Sustainable Tourism Planning and Consultation: Evidence from the Project INTER.ECO.TUR

Abstract

Expansion of territories targeted by travellers and growth of attendance rates make tourism sector of significant interest for the implementation of policies on environmental protection at the European Union (EU) level. The need to protect local natural heritage, to integrate tourism industry development policies with the ones pertaining to other sectors that characterize a given territory and to enhance the overall environmental performance are some of the priorities that may appear conflicting at times. This paper discusses a method of analysis and planning aiming to promote potential directives of local governance. This method, representing the outcome of a process coordinated and shared across territories, is oriented towards the sustainable development of the area and refers to the implementation of integrated policies, The Interreg Eco Tourism (INTER.ECO.TUR) project, co-financed by the European Commission under the EU's INTERREG IIIC, provided the research with a useful case study to analyse the dynamics of sustainable tourism development within the European Mediterranean area. The debate of its results offers evidences on the possibility to develop such a governance process effectively, providing insight into an assessment methodology enriched by a clear-cut analysis of its applied experiences.

Notes

See the project documents: (Battaglia et al., 2007).

With regards to the INTER.ECO.TUR project objectives, activities and outputs (Manfredini et al., 2008).

An exception is the Province of Lucca which since 2001 had developed projects, within the activities of Local Agenda 21, involving local stakeholders in its decision-making process, and the Foundation for Sustainable Development of the Balearic Islands that, since its inception in 2004, has had the feature to engage representatives of local accommodation and other stakeholders of the tourism sector in developmental projects.

Examples of this are the experiences given by the application of the EMAS Regulation to the industrial districts and the homogeneous productive areas: (EMAS/Ecolabel Italian Competent Body, 2007; Battaglia et al., 2008; Frey & Iraldo, 2008).