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BSPCBaltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceReport on SustainableTourism in the Baltic SeaRegion2020The BSPC Rapporteurs on Sustainable Tourism The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) was established in 1991 as a forum for po-in the Baltic Sea Region litical dialogue between parliamentarians from the Baltic Sea Region. BSPC aims at raising© Schwerin, 2020 awareness and opinion on issues of current political interest and relevance for the Baltic SeaRegion. It promotes and drives various initiatives and efforts to support a sustainable envi-ronmental, social and economic development of the Baltic Sea Region. It strives at enhanc-Text: Jochen Schulte and Jörgen Pettersson ing the visibility of the Baltic Sea Region and its issues in a wider European context.Editing: Evgeniya Bakalova, Hannah Kurek, BSPC gathers parliamentarians from 11 national parliaments, 11 regional parliaments andGeorg Strätker and Bodo Bahr 5 parliamentary organisations around the Baltic Sea. The BSPC thus constitutes a uniqueLayout: produktionsbüro TINUS parliamentary bridge between all the EU- and non-EU countries of the Baltic Sea Region.Photos: BSPC Secretariat BSPC external interfaces include parliamentary, governmental, sub-regional and other or-ganizations in the Baltic Sea Region and the Northern Dimension area, among them CBSS,HELCOM, the Northern Dimension Partnership in Health and Social Well-Being(NDPHS), the Baltic Sea Labour Forum (BSLF), the Baltic Sea States Sub-regional Coop-Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference eration (BSSSC) and the Baltic Development Forum.Bodo Bahr BSPC shall initiate and guide political activities in the region; support and strengthen dem-Secretary General ocratic institutions in the participating states; improve dialogue between governments, par-+49 171 5512557 liaments and civil society; strengthen the common identity of the Baltic Sea Region bybodo.bahr@bspcmail.net means of close co-operation between national and regional parliaments on the basis ofwww.bspc.net equality; and initiate and guide political activities in the Baltic Sea Region, endowing themwith additional democratic legitimacy and parliamentary authority.The political recommendations of the annual Parliamentary Conferences are expressed in aBSPC Secretariat Conference Resolution adopted by consensus by the Conference. The adopted ResolutionSchlossgartenallee 15 shall be submitted to the governments of the Baltic Sea Region, the CBSS and the EU, and19061 Schwerin disseminated to other relevant national, regional and local stakeholders in the Baltic Sea Re-Germany gion and its neighbourhood.Contents 3ContentsList of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................................5I. Introduction .....................................................................................................................................................6II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism ................................................................................91. The European Commission’s Communication “Tourism and Transport in 2020 and Beyond” ........102. The Renewed EUSBSR Action Plan ............................................................................................133. Developments in Policy Area Tourism ...........................................................................................154. The Baltic Sea Tourism Center ....................................................................................................175. Gothenburg is European Capital of Smart Tourism 2020 ..............................................................196. Green Tourism as a Priority of the Lithuanian CBSS Presidency ....................................................19III. Meetings and Events ....................................................................................................................................201. The 12th Baltic Sea Tourism Forum ..............................................................................................202. The First Baltic Sea World Heritage Summit .................................................................................233. Project Exchange Meetings Series in the Baltic Sea Region ..............................................................23VI. Notable Publications on Sustainable Tourism in the Baltic Sea Region .........................................................251. European Tourism: Recent Developments and Future Challenges....................................................252. Tourism Trend Radar “Digital Tourism” 2020 Edition .................................................................263. Market Report “State of the Tourism Industry in the Baltic Sea Region” 2019 Edition ....................274. Routes4U Feasibility Study on the Maritime Heritage Route in the Baltic Sea Region .....................275. Routes4U Branding Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region ...................................................................28Contents 4V. Prospects and Outlook ..................................................................................................................................291. The 