto
3. The World Charter for Sustainable Tourism +20, Basque Country 2015
4. The outcome of the first Mediterranean Regional Cruise Dialogue

With the "Tourism for Growth and Jobs" Manifesto, for the first time ever, Europe’s public and private tourism actors have come together to call for the European Union to do more for this important industry. Speaking on behalf of the MEPs, Mr Ujhelyi said that “It is a historical moment from the point of view of the European representatives of the tourism sector. That is why I supported this initiative and encouraged politicians and the tourism stakeholders to sit on the same side of the table.”

We have selected 4 projects to share with you:

1. Closing the gap in sustainable consumption and production in Southern Africa
2. Assessing the European Tourism Education & Training system against industry needs
3. The European Federation and its European Cultural Route "Destination Napoleon"
4. Co-operating for Leadership in Tourism

As you can see in the tourism agenda 2 major tourism events are taking place in Brussels, the European Tourism Day (16th Dec) and the European Tourism Indicators System conference and Accessible Tourism workshop (28th Jan 2016).

Finally I invite you to review the funding opportunities section to find out whether one of them is the right one for your project idea. Moreover if you are involved the blue growth, be prepared to plan your projects through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund which will invest EUR 5.75bn to boost maritime jobs and growth. The European Commission has just published a Communication setting out how the money available under the EU's five European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) will be spent in the period 2014-2020.

I wish you all a peaceful and prosperous 2016.

                                                                                                                                                                                                    Silvia Barbone
                                                                      Jlag Managing Director

The next “Tourism Around Europe” newsletter will be issued in March 2016

«Tourism Around Europe» is a quarterly newsletter for competitive tourism in Europe. Our aim is to disseminate European tourism policies and practices. We wish to encourage the exchange of knowledge regarding European tourism themes, actions and challenges. Each issue includes a conversation with influential leaders and thinkers within the sector.

A Conversation with Dr. David W. Randle. David is Director of the University of South Florida's Patel College of Global Sustainability Sustainable Tourism, Managing Director International Ocean Institute Waves of Change Blue Community Initiative, and President and CEO of the WHALE Center.

S.B.Which are the 2016 key challenges from your perspective for the tourism industry?

D.R.The key challenges for the tourism industry for 2016 include, responding to the new U.N. Sustainable Development goals (SDG’), preserving cultural and biodiversity resources, and shifting the paradigm of sustainable tourism to include safe operation within the planetary boundaries.The new U.N. SDG’s provide both a challenge and opportunity for the tourism industry. The challenge is that with tourism being such a large part of the global economy, tour operators, resorts and hotels, destinations, and cruise lines will all have to step up their sustainability programs and improve their sustainability management practices if the SDG’s are to be obtained. The sustainable tourism opportunity is that there are several examples of best practices that the tourism industry has to share that are proven models for achieving the SDG goals. Tourism has something to offer for each of the new 17 SDG’s.

Read the full interview

United Nations declares 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has approved the adoption of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The resolution, adopted on 4 December, recognizes “the importance of international tourism, and particularly of the designation of an international year of sustainable tourism for development, in fostering better understanding among peoples everywhere, in leading to a greater awareness of the rich heritage of various civilizations and in bringing about a better appreciation of the inherent values of different cultures, thereby contributing to the strengthening of peace in the world”.
This decision follows the recognition by global leaders at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) that “well-designed and well-managed tourism” can contribute to the three dimensions of sustainable development, to job creation and to trade.
The decision to adopt 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development comes at a particularly important moment as the international community embraces the new Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), approved by the UN General Assembly last September. Tourism is included as targets under three of the SDGs - SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all; SDG 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production and SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Read the adopted resolution
Tourism and the SDGs

World Charter for Sustainable Tourism +20, Basque Country 2015

Twenty years after the 1995 Charter for Sustainable Tourism, major changes have lead today’s world and its travel and tourism industry towards rethinking and updating the terms and objectives of the initial declaration in order to give new drive and meaning to the commitment to sustainability in this key sector.

