Projects

Summary

Currently, tourism-specific emissions in Berlin are only minimally recorded due to challenges in delineation, leading to an underestimation of the significance of tourism. The aim of this project is to develop a climate roadmap that identifies the necessary climate protection and adaptation actions required within Berlin's tourism sector (including the MICE and events industry) and outlines the corresponding measures.

The roadmap will serve as a strategic concept, providing the tourism industry with guidance on how it can contribute to achieving climate neutrality in Berlin by 2045. Additionally, it will inform the city of Berlin about the required actions from the city's side, focusing on leverage points within the destination, and offer VisitBerlin insights into the responsibilities and control options available to it.

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The project "Climate Plan for Berlin Tourism" comprises the following work packages:

• GHG accounting for Berlin tourism and MICE activities
• Conducting a tourism-specific climate impact and risk analysis
• Development of climate protection scenarios
• Creation of a climate action plan with specific fields of action and adaptation measures
• Establishment of a monitoring system and communication of results

Summary

Following on from the analyses of the Climate Adaptation Strategy for Brandenburg and the Brandenburg Tourism Strategy, the report aims to identify and demonstrate the various impacts, risks and opportunities of climate change in an understandable and comprehensible way and to identify concrete recommendations for measures to adapt to the consequences of climate change for the tourism industry in Brandenburg. The aim is also to sensitize the affected tourism stakeholders to the effects of climate change and the necessary adaptation strategies for dealing with its consequences. In order to focus on the practicality of the proposed measures, tourism professionals can contribute their experiences as part of a participatory process.

The climate report is aimed at tourism businesses such as accommodation and catering establishments, leisure and cultural providers, as well as tourism organizations at regional and local level and business and tourism promotion institutions.  

The project "Expert opinion on climate change adaptation" comprises the following work packages:

• Development of a knowledge paper outlining the key impacts of climate change on tourism in Brandenburg.
• Conducting focus groups to gather the experiences of tourism stakeholders with climate change.
• Creation of adaptation profiles for the specific stakeholder groups (e.g. accommodation/hospitality, water tourism, nature tourism)
• Implementation of feedback loops for fine-tuning

Further information:

General project information (in German only)
Project launch and recording of the kick-off event (in German only).

Summary

The project "Sustainable intermodal travel in Europe - requirements and options for integrated information and booking systems" as part of the BMWK's LIFT Transformation Program aims to make intermodal travel options (including their greenhouse gas emissions) visible through information portals and to develop improved booking options for intermodal transport in Europe.

This project follows on from the "Climate protection on medium-haul routes" project funded as part of LIFT Climate, with the key result that it is possible to reach many of the vacation destinations in Europe that are popular with Germans in a reasonable amount of time and with significantly lower emissions without using the particularly climate-damaging airplane. At the same time, however, a number of obstacles were identified, which is why the switch to climate-friendly means of transport has so far only been a marginal phenomenon.

The project therefore pursues the following objectives:

• Strategy to make intermodal travel options (including their greenhouse gas emissions) visible through information portals that are used jointly by travelers, travel agents, transport companies and DMOs and supplied with current connections, data, etc.
• Exemplary presentation/bookability of end-to-end travel chains (including luggage transportation) through to sustainable local mobility in selected destinations;
• The main point of reference is Germany, both as an international source market and as a destination for European tourists and European travelers from overseas;
• Strategy for the development of improved booking options for intermodal transport in Europe, especially for SMEs; including pricing, billing systems, liability issues in the event of delays, etc.
• Strategy to develop technical/digital systems necessary for implementation.

Summary

The project aims to support DMOs and tourism stakeholders in their journey towards more sustainable and resilient destinations aligned with the Transition Pathway for Tourism.specifically, the project will identify key challenges and best practices related to sustainable and resilient tourism and establish a peer-to-peer twinning mechanism for tourism destinations facing similar challenges to facilitate the exchange of experiences, mutual learning and cooperation towards common goals. In addition, DMOs will be informed about other European Commission instruments that support peer learning activities, such as study visits, expert missions and workshops.

More information on the project can be found here: "Sustainable EU Tourism - Shaping the Tourism of Tomorrow".

Summary

The aim of the research and development project is to develop a methodology or assessment procedure to identify the impacts of tourism and other recreation-related leisure activities on biodiversity and, in the best case, to quantify and regularly monitor them. If possible, one or more meaningful indicators should be developed that reflect these interactions between tourism and recreational activities and biodiversity as well as their trend development over time. Such indicators or comparable metrics do not yet exist.