13th Baltic Sea Tourism Forum .............................................................................................292. New EUSBSR Flagship Projects ...................................................................................................303. “Tourism Recovery through Cooperation” Workshop .......................................................................304. “Towards More Sustainable Tourism for EU Cities and Regions” CoR Opinion ..............................315. The European Tourism Convention 2020 .....................................................................................31Sources and Useful Links ....................................................................................................................................32List of Abbreviations 5List of AbbreviationsBSP Baltic Sea Strategy PointBSPC Baltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceBSTC Baltic Sea Tourism CenterBSTF Baltic Sea Tourism ForumBSR Baltic Sea RegionCBSS Council of the Baltic Sea StatesCoR European Committee of the RegionsDG Directorate GeneralDG EAC Directorate General Education, Youth, Sport and CultureEDEN European Destinations of ExcellenceEEN Enterprise Europe NetworkEMAS Eco-Management and Audit SchemeETC European Travel CommissionETIS European Tourism Indicators SystemEU European UnionEUSAIR EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian RegionEUSBSR EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea RegionGDP Gross Domestic ProductHELCOM Baltic Marine Environment Protection CommissionNAT-Commission CoR Commission for Natural ResourcesNGO Non-governmental OrganisationOECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and DevelopmentPA Policy AreaSDG Sustainable Development GoalsSME Small and Medium EnterprisesUN United NationsUNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationUNWTO United Nations World Tourism OrganizationI. Introduction 6I. IntroductionThe commitment to sustainable tourism as a means of promotingcross-border communication and breaking down prejudices, whileensuring adherence to high environmental standards and workingon joint innovative solutions for the sake of a healthy and safe Bal-tic Sea Region, has been one of the cornerstones of the Baltic SeaParliamentary Conference’s work in recent years. This strong com-mitment is explicitly reflected in the 25th and 26th resolutions ofthe BSPC, in the creation of the BSPC Working Group on Sus-Ms Birgit Hessetainable Tourism 2015–2017 and the establishment of the Rap-porteur mandate in 2017. The State Parliament of Mecklen-burg-Vorpommern is honoured and proud to continue the ambi-tious and passionate work of Ms Sylvia Bretschneider, former Chairof the Working Group and Rapporteur on Sustainable Tourism,towards our common goal of promoting sustainable internationaltourism and thus ensuring that the Baltic Sea Region remains a re-gion of peaceful and close neighbourliness, sustainable growth, andecological awareness. The present – third consecutive – report fol-lows the overarching objective to provide an overview of the recentdevelopments, events, projects and publications on sustainabletourism in the Baltic Sea region. Indeed, one cannot overlook thecurrent extraordinary circumstances that have already affected allspheres of public life and will continue to have an impact on oureconomies and societies in the years to come.The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to a standstilland the tourism industry has been among those economic sectorshit the hardest. In an increasingly interconnected world, the virusspread rapidly across continents and prompted states to adopt na-tional measures and policies to contain the epidemic within theirown borders. Government responses aiming to contain nationaloutbreaks included travel limitations and partial or complete bor-der closures. Such unprecedented contact and mobility restrictionsI. Introduction 7had an immediate impact on the tourism sector and led to dramatic reductions in the numbers of incom-ing tourists and travellers in the second quarter of 2020 all over the world. The developments in the Bal-tic Sea region aligned with this global trend. For the Baltic Sea states, tourism is an important economicfactor contributing between 8.6% and 1.2% to the national GDPs and provided between 15.7% and3.6% of total employment.Although the economic impact of the pandemic on the tourist sector remains uncertain at this point, pre-liminary forecasts already point to significant losses. The United Nations World Tourism Organization(UNWTO) recorded a 58% decline in international tourist arrivals in Europe in January–May 2020. Itis important to note that this figure includes data from January and February – before the outbreak of thepandemic in Europe. The steepest decline was recorded in April – with almost 98% less arrivals comparedto the previous year. All BSPC Member States have been affected and will further be affected to varyingdegrees. According to the provisional calculations contained in the World Tourism Barometer report up-dated in July 2020, in the Baltic Sea region, Denmark has suffered the sharpest decrease with about 63%fewer incoming travellers in the first five months of 2020 compared to 