Aira Andriksone Ministry of Economics, Latvia Member of Baltic 21 TOUTF and EC TSG 3rd AGORA Meeting LITHUANIA, 10-12 October 2006 Baltic 21 objectives

Baltic 21 objectives for the development of

sustainable tourism in the Baltic Sea Region

Aira AndriksoneAira AndriksoneMinistry of Economics, LatviaMinistry of Economics, Latvia

Member of Baltic 21 TOUTF and EC TSGMember of Baltic 21 TOUTF and EC TSG

3rd AGORA Meeting 3rd AGORA Meeting LITHUANIA, 10-12 October 2006LITHUANIA, 10-12 October 2006

International Tourism International Tourism in Europein Europe, 2005, 2005

Tourism has shown its extraordinaryTourism has shown its extraordinaryresilience and continued growthresilience and continued growth::• Despite of terrorist attacks, military conflicts, Despite of terrorist attacks, military conflicts,

natural disasters, avian flu, increased oil pricesnatural disasters, avian flu, increased oil prices, , slow economicslow economic growth, strong Euro, intensified growth, strong Euro, intensified competitioncompetition

• Due to EU enlargement, development of Due to EU enlargement, development of emerging source markets, on-line travel, emerging source markets, on-line travel, improved access (e.g.improved access (e.g. expansion of low-cost expansion of low-cost airlines), rising consumer’s confidence and airlines), rising consumer’s confidence and protection protection

Tourism in BSR (Tourism in BSR (11))

• Tourism is a key economic sector with Tourism is a key economic sector with one of the strongest potentials for one of the strongest potentials for creating jobs and growth for the creating jobs and growth for the benefit and prosperity of the Baltic benefit and prosperity of the Baltic Sea RegionSea Region

• Tourism is booming in some BSR Tourism is booming in some BSR

areasareas

Tourism in BSRTourism in BSR (2 (2))

•Political, economic and Political, economic and technological changes have technological changes have revealed an opportunity to make revealed an opportunity to make the BSR one single tourism the BSR one single tourism mega-product with global mega-product with global potentialpotential

Tourism in BSR (Tourism in BSR (33))

•Tourism industry is standing at Tourism industry is standing at strategic crossroadsstrategic crossroads

•All different tourism All different tourism stakeholders need to be stakeholders need to be interlinked and interdependent interlinked and interdependent in the long termin the long term

Background (1)Background (1)

• Saltsjobaden Declaration Saltsjobaden Declaration (1996) (1996) - Baltic 21 - Baltic 21 (Baltic Agenda 21) (Baltic Agenda 21)

• Berlin Conference on Biological Diversity Berlin Conference on Biological Diversity and Tourism:and Tourism:

- Berlin Declaration - Berlin Declaration • International conference “Management for International conference “Management for

a Sustainable Coastal Tourism - a a Sustainable Coastal Tourism - a Contribution to Sustainable Development Contribution to Sustainable Development in the Baltic Sea Area” (Rügen, 1997):in the Baltic Sea Area” (Rügen, 1997):

- Rügen Recommendations- Rügen Recommendations

Background (2)Background (2)

• Agenda 21 - Baltic Sea Region Tourism Agenda 21 - Baltic Sea Region Tourism (1998)(1998)

• International conference “Sustainable International conference “Sustainable Tourism Development in Baltic Sea Region Tourism Development in Baltic Sea Region - - Baltic 21 follow – up” (Riga, 1999):Baltic 21 follow – up” (Riga, 1999):

- Declaration- Declaration

- Concept “Blue Flags, Green Keys and - Concept “Blue Flags, Green Keys and

Colourful CulturesColourful Cultures’’’’

BackgroundBackground (3) (3)

• Indicators for the development of sustainable Indicators for the development of sustainable tourism in the Baltic Sea Region (2001tourism in the Baltic Sea Region (2001))

• Establishment of theEstablishment of the Baltic 21 Tourism Task Baltic 21 Tourism Task ForceForce (2002) (2002)

• Interreg IIIB Seed Money Interreg IIIB Seed Money Application forApplication for AGORA AGORA project project (2004)(2004)

• AGORA AGORA project approved project approved (2005)(2005)

SelectedSelected reference documentsreference documents (1)(1)

•HELCOM RecommendationsHELCOM Recommendations•COM (2001) 665 – “Working together

for the future of European tourism” •COM (2003) 716 – “Basic Orientations

for the sustainability of European tourism”

•COM (2006) 134 – “A renewed EU Tourism Policy: Towards a stronger partnership for European Tourism”

SelectedSelected reference documentsreference documents (2)(2)

•Basic guidelines for sustainable European tourism (European Parliament resolution)

•Renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy (European Council, 2006)

•WTO-UNEP publication: Making Tourism More Sustainable: a Guide for Policy Makers

Agenda 21 –Agenda 21 – Baltic Sea Region Tourism Baltic Sea Region Tourism (1)(1)

•Overall goalOverall goal - to achieve a - to achieve a common understanding about common understanding about the requirements of sustainable the requirements of sustainable tourism in the Baltic Sea Region tourism in the Baltic Sea Region


Objectives:Objectives:• TTo sustain a sound environment, to o sustain a sound environment, to

safeguard the recreational quality of natural safeguard the recreational quality of natural and man-made landscape and to integrate and man-made landscape and to integrate natural, cultural and human environmentsnatural, cultural and human environments

• TTo promote and sustain the competitive o promote and sustain the competitive quality and efficiency of the tourism businessquality and efficiency of the tourism business

• TTo create satisfactory social conditions for o create satisfactory social conditions for tourists and the local populationtourists and the local population

Agenda 21 –Agenda 21 – Baltic Sea Region Tourism Baltic Sea Region Tourism ((33))

Action areasAction areas::

• National and regional tourism plansNational and regional tourism plans

• Spatial and regional planningSpatial and regional planning

• Education, training and Education, training and environmental awarenessenvironmental awareness

• Co-operation and networking in Co-operation and networking in Baltic Sea RegionBaltic Sea Region


Action areas:Action areas:

• Environmental Management SystemsEnvironmental Management Systems

• Support of sustainable tourism in urban and Support of sustainable tourism in urban and rural areasrural areas

• Organising sustainable development of the Organising sustainable development of the Baltic Sea Region tourism as a high class Baltic Sea Region tourism as a high class destinationdestination

• Co-ordinated use of available institutional Co-ordinated use of available institutional and EU-resources and national fundsand EU-resources and national funds


StakeholdersStakeholders::• local populationlocal population• touriststourists• providers of tourism services providers of tourism services

(hotels, restaurants, shops, tour (hotels, restaurants, shops, tour programmes etc.)programmes etc.)

• tour operatorstour operators• staff of enterprisesstaff of enterprises


StakeholdersStakeholders::

• transporters of goods and transporters of goods and passengerspassengers

• organizationsorganizations

• authoritiesauthorities

• environment (nature, built environment (nature, built environment, culture, economy)environment, culture, economy)

HELCOMHELCOM (1) (1)

• Helsinki Commission (HELCOM)Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) - - Baltic Marine Environment Protection Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission Commission

• MMain goalain goal is to protect the marine is to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, and to all sources of pollution, and to restore and safeguard its ecological restore and safeguard its ecological balancebalance

HELCOMHELCOM (2) (2)

•HELCOM - the governing body of HELCOM - the governing body of the "Convention on the the "Convention on the Protection of the Marine Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Environment of the Baltic Sea Area" Area"

(Helsinki Convention, 1992/2000)(Helsinki Convention, 1992/2000)

HELCOM recommendationsHELCOM recommendations (1)(1)

•HELCOM Recommendation 21/3 HELCOM Recommendation 21/3 (2000)(2000)

” ”Sustainable and Environmentally Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Tourism in the Coastal Friendly Tourism in the Coastal Zones of the Baltic Sea Area’’Zones of the Baltic Sea Area’’

HELCOM HELCOM Recommendation Recommendation 21/3, 2000 (1)21/3, 2000 (1)

• TTo base tourism development policy and plans o base tourism development policy and plans for new tourist projects on the "GUIDELINES FOR for new tourist projects on the "GUIDELINES FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN THE BALTIC SEA SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN THE BALTIC SEA AREA“AREA“

• AAll development, marketing and management of ll development, marketing and management of tourism should be based on the criteria of tourism should be based on the criteria of sustainability - it must be ecologically sound in sustainability - it must be ecologically sound in the long term, economically viable, as well as the long term, economically viable, as well as ethically and socially equitable for the local ethically and socially equitable for the local communities and also be oriented on the communities and also be oriented on the objectives, principles and obligations of the objectives, principles and obligations of the Convention on Biological Diversity Convention on Biological Diversity

HELCOM HELCOM Recommendation Recommendation 21/3, 2000 (2)21/3, 2000 (2)

• FFor the development of large scaled tourist or the development of large scaled tourist projects be preceded by a spatial planning projects be preceded by a spatial planning process and be incorporated into ICZMPprocess and be incorporated into ICZMP

• EIA or similar procedures be carried out, before EIA or similar procedures be carried out, before realizing tourism infrastructure and tourism realizing tourism infrastructure and tourism operations operations

• All Contracting Parties work together and All Contracting Parties work together and design bi - or multilateral transboundary design bi - or multilateral transboundary strategies for environmentally friendly tourism strategies for environmentally friendly tourism development development



’’ ’’Implementation of Integrated Implementation of Integrated Marine and Coastal Management Marine and Coastal Management of Human Activities in the Baltic of Human Activities in the Baltic Sea Area’’Sea Area’’



’’ ’’Protection of the Coastal Strip’’Protection of the Coastal Strip’’

Baltic Development Baltic Development Forum Forum

•Report ’’Tourism Development in the Report ’’Tourism Development in the BSR. Creating Joint Policies as a Win-Win BSR. Creating Joint Policies as a Win-Win Scenario’’ (2004)Scenario’’ (2004)

•2nd Round Table Meeting2nd Round Table Meeting (2005): (2005): - - a common vision, mission and a common vision, mission and objectives and establishment of objectives and establishment of think-tankthink-tank (m (more formalised ore formalised platform) are neededplatform) are needed

Future of the BSR Future of the BSR tourismtourism

• Only sustainable tourism has a prospects in the Baltic Sea Region

• Baltic Sea Region has a wide opportunity to become an essential sustainable tourism destination

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention!attention!

Ministry of Economics Ministry of Economics 55, Brivibas Str., Riga55, Brivibas Str., RigaLATVIA, LV-1519LATVIA, LV-1519Phone: +371 7013 056 (office) Phone: +371 7013 056 (office) +371 26538 575 (mobile)+371 26538 575 (mobile)Fax: +371 7280 882Fax: +371 7280 882E-mail: E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] http://www.em.gov.lvhttp://www.em.gov.lv

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Aira Andriksone Ministry of Economics, Latvia Member of Baltic 21 TOUTF and EC TSG 3rd AGORA Meeting LITHUANIA, 10-12 October 2006 Baltic 21 objectives