The World Summit on Sustainable Tourism (ST+20) in the Basque Country has therefore been the major event at the end of 2015, bringing together the key actors in sustainable tourism in the search for a new drive to work towards its goals. These have been clustered as follows:

• Preserving our Common Heritage
• Tourism Supporting Biodiversity
• Climate Change & Tourism
• Redistributing Wealth and Looking for Peace
• Partnerships for a Sustainable Future
• Intelligent Visions and Innovation

Read the adopted Charter
Read about the Themes

Travel and tourism sector unites behind Tourism for Growth and Jobs Manifesto

For the first time ever, Europe’s public and private tourism actors have come together to call for the European Union to do more for this important industry. Published to coincide with the European Tourism Day on Wednesday 16^th December, the Tourism for Growth and Jobs Manifesto highlights the key EU policy priorities for the sector in the coming years on topics ranging from skills and qualifications to sustainability and competitiveness of Europe’s tourism.

The manifesto was officially launched at an event held at the Confcommercio Delegation to the European Union on Wednesday 9^th December 2015, which was attended by the MEPs Ana-Claudia Tapardel, Cláudia Monteiro De Aguiar, Isabella De Monte and István Ujhelyi. The European Commission was also represented by Jakub Cebula, Member of the Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, and Carlo Corazza, Head of Unit - Tourism, Creative and Emerging Industries.

Over 20 European organisations have already signed up to the manifesto which seeks to ensure that the continent remains an attractive destination and that the sector continues to make a significant contribution to the EU economy. The manifesto contains 8 key points:

• Competitiveness
• Digitalization
• Good governance
• Joint promotion
• Reduce seasonality
• Skills and qualification
• Sustainability
• Transport connectivity

You can find the full online version here: www.tourismmanifesto.eu

Promote a pan-European dialogue between cruise operators, ports and coastal tourism stakeholders, European Commission DG Maritime Affairs 2015

As part of EU's Blue Growth strategy, the coastal and maritime tourism sector has been identified as an area with special potential to foster a smart, sustainable and inclusive Europe. It is the biggest maritime sector in terms of gross value added and employment and, according to the Blue Growth Study , is expected to grow by 2-3% by 2020. In 2012, Cruise tourism alone represented 330,000 jobs and a direct turnover of €15.5 billion and growth prognosis area positive.

In 2014 the European Commission adopted the Communication “A European Strategy for more Growth and Jobs in Coastal and Maritime Tourism” (20.2.2014, COM(2014) 86 final). Action n° 3 thereof provides for the Commission to “Promote a pan-European dialogue between cruise operators, ports and coastal tourism stakeholders”.

The first Mediterranean Regional Cruise Dialogue has just been held in Olbia, Italy, on 14 October 2015.
You may find the final report of this Dialogue under the following e-link.
 

“Closing the gap in sustainable consumption and production between tourism and conservation in Southern Africa”

A partnership proposal between the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA), Fair Trade Tourism (FTT), IUCN WCPA and the TAPAS Group has gained the Flagship Status from the new UN 10 Year Framework Programme (10YFP) for the Sustainable Consumption Programme (SCP). Their joint activities designed to bring conservationists and tourism experts into a professional dialogue and pilot initiatives that involve both stakeholders of the conservation/tourism divide to an equal degree toward maximizing local livelihood benefits.

The common agenda shared between the leading partners proposing this 10YFP Flagship Project builds on many years of intensive collaboration within the regional Multi-Stakeholder Platform “Sustainable Tourism Certification Alliance Africa (Alliance)” and is mandated by the SADC member states through the RETOSA Southern African Sustainable Tourism Forum Steering Committee. The experience of UNWTO and IUCN WCPA TAPAS Group in building and monitoring shared measurement systems in Protected Area (PA) tourism will add as much value and consistency to the project as FTT’s experience in coordinating and regularly communicating toward collective action amongst responsible tourism stakeholders in the region. A joint-partnership of FTT and the IUCN WCPA TAPAS Group will provide backbone support for the organization of the project. What FTT and the IUCN WCPA TAPAS Group lack as NGOs in political mandate is more than compensated for by the strong role of RETOSA in the project, which carries the official mandate for sustainable tourism development in the region by its member states.