2019, followed by Germany with59.3% fewer arrivals. Estonia and Latvia received about 58% fewer international tourists than in 2019,while Iceland experienced a 55.7% decline in international travellers. The figures for Scandinavian coun-tries are somewhat lower, ranging from 44.1% for Finland to 43% and 41.9% for Norway and Swedenrespectively. The tourism sectors in Lithuania, Poland and Russia have been affected to a lesser degree witha decline of about 24%, 16 % and 15% in international tourist arrivals respectively.With the gradual lifting of travel restrictions, the resumption of a number of international flights, and na-tional easing of lockdown regulations in Europe ahead of the 2020 peak summer months, tourism start-ed showing cautious signs of gradual recovery. Although domestic tourism is expected to recover faster, itwould not be able to compensate for the losses in international tourism arrivals and receipts. Further-more, there is significant variation in the shares of domestic as compared to inbound expenditures fromtourism across the Baltic Sea states – with figures ranging from 85% in Germany to 12% in Estonia. Inorder to stimulate the revival of cross-border travel, some Baltic Sea states have reached regional agree-ments, e.g. the Baltic “travel bubble” created between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Further measures tosupport the tourism branch included fiscal and monetary measures, steps to ensure the protection of jobsand to promote training and skills, launching of market intelligence initiatives as well as initiatives to re-start tourism. Innovative projects such as the digital immunity passport currently tested in Estonia result-ed from the search for innovative ways in countering the devastating consequences of the pandemic.Yet the pandemic’s impact on tourism is not only of a financial nature. Lockdowns and border shutdownsI. Introduction 8have prevented and continue to prevent inter-personal contacts and communication, which are essentialto foster understanding, promote trust and build bridges between people and peoples. The Baltic Sea re-gion depends on intensive cooperation and mutual trust between all actors dedicated to creating a sustain-able and prosperous region – a region of peaceful and close neighbourliness and intensive cooperation.Only together will we be able to find viable and innovative solutions, to overcome the challenges ahead,and to construct a resilient and sustainable future.This report follows BSPC’s established commitment to jointly strive for and support the development ofsustainable tourism in the region. It provides an overview of the main political developments, projects,events, and publications in the field. Particular attention is given to the European Commission’s commu-nication on “Tourism and Transport” from May 2020, which focuses on the recovery of the tourism sec-tor, supporting businesses, and setting strategic goals to ensure that the European tourism ecosystem re-mains sustainable and resilient in the face of the current and future crises. Another important develop-ment, which this report specifically highlights, is the update of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region(EUSBSR) Action Plan as well as the novelties introduced within EUSBSR Policy Area (PA) Tourism. Thereport welcomes the fact that the Baltic Sea Tourism Center (BSTC), towards which the BSPC has sig-nalled its continuous and engaged support, has been singled out as the key achievement within PA Tour-ism. It is also rewarding to see that the new actions envisioned for Policy Area Tourism have become moreconcrete and focussed with a view to environmental but also socio-cultural sustainability. The report alsosummarises the recent activities and achievements of the BSTC and for the first time features a section onrelevant publications and studies that could be of interest to policy-makers and stakeholders alike. Final-ly, the concluding section provides an outlook on the upcoming events, among which the 13th (digital)Baltic Sea Tourism Forum (BSTF), which has fortunately not been cancelled despite the pandemic-in-duced restrictions, represents a particular highlight.Ms Birgit HessePresident of the State Parliament of Mecklenburg-VorpommernPresident of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Tourist BoardBSPC Rapporteur on Sustainable TourismII. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism 9II. Main Developmentsin the Field of Sustainable TourismThe global COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a serious blow to the tourism industry all over the world, andthe Baltic Sea region, which heavily depends on exchange, cooperation and exchange, has not been sparedeither. Initial government responses largely focused on individual measures and solutions to contain thespread of the virus within regional and national borders. However, under the current circumstancesshowing a coordinated stance and working in collaboration – not in isolation – on joint solutions for thefuture becomes more important than ever.Beyond immediate crisis responses to support the industry and prepare recovery plans, the United NationsWorld Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD), and the EU have called upon states to