By: Rosalind Bryce – SHAPE
Now that the ecotourism initiatives are underway in each SHAPE Sustainable Heritage Area, we are looking forward to one of the anticipated highlights of 2019 – the learning journeys!
Learning Journey in Greenland. Shape Project.
Learning and connecting with stakeholders from another country
The learning journeys will offer opportunities for our regional stakeholders, including local businesses, tourist providers and community representatives from each Sustainable Heritage Area to meet in another SHA to learn about the ecotourism development underway there, and to discuss challenges and approaches of common interest. We envisage these experiences providing a source of inspiration and new ideas for people working with ecotourism projects, in a setting that will help foster international networks.
Different themes – different possibilities
The learning journeys, to take place in five of our SHAs, will have different themes and therefore present different learning opportunities. For example, the learning journey to Nordhordland in Norway will explore the development of a tourist experience, the ‘Wool-Route’, which is based on local traditions and the natural landscape. Meanwhile stakeholders visiting Snaefellsnes in Iceland will observe and discuss ways of promoting more responsible visitor behaviour that can better protect natural and cultural assets.
All information will be available online
We will capture the reflections of stakeholders attending the learning journeys through written and visual media and make these available online. We look forward to introducing stakeholders from across the SHAPE partnership and hearing what ideas emerge!
SHAPE is a three-year Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme (NPA) project promoting the development of ecotourism initiatives. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter.