International Organizations and Sustainable Tourism – EU 5

 

Ciao!

Cold and freezing here, so I thought a post about how smart people pull forces together to develop smart tools would warm up us, if you are freezing too.

If not, enjoy this in the sun 😊

We are still in the European Union because in the EU, beside the Commission, the Council, and the EuroParliament, sustainable tourism falls under the responsibility of other programs, initiatives and agencies. Territorial and environmental monitoring, the impact of climate change and human activities, the anthropization of areas for residential and productive purposes, the impact of tourism and the promotion of destinations are studied and analyzed by different bodies.  

Among them there’s GMES Copernicus. GMES is the acronym that stands for Global Monitoring for Environment and Security. GMES Copernicus reports to the Commission in cooperation with the European Space Agency and the European Agency for the Environment and provides accurate and accessible information on the environment.

Then there is EDEN, which specifically deals with sustainable tourism development models in Europe, as the full name indicates: EDEN, European Destinations of Excellence. Each year the Commission proposes a theme agreed with the authorities of the member countries, and EDEN selects among the proposals.

NECSTour is a network made up of 37 regions of Europe. NECSTour stands for Network of European Regions for a Sustainable and Competitive Tourism. The regions, all with a strong tourist destinations, cooperate within this network, in synergy with universities and research centers, as well as operators in the sector, from about 20 of the EU member countries.

Europarc is a federation of European parks and cultural heritages. Born on the initiative of its members, it works to improve the management of European protected areas.

ECOTRANS is an interesting name, as it is its mission. ECO stands for both economy and ecology, while TRANS alludes to the transfer of knowledge and information, in order to make the know-how and transparency of sustainable tourism development in Europe accessible. Born in 1993, ECOTRANS has its own portal - Tourism 2030 - and it is part of the United Nations Sustainable Tourism Partnership, as well as being a founding member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism.

 

It takes a lot to be a top tourism destination, as the EU is. And even more brains and skill to be a sustainable one!

In the pic: strolling in Venice, one of the top EU destinations, and a reminder of how crucial sustainability is!