consider the long-term implications and further pave theway for the structural transformation of tourism and mobility in the direction of higher sustainability andresilience. Thus, in its “Tourism and Transport” package issued in May 2020, the European Commissionset the far-reaching goal of making European tourism more resilient and sustainable in the future. In linewith the European Green Deal, the strategy aims at developing sustainable transport and touristaccommodation, smart management of tourism flows as well as sustainability skills among touristprofessionals. The communication together with its accompanying initiatives was designed to provide acoordinated framework for enabling and ensuring a safe tourist season in the summer of 2020 on the onehand, but also supporting and further developing the sustainability of the tourism ecosystem in the yearsand for generations to come. The following section will provide brief summary of the long-term outlookon the future of tourism and transport in the EU.Another important development in the sphere of sustainable tourism has been the work on the update ofthe EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) Action Plan, which started in 2018 and entered intoits final stages with the renewed Plan agreed on by the National Coordinators’ Group and forwarded tothe European Commission in July 2020. The report specifically addresses the renewed objectives andactions introduced within EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism.II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism 101. The European Commission’s Communication “Tourism and Transport in2020 and Beyond”As part of its overall framework to stabilise the European economy and protect jobs during the pandemic,the European Commission released a communication on “Tourism and Transport in 2020 and Beyond”on 14 May 2020. The Commission presented four key elements to ensure that European tourism, a vitalpart of the European economy, recovers and returns to former prosperity after suffering enormous lossesdue to the pandemic-induced travel restrictions and lockdowns. The main emphasis of the document lieson immediate and short-term measures and recommendations to revive safe domestic and intra-EUtourism with a focus on restoring unrestricted free movement, transport and connectivity as well astourism services, addressing the liquidity crunch and rebuilding consumer confidence. However, it alsooutlines strategic objectives to retain Europe’s leadership position in the area of sustainable and innovativetourism.The Long-Term StrategyThe European Commission clearly stated that sustainability is the core element of efforts to revitalize thetourism industry with the goal to:“enable affordable and more sustainable transport and improved connectivity, boost smartmanagement of tourism flows based on sound measurement and tools, diversify the tourism offerand extend off season opportunities, develop sustainability skills for tourism professionals andvalorise the variety of landscapes and the cultural diversity across Europe – while protecting andrestoring Europe’s land and marine natural capital, in line with the strategic approach for asustainable blue and green economy.”1In addition to the support offered through the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative, the EuropeanCommission advised Member States to develop comprehensive recovery strategies for regions most severelyaffected by the crisis, encompassing measures to promote digitalisation, sustainability and investment inskills. Incentives are provided through various national and EU Funds, such as the European RegionalDevelopment Fund, the European Social Fund, InvestEU, and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural1 European Commission, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, andthe Committee of the Regions, Tourism and Transport in 2020 and Beyond, May 2020, https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/communication-commission-tour-ism-transport-2020-and-beyond_en.pdfII. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism 11Development. These long-term recovery strategies should be aimed at promoting sustainable tourism andmobility, as well as economic diversification to build resilience to external shocks. The European Commissionpaid particular attention to Small or Medium Enterprises in its SME Strategy and pledged to work withnetworks such as the Enterprise Network Europe to help local tourism companies become more resilientthrough increased sustainability and digitalisation. It further announced a European Tourism Convention,which would take place in October 2020 and bring together EU institutions, the industry, regions, cities,and stakeholders to reflect about future developments in the tourist industry and start preparing a “EuropeanAgenda for Tourism 2050” as a roadmap towards a sustainable European tourism ecosystem.Fostering Vertical and Horizontal Linkages and CooperationCalling for a coordinated response to the crisis and bearing in mind the overall goal of sustainable recovery,the European Commission emphasized the need for genuine cooperation across a number of policyframeworks and relevant actors. On the one hand, this cooperation should take place horizontally