The effects that tourism and leisure-based activities (can) have on biodiversity have only been marginally investigated to date. As the impairments and resulting changes often cannot be clearly attributed to such activities, it is difficult to establish causal relationships between them and biodiversity. They can often be attributed to various stress factors such as climate impacts or other land uses.

Ultimately, the results of the project should contribute to the regular review of the "nature-friendly tourism" objective anchored in the future NBS 2030.

In terms of content, the project is divided into the following key areas:

• Screening of data bases (in the area of tourism and biodiversity) and literature research of existing methods and accounting approaches
• Development of proposals for measuring and assessing the impact of tourism and leisure activities on biodiversity in Germany and development of one or more suitable indicators
• Application and review of the identified indicators in selected model regions in Germany

Summary

The wide variety of different forms and types of tourism makes it difficult to draw a clear distinction from other economic sectors. Previous research has shown that the environmental impact of tourism is heterogeneous and varies greatly depending on the sector. With regard to the planetary boundaries and overarching political sustainability and environmental goals, the question arises as to what framework conditions and measures are required to ensure that tourism can contribute to achieving these goals.

The aim of the project is to analyze instruments and measures and to examine and further develop their suitability for strengthening and supporting sustainable development in tourism in relation to Germany and travelers from Germany. In addition, an in-depth analysis of tourism environmental and sustainability labels worldwide is to be carried out with regard to their transparency, their claim and their contribution to sustainable development in tourism. Against the background of the upcoming conversion of the federal government's hotel list to certified accommodation that operates in line with the German sustainability strategy, the focus will be on certifications for hotels. The results serve as a basis for the selection of certificates that can be recommended for federal government business trips.

Summary

The aim of this project was to provide guidance to strengthen and share tourism data, including the development and implementation of indicators measuring and monitoring the sustainability of tourism, and to support the Tourism Sustainability Satellite Account in Croatia.

Summary

The project developed an appealing and easy-to-understand label for the carbon footprint of package tours and their travel components for use in information and booking systems in the tourism industry. On the one hand, this increases the marketability of climate-friendly travel offers, as such offers are positively highlighted by labeling the carbon footprint. On the other hand, the information on the climate footprint and accompanying communication measures raise the awareness of travel agency employees and travelers for the climate impact of travel.

More information and the project report can be found here: "Decision criteria for climate protection" (in German only).

Summary

In studies, users of booking platforms repeatedly state that sustainability is important to them. At the same time, it is not yet clear how important sustainability is to the booking platforms themselves - be it in their own business areas, product selection or customer communication. The aim of the analysis is to provide an initial overview of how the topic of sustainability is currently being discussed by companies in the digital travel industry and which measures to implement sustainability are already being implemented or which measures (should) be focused on in the future.

The study "Sustainability among booking portals and digital travel providers" is available here (in German only).

Summary

The project wants to show concrete possibilities to travel climate-friendly within Europe and to communicate these possibilities to travel agents, DMOs and other 2 multipliers. In this way, a contribution can be made to increasing the share of rail and bus travel in tourist traffic and thereby reducing the total emissions from German travel. In this way, the image of Europe and the Mediterranean region as a diverse destination that can be traveled to sustainably at the same time could be developed on the German market indirectly, and the market share of medium-haul destinations compared to long-distance trips that are more harmful to the climate could be permanently increased.

Summary

The project aims to support tourism SMEs (accommodation, tour operators, travel intermediaries) to implement sustainability in their businesses. Overall, the project aims to establish a post project EU wide business sustainability knowledge acquisition and training system to support all European tourism SMEs throughout the supply chain in their move towards sustainable consumption and production

The main activities are:

• Throughout the project, a sustainable tourism network will be established and strenghtened including HEIs, training providers, SMEs and other tourism stakeholders.
• An inventory of tourism sustainability policies and strategies, players and stakeholders as well as training systems emphasizing on sustainble tourism in Europe will be created.
• A training and expert system to gain know-how on sustainable tourism issues will be developed and provided to the SME on the Tourism2030 platform.
• 70 SMEs will be selected to participate in a knowledge building and development process that improves their sustainability knowledge and leads to sustainability implementation (through certification), better market access and promotion for their businesses.

sThe ETGG 2030 projects brings together expert knowledge of higher education inistitutions, chambers of commerce, tourism organisations and NGOs establishing an ICT-based cluster approach for the development and transfer of innovative best practice between the countries, to enable tourism SMEs and supporting organisations in implementing sustainability and in achieving third party certification.

