Providing a working methodology for regions
to prepare a RESTP to systematically plan environmental
upgrading through eco/cultural tourism at a
regional level; the final RESTP Guidelines
now provide this methodology.
Preparation of RESTPs
in each partner region using the common
and comprehensive methodology and RESTP Guidelines;
feedback from the RESTP preparation in the partner
regions to the final RESTP Guidelines. Consultation
with Actors and Beneficiaries regarding the
RESTP Strategy in each partner region
through dedicated consultation event and institutional
survey. Dedicated Inter-Regional Workshop held.
Creating permanent intra- and
inter regional co-operation networks to implement
environmental improvements through eco/cultural
tourism projects; the success of the ECOSERT
partnerships and working arrangements has led
to permanent partnerships.
Completing demonstration projects
(serving as pilot actions for other actions
plans designated by the RESTP) by means of on-the-ground
projects for the restoration of a historical
hill site and exploitation plan of a heritage
railway in Magnesia for cultural tourism, creation
of a nature park on wetlands for an eco-tourism
project in Avellino and implementation frameworks
for sustainable transport linking eco-tourism
activities in the Dee Estuary; the pilot
projects have been fully completed allowing
visitors access to all these new tourism attractions.
Consultation with Actors and Beneficiaries regarding
the pilot demonstration projects in
each partner region through dedicated consultation
event and institutional survey. Dedicated Inter-Regional
Workshop held.
Set up of common environmental
management systems for future sustainable tourism
projects at pan-European level: EMAS
Applications Guide has been prepared, fully
tested and guidelines have been produced to
provide a common workable methodology. EMAS
tested on the pilot demonstration projects.
Dedicated Inter-Regional Workshop held.
Preparation of promotional and
dissemination material; a
wide range of publicity material has been produced
and the actions of ECOSERT and in particular
the RESTP methodology and the application of
EMAS has been disseminated at several international
conferences and exhibitions on sustainable tourism.
International
Symposium on Tourism Environment and Sustainable
Development held in Volos in September 2002
to present and discuss the project results in
relation to other relevant initiatives and projects,
with the participation of senior representatives
of international bodies (WTO, FEDECRAIL, EC).
The symposium proceedings may be published as
a book by the University of Thessaly.
Declaration
of Volos for Sustainable Development through
Tourism, signed by the political heads of
the principal partners at the University of
Thessaly. This Declaration states the commitment
of the partners to working together towards
sustainable development through comprehensive
planning for sustainable tourism with environmental
management of tourist destinations and activities,
in accordance with relevant documents and initiatives
of the European Union, and to encourage other
local and regional authorities throughout Europe
to adopt this declaration so as to join the
partners in the establishment of a network of
local authorities working together for the sustainable
development of tourism, and in particular ecological
and cultural tourism, through the protection,
upgrading and restoration of the environment
and the preservation and promotion of the cultural
heritage in Europe, our common land.
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