betweenlocal, regional, and national authorities and the Commission, on the other hand vertically – between thedifferent actors and stakeholders within the tourism industry. In view of the latter, the Commissionrecommended stronger cooperation through cross-sectoral linkages, interdisciplinary knowledge flows aswell as stronger connections and capacity building. Networks across Europe, such as the Enterprise EuropeNetwork, the European Clusters Alliance and European Digital Innovation Hubs, shall supportsustainability and digitalisation in tourism. These networks would also serve to connect tourism to otherindustries such as renewable energies, health and life sciences as well as the maritime, cultural, and creativeindustries.Training and SkillsThe European Commission pointed towards the significance of resilience in the face of external shocksand crises and stressed the need to avoid future shortages of skills. It called upon Member States to makeuse of existing opportunities for upskilling through national and EU Funds. Thus, the Next TourismGeneration Alliance (NTG), a European project running from 2018 to 2021 and co-funded by theErasmus+ Programme, is designed to promote cooperation between tourism stakeholders to address short-and long-term skills needs. The Commission also referred to the upcoming updated Skills Agenda, whichwould support sectoral cooperation to tackle skills needs with a focus on digital and green transitions. Inaddition, the European Commission encouraged regions with smart specialisation strategies for tourismand European clusters active in the tourism area to join forces and make use of the financial supportprovided through the Erasmus and Interreg programmes.II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism 12Digital Technologies and InnovationAcknowledging the importance of and opportunities offered by digital technologies in overcomingchallenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission underlined their potential tobecome an integrated part of new tourism frameworks. Thus, new technology has already helped toreinvent cultural tourism by opening new opportunities for creative expression and through expandingaudiences during the pandemic. In addition, easy access and constantly updated information concerningtravel regulations across EU Member States, including an interactive map, are provided via the “Re-openEU” website (https://reopen.europa.eu/). Furthermore, the Commission announced that it would providesupport for local businesses to help them cope with the new pandemic-induced realities through DigitalInnovation Hubs. Innovative solutions could e.g. include the use of robotics for disinfecting and cleaning,crowd management, and smart booking systems.The digital transition would also open new paths for managing and predicting tourist flows and customers’needs and enable operators to respond to arising challenges in immediate and efficient ways. Besides, theCommission reaffirmed its commitment to the further development of the European interoperabilityframework for mobile applications to support contact tracing.Promoting Local TourismViewing local and intra-European tourism not only as the key to economic recovery but also as anopportunity to develop sustainable tourism in the future, the European Commission committed topromoting a transition towards a more sustainable model of coastal and maritime tourism in line with itsstrategic approach for a sustainable blue economy. While cultural tourism plays an important role inmany European regions and cities, the Commission highlighted the arising opportunities for coastal,maritime and inland waterway tourism as well as rural tourism to create innovative localised offers for off-season business and recreation. It further indicated its support for agri-tourism as a sustainable model oftourism in rural areas and referred to the proposed European Year of Rail 2021 as an opportunity to focuson sustainable travel and local tourism. Creating awareness about and showcasing hidden Europeandestinations through information campaigns and digital products (such as the Europeana platform, thecompanion web-app Cultural gems, the European Capitals of Smart Tourism, and European Destinationsof Excellence) is an additional step in supporting and promoting local tourism.II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism 132. The Renewed EUSBSR Action PlanThe EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR), which was initiated by the European Parliament in2007 and presented by the European Commission in 2009, is an integrative framework for cooperationand coordination among the European Union and Member States with the ultimate aim of achieving asustainable environment and optimal economic and social development in the region. The programmeconnects the Baltic Sea states through multi-level networks of stakeholders allowing for knowledge sharingand transfer. Its implementation is financed by various national and EU funding schemes, includingInterreg Baltic Sea Region, which funds EUSBSR flagship projects in particular and supports macro-regional cooperation on the technical level.In 2012, the Commission specified the three overarching objectives of the Strategy: “Save the Sea”,“Connect the Region”, and “