The Tourism Programme of the 10YFP was officially inaugurated by its lead organization UNWTO and the 10YFP Secretariat based at UNEP, during the closing meeting of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism in Windhoek, Namibia, earlier this year.

For more information on FTT contact manuel@fairtrade.travel or visit, www.fairtrade.travel.

European Study – Assessing the Tourism Education & Training system against industry needs

The Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services CSES, and the Network of European Regions for a Competitive and Sustainable Tourism NECSTouR have been appointed by the Tourism Unit of the European Commission to carry out a study to assess the performance of the EU 28 education and training system for tourism against the industry needs.

After an intense work of 28 national experts, CSES and NECSTouR have drawn first key findings.The final report including recommendations and actions will be available in January after the validation of the European Commission.

The study team organised a final conference on October 21st in Brussels. During this event, experts chosen from good practices at national level and Brussels based tourism industry networks presented and discussed the issues raised in terms of education and according to sector specific challenges. Presentations, documents, interviews and the list of participants are available on www.eutourismskills.eu.

• More about the Study: NECSTouR website
• Join our LinkedIN Group: EUTourismSkills

The European Federation and its European Cultural Route "Destination Napoleon"

• 60 European Cities influenced by the Napoleonic history
• 12 Countries from Portugal to Russia
• 13 local steering committees

We are pleased to include the European Federation and its European Cultural Route Destination Napoleon under the section “Projects” for its management structure and their plans and activities.

The Federation originates from the cities intention to place their Napoleonic historical heritage in its European dimension. Destination Napoleon draws its originality and richness in its continental dimension, in its geographical and administrative diversity and certainly in its historical, cultural and patrimonial magnitude. It takes into account both the historical truth and the need to respond to the diverse expectations, practices and contexts of each country and within each territory. Destination Napoleon aims to give consistency to the different aspects of a myth still strongly present in the heart of the people of Europe and, in some ways of the world.

The valorization of the heritage that the route Destination Napoleon provides in concert with all the cities of its network produces effects of economic and cultural nature, notably through tourism.The challenge is that of the territorial valorization of the double label Destination Napoleon and Cultural Route.
To know more: www.napoleoncities.eu & www.destination-napoleon.eu.

Co-operating for Leadership in Tourism

We are also proud to announce that as Jlag with our partners: University of Malta, the CARIBSAVE & INTASAVE Partnership, the Bulgaria Economic Forum, and Cardiff Metropolitan University; we were able to win an ERASMUS+ funding for our project Co-operating for Leadership in Tourism (Co-Lead).

The main scope of the project is to combine PM4SD (Project Management for Sustainable Development) with other key leadership qualifications, with the sustainable tourism indicators, and with capacity buildings tools and techniques. You will hear more during the new year.

Interreg MED + Specific Objective 3.1:

• Protecting and promoting Mediterranean natural and cultural resources
  Deadlines for application: 11/01/2016

ERASMUS + Funding Programme:

• Support for Policy Reform - support for small and medium sized enterprises engaging in apprenticeships
  Deadlines for application: 15/01/2016

• KA2: Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education EAC/A04/2015
  Deadlines for application: 10/02/2016

• Support to the implementation of EHEA reforms
  Deadlines for application: 17/02/2016

• KA1: Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees 2016
  Deadlines for application: 18/02/2016

• Jean Monnet Activities 2016
  Deadlines for application: 25/02/2016

• KA2: Knowledge Alliances-Sector Skills Alliances 2016
  Deadlines for application: 26/02/2016

Horizon 2020 Funding Programme:

• Societal Challenges: Contemporary histories of Europe in artistic and creative practices
  Deadlines for application: 07/02/2017

• Societal Challenges: Participatory approaches and social innovation in culture
  Deadlines for application: 07/02/2017

• Societal Challenges: Cultural heritage as a driver for sustainable growth
  Deadlines for application: Stage One 08/03/2016
                                                        Stage Two 06/09/2016

EASME + European Maritime and Fisheries Fund:

• Thematic Routes on Underwater Cultural Heritage
  Deadlines for application: 15/03/2016

Drinks International Wine Tourism Awards
Deadline: 15 February 2016              
Awarding Date: 1 April 2016
http://www.drinksint.com/news/categoryfront.php/id/197/Wine_Tourism_Awards.html

World Responsible Tourism Award
Deadline: 6 April 2016                      
Awarding Date: 4 November 2016
http://www.responsibletravel.com/awards/

African Responsible Tourism Award at WTM Africa
Deadline: n/a                                      
Awarding Date: 6-8 April 2016
http://www.responsibletravel.com/awards/africa/

Skal International Sustainable Tourism Award
Deadline: 30 June 2016          
Awarding Date: 28 October – 1 November 2016
http://www.skal.org/en/sustainableguidelines

UNWTO Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism
Deadline: 30 October 2015                
Awarding Date: 20 January 2016
http://know.unwto.org/12th-unwto-awards-excellence-and-innovation-tourism

WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards
Deadline: 16 November 2015            
Awarding Date: 6 April 2016
https://www.wttc.org/tourism-for-tomorrow-awards/

European Green Capital Award
Deadline: 19 October 2015                
Awarding Date: December 2015
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/index_en.htm

European Green Leaf
Deadline: 19 October 2015                 
Awarding Date: December 2015
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/europeangreenleaf/index.html

Global Report on Public Private Partnerships: Tourism Development, UNWTO Publications 2015

The UNWTO Global Report, produced in collaboration with the Griffith Institute of Tourism, highlights how Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) among tourism stakeholders drive socio-economic development (Madrid, Spain, 10 November 2015).
Through a wide range of case-studies, the UNWTO Global Report on Public-Private Partnerships: Tourism Development, provides a solid evidence base for the importance of effective PPPs in tourism, illustrating how partnerships across different destinations and market segments can be used as development tools.
“This Report clearly demonstrates that public-private collaboration plays a key role in advancing tourism’s contribution to inclusive development, particularly in emerging destinations where the sector can make a significant positive impact in local communities. I am confident that the findings will inspire effective cross-sector partnerships that can help maximize tourism’s development potential” said Mr. Rifai on the occasion.

Get the full report here.

The PM4SD™qualification is the next step for anyone involved in this growing industry looking for further demonstrate their commitment to sustainable tourism.

Here are the dates for the next training courses:

• Brussels, BE: 29 February - 4 March 2016;
• Brussels, BE: 23-27 May 2016;
• Brussels, BE: 26-30 September 2016;
• Brussels, BE: 5-9 December 2016.

Visit www.jlageurope.com to learn more about the course and register.

• European Tourism Day, Brussels, Belgium, 16 December 2015
   
• Vakantiebeurs, Utrecht, Netherlands, 13-17 January 2016
   
• Fitur, Madrid, Spain 20-24 January 2016
   
• Nearly Zero Energy Hotels, the Potential for Change, FITUR, Madrid, Spain, 20 January 2016
   
• European Tourism Indicators System conference and Accessible Tourism workshop, Brussels, Belgium, 28 January 2016
   
• ITB Berlin, Germany 9-13 March 2016
   
• World Travel Market Latin America, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 29-31 March 2016
   
• World Travel Market Africa, Cape Town, South Africa, 6-8 April 2016
   
• European Maritime Day, Turku, Finland, 18 & 19 May 2016
   
• ITB Asia, Marina Sands Bay, Singapore, 19-21 October 2016
   
• World Travel Market, London, UK, 7-9 November 2016