Summary

The project on behalf of the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) focuses on the phenomenon of overtourism, its causes, impacts as well as possible solutions for mitigating and preventing its negative effects at destination level. The objective of the project is to map and analyze the underlying root causes of overtourism, as well as the impacts it has on economic, environmental and socio-cultural levels for residents, tourists and further involved stakeholders at destination level. The project also includes an analysis of best practice solutions applied in Europe and worldwide as well as the development of a set of indicators in order to measure overtourism at destination level. Additionally, a compendium will be created, supporting stakeholders in destinations affected by, or at risk of, overtourism. Finally, the project results will be presented to stakeholders in several workshops and discussed together. Emerging overtourism destinations caused by domestic tourism and massive numbers of day trips as a consequence of the Covid-19 crisis will be taken into account as well.

Summary

The project supports three certified destinations in Costa Rica (Sarapiquí and Sarchí) and the Dominican Republic (Las Galeras) as models for sustainable development and biodiversity through a destination management strategy. The focus is on the implementation of zero waste, sustainable gastronomy and eco-efficiency concepts as well as on the development of innovative, high-quality sustainable tourism products for the international travel markets.

The goals of the project:

• Transformation of the tourism industry towards an economy of common good by promoting biodiversity, climate protection and local value creation
• Strengthening local competencies, local networks and governance structures
• Development and marketing of biodiversity friendly travel products
• Development of a common community
• Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17

Project activities include:

• Qualification, learning in practice and empowerment
• Development of destination strategies
• Implementation of pilot projects in the fields of "zero waste", "climate protection" and "sustainable gastronomy
• Integration of local farmers, food and other producers and micro-enterprises in sustainable supplier network
• Certification of climate-neutral pilot hotels
• Development and positioning of new high-quality travel products in collaboration with international tour operators
• Transfer and dissemination of the innovation concept to other tourism destinations

This project promotes and protects biodiversity and the environment in the three destinations and makes an active contribution to climate protection in strong travel destinations. The integrated development of the destinations contributes to poverty reduction for the local population and ensures that human rights are guaranteed and fulfilled along the tourism value chain. Due to the corona pandemic, local actors are being given additional support in dealing with the crisis.

Summary

Summary

The Vishtynets Nature Park in the Kaliningrad region (Russia) comprises one of the largest uncut lowland forests in Central Europe. The extensive forest landscape (also known as Rominten Forest) is embedded in the hilly landscape of the same name. The area's special features include its high biological diversity, exceptional natural monuments, special relief and a still unspoiled environment. The nature park is in charge of protection and restoration of the natural potential of the forest ecosystems, in addition it also serves educational, recreational and research purposes. The promotion of adapted, sustainable forms of use was not an explicit goal when the nature park was founded in 2011. This is reflected, among others, in the current zoning of the nature park, which includes neither settlements nor the open hilly country surrounding the forest characterized by fields and meadows that are increasingly (intensively) used for agriculture.

In October 2018 the Ministry of Environment of the Kaliningrad Oblast and the administration of the Vishtynets Nature Park started preparations for the nomination of a biosphere reserve based on the existing Regional Nature Park. In addition to the preparation of the application, these include the convening of thematic working groups (e.g. on the fields of action 'agriculture' and 'tourism and regional development'), information and educational talks with land users, strengthening public participation and public relations work. Within the framework of the above-mentioned funding project, the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development supports the Vishtynets Nature Park in the preparation and transfer of knowledge regarding the planning and implementation of the proposed biosphere reserve. In addition to promoting information and participation of the population and the development of social networks, the project enables the participation in thematic study tours to existing biosphere reserves in Germany.

Project results (selection):

Film about the planned biosphere area: Rominter Heide from a bird's eye view

Presentation of the citizen survey on the development perspectives of the future biosphere reserve "Vishtynetsky" (September 2019)

Podcast: "Romintology". Connoisseurs, researchers, locals and voices of wild animals!Podcast: "Romintology". Connoisseurs, researchers, locals and voices of wild animals!

Summary

The cross-border Euroregion Pomerania comprises border municipalities both in Germany and Poland. On the one hand, the region faces the challenge of a weak economic structure and, as a consequence, a brain drain. On the other hand, it hosts a rich natural and cultural heritage, which is or can be valued in particular by the large conservation areas.

However, the positive, social and economic effects of large conservation areas are, so far, not well enough known, and thus the designation of protected areas only meet little acceptance in the vicinity of the areas and leads to conflicts with the local population.

In Germany some empirical analysis to calculate regional economic effectsof tourism in large conservation areas do already exist and respective methodological approaches have been developed. In Poland, however, neither the large conservation areas nor research institutions have so far dealt with this topic in detail.

Therefore the aim of the project is to develop new, common methods for collecting, analyzing and evaluating the social and regional economic effects of large conservation areas. To this end, the participating universities will intensify their cooperation both in the research area as well as at student level and between the conservation areas of both countries and the local population.

The core of the project activities, apart from the methodological approaches, is its applicability. The new methods should be simple, practical and usable in both countries and thus allow comparability of the data.

Link to the project homepage: http://www.i-rege.eu

Summary

The aim of the project is to develop a concept and a method for collecting empirical information on the share of sustainable tourism of the overall tourism sector in Germany and to apply it with an example. At the same time, central environmental and sustainability indicators for the industry as a whole will be determined by using an extended tourism satellite account approach. This will lead to indications, in which areas the tourism industry and politics would have to develop measures in order to strengthen and expand a sustainable tourism offer in Germany.

The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) have commissioned this research project. It will close existing knowledge gaps by giving comprehensive and empirically reliable data on the status quo of sustainable tourism in Germany. The framework of the project includes three stakeholder workshops, a major event on sustainable tourism and a total of eight discussion papers on various sustainability topics, in addition to content-related activities.

Summary

Summary

The aim of the “Tourism Research Innovation and Next Generation Learning Experience” (TRIANGLE) project is to build a Europe-wide knowledge network on sustainable tourism that promotes, improves and facilitates the exchange and cooperation between higher education and research institutions and the tourist sector, especially SMEs. The focus is on initiating and sustaining a targeted knowledge transfer between science and practice, by providing European tourism businesses and destinations with market-relevant information via special, thematically selected online education and training programs. Delivering this knowledge will help companies to better exploit their innovation potential and increase their competitiveness in the global market, e.g. by improving their environmental performance, cost reduction or innovative business solutions.

In a total of six work packages the project aims to achieve the following results:

• Europe-wide knowledge network for sustainable tourism
• Jointly developed knowledge database with topics for sustainable tourism and for special IT application
• Open resource "Tool Kit" with learning and teaching materials on the topic "Sustainable tourism management"
• Internship offers across the partnering countries for up to 40 students during the project period
• Interactive, dynamic textbook on sustainable tourism management
• Virtual training and meeting room for the provision of the teaching and learning courses and instruments of the partner organizations

Summary

This project builds on the results of the preceding project “Certification Systems for Sustainable Tourism”. It develops a list of baseline-criteria that are based on international sustainability guidelines and standards and provides an individual assessment and a ranking of the certification systems for sustainable tourism in Germany.

The final report of the project "Requirements for Enterprise Certifications for Sustainable Tourism in Germany" is available for download here.

Summary

The project aimed to train and sensitize tourism companies to the opportunities and risks of climate change, combined with the active support in the development of climate adaptation concepts in selected pilot companies.

The qualification concept consists of a method mix of theoretical learning phases (online formats), practical training phases (conducting presence workshops and coaching) and applied implementation phases (creation of company-specific adaptation concepts). It addresses small and medium-sized tourism businesses on site as well as tour operators who implement their tourism products in destinations that are strongly affected by climate change.

The results of the project are also available beyond the project duration.

Summary

The aim of the project is to support the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) TFCA in its development as a tourism region to that effect that it promotes a sustainable tourism development directly benefitting the local population, job creation, poverty eradication, and community development and contributing to nature and species protection. For this purpose, an industry-appropriate standard for "sustainable lodges" and their integration into the value chain of tour operators should be developed and implemented in direct exchange between partners from the KAZA region and internationally active tourism companies (Futouris members). It will include lodges that already meet the standard, as well as pilot lodges that will be supported in the implementation of the standard. At the end of the day it is aimed to target-orientated promote the international marketing of sustainable lodges in the KAZA region.

Summary

The central topic of the project was to list an inventory of the certification systems for sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism in Germany and to evaluate them regarding the scope, claims as well as transparency and credibility of the certificates. The effects of the certifications were also examined on an initial basis. This was done by conducting expert-interviews with representatives of tourism associations, ministries, environmental and social organizations. The study did not conduct individual assessments, but rather evaluated the general "certification landscape" of tourism in Germany.

The study also explored how certified tourism businesses or regions actually are more sustainable or environmentally-friendly than non-certified ones. This is very difficult to assess, as there are no national benchmarks that would allow an in-depth comparison. Therefore, date collection was done by a self-assessment.

Summary

TransCSR aims at the transparency and acknowledgement of CSR skills in the tourism sector of at least six European countries using the tools of the ECVET system (European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training) and the EQF (European Qualification Framework). The HNE Eberswalde analyzed various CSR-modules in European countries and assessed necessary CSR skills for tourism professionals with different educational qualifications. A self-assessment tool on CSR core competences in tourism was developed by the project partners on the basis of the ECVET system (European Credit Point System in Vocational Education and Training) and the EQF (European Qualifications Framework) and tested by a total of 200 people (including students from the HNE Eberswalde). This method gives trainees the opportunity to review their CSR skills, knowledge and competences and use them to market their workforce.

As a result of the project transparency on the basis of the ECVET system will ultimately valorise all kind of professional CSR qualifications on the labour market on local, regional, national and European level. Obstacles to mobility of tourism professionals are therefore removed, employability increases, and the shortage of skilled professionals in regards to CSR declines.

Summary

In order to record and document the regional economic effects of the National Park Unteres Odertal on a regular basis, HNE Eberswalde developed a monitoring concept for the National Park Authority. This first follow-up study records the regional economic effects of the National Park and was carried out between 2013 and 2014.

Summary

In 2013 the tourist destination Uckermark won the national competition "Sustainable Tourism Region 2012/2013". HNE Eberswalde was assigned to use the impetus generated by winning the competition in the Uckermark as part of process monitoring, and to promote a wider involvement of tourism stakeholders in the region on the topic of sustainability. A common mission statement was drafted for the Uckermark, which serves as a guideline for the sustainable development of tourism in the region. On this basis, strategies and priority measures for the implementation of sustainable tourism were developed in a participatory process.

Summary

As part of the "CSR in German Destinations" project, HNE Eberswalde developed a series of seminars on various issues of sustainable destination management. The seminars were conducted at the German Seminar for Tourism (DSFT) in Berlin and in various destinations. It sensitized managers in tourism organizations as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in German to the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). You can find detailed information about the project www.nachhaltigkeit-im-tourismus.de.

Summary

As part of the project, a management plan for the designed transboundary protection area was developed based on the Katun State Biosphere Reserve (Russian Federation) and the Katon-Karagaj National Park (Republic of Kazakhstan) referring to the criteria and principles of the Seville Strategy and the Madrid Plan of Action for Biosphere Reserves.

Summary

In this project, the first step was to carry out a potential analysis of the tourist destinations Tozeur and Bizerte. Subsequently, a two-day stakeholder workshop was held in Tozeur, which led to the establishment of a local destination management organization (DMO). Furthermore, the DMO was advised and trained on topics related to the development of alternative tourism segments and small, owner-managed hotels.

Summary

The aim of this German-Macedonian cooperation project was to sensitize teachers of the Macedonian Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality in Ohrid and multipliers from the Ohrid region for sustainability in tourism. The training and transfer of knowledge was carried out by teachers of the Master program "Sustainable Tourism Management" and respective practice partners of HNE Eberswalde. The participants were actively involved in the training program. The project strived to train at least 10 sustainable tourism managers within the project duration. The long-term goal is to set up a master's program "Sustainable Tourism Management" in Ohrid as a central tourist training facility for the Balkan countries.

Summary

Im Rahmen dieses Beratungsprojektes unterstützte die HNE Eberswalde das Land Brandenburg bei der Entwicklung eines brandenburgweiten Themenschwerpunktes Naturtourismus. Neben buchbaren Naturerlebnisangeboten wurde von der HNE eine Leitfaden zur Entwicklung und Vermarktung von nachhaltigen Naturerlebnisangeboten für Touristiker erarbeitet. Den Leitfaden finden Sie hier.

Summary

The project focused on the development of a management concept for the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve (Transcarpathia, Ukraine).