Latest News

Exploring Destination Nature at EUROPARC2012

For our protected areas the fundamental preoccupation was first about nature conservation and environment protection, to sustain it for future generations.
Tourism was viewed as sustainable as long as it did not affect nature and natural resources.
Tourism was also more recently seen to contribute to the local economy and to involve local people in the decision making processes and to keep resources in local areas whilst also contributing to nature conservation.

However, in current times, the concerns about energy consumption and our carbon footprint are increasing. Whereas protected areas must remain accessible to people, with most of them living in urban areas.
Sustainability now also implies accessibility and alternative, environmentally friendly, "soft" mobility like cycling and public transport. There are great examples from many European parks, including the Alpine valleys.

Other areas of management concern are waste management, seasonality, production, use and appreciation of local products, appropriate information, and visitor and access management to ecologically sensitive sites.
The European Charter for Sustainable Tourism aims to cover all those aspects in an ongoing process, first for the protected area itself, in partnership with the local tourism businesses and later for tourist operators proposing the area as a sustainable destination. EUROPARC has also supported different cooperation projects to develop sustainable destinations.

At EUROPARC 2012, the Workshop “Destination: Nature” will look at the continuous development of the Charter for Sustainable Tourism, its outreach to private and public sector entities and its potential to ensure wide stakeholder participation.

If you want to share your experiences and get new insights into sustainable tourism development, join the workshop where different case studies will be presented.

Click here for your online registration.