SHAPING ECOTOURISM IN PARTNERSHIP: PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVES

4 -5 February 2020

Joensuu, North Karelia Biosphere Reserve (Finland)

PRESENTATIONS – PARALLEL WORKSHOPS

Conference venue: Sokos Kimmel Hotel

W3 – Planning and strategies for ecotourism (destination management planning, community engagement, etc.) (Sirkkala I)

Convenor: Natasha Hutchison, Wester Ross Biosphere

Areas with high heritage value such as biosphere reserves, world heritage sites and national parks face particular challenges related to the development of sustainable ecotourism. Organisations that manage these areas may have limited capacity and funding to develop tourism strategies that effectively engage stakeholders and the community. The SHAPE initiatives illustrate the importance of strategic planning for tourism (e.g. Manicougan-Uapishka, Wester Ross, Snaefellnses). Effective engagement and a shared vision are needed to ensure that the local area and community benefit from the distribution of tourism activities. Topics covered in the workshop will include models for financial sustainability, development of entrepreneurial capacity, and approaches to managing the distribution of benefits and impacts of tourism. Best practice recommendations for improving tourism planning in heritage areas will be proposed.

Presentations:

• How territories may approach tourism changes? The TURNAT (Tourism in Nature) case in Trentino. Paolo Grigolli, Trentino School of Management
• Ecotourism in the Republic of Karelia: Retro- and Perspective. Alexander Osipov, University of Eastern Finland
• UNESCO Biosphere Reserves: model regions for sustainable development, case of Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Mura-Drava-Danube. Damijan Jaklin, Municipality of Velika Polana in Slovenia
• Governance and Financial Sustainability. Innovation and success in the Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere, Canada. Natasha Hutchison, Wester Ross Biosphere.