The SHAPE-project has created a transnational web-based service to support organisations, communities and businesses in the ‘Cool North’ in developing, implementing and managing ecotourism initiatives. The SHAPE eService, shapingecotourism.eu, is an open-access platform for knowledge transfers, sharing of identified good practices and developed tools, and examples of ecotourism projects based on identified natural and cultural assets and opportunities. The SHAPE project is ending, but there is a plan and continuation strategy for the eService.
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Reaching your audience in a digital world requires creativity and knowledge. This was provided in the SHAPE Conference workshop on Digital Approaches to Ecotourism focusing on how digital media and marketing approaches can help develop ecotourism in rural areas. The participants got inspired by creative use of digital marketing technology in Iceland, learned about the potential of 360 technologies and were reminded about the importance of capacity building activities though examples from several Finnish ventures.
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To mark the end of the SHAPE project we will, in cooperation with our Finnish project partners, be holding a conference on 4-5 February 2020 in Joensuu, Finland. We look forward to welcoming participants from around Europe to discuss our experiences of developing ecotourism initiatives and explore ways of using SHAPE outputs to inform and support further ecotourism development.
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I share my joy and my home with weary wonderers and lay out a delicious spread. Leave your worries at the door – I doubt they’ll still be there the next morning!
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At their stay in Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve, the visitors from abroad got a comprehensive understanding of the history and values of the region. Inspiration and ideas for further developing their own biosphere.
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The SHAPE learning journeys have not only been valuable for the visitors. As important have been the feedback given to the local hosts on their tourism developments. In the regional park of Snæfellsnes in Iceland the visitors got a broad introduction to the various tourism ventures leading to engaged discussions about what works – and what does not work
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Taking part in a learning journey Kjartan Bollason from Iceland got to experience first-hand how Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere have developed “Darkness Tourism” into a valuable and sustainable asset.
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They say that the best things in life are free and a recent nature tourism learning journey to Finland certainly illustrated this point. Combining elements of earth, air, fire and water, the journey took hold of the senses and combined the beauty of our natural world with activities to suit an emerging tourism market. Participants would have been hard pressed to not depart exhilarated and inspired.
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In the lights of our headlamps, we follow the snowy tracks taking us to the shores of Lake Suomujärvi at Patvinsuo National Park. It is a late winter evening, dark has just fallen and we can already observe the stars of the Big Dipper. Some of the friends have their camera with a stand, some with binoculars, some without anything, just the senses open.
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Nordhordland Biosphere Area have used the SHAPE project to develop a Visitor Heritage Route showcasing traditional and modern use of wool as raw material. Welcoming Shape partners from abroad, the learning journey to Nordhordland became somewhat of a test run for the new tourist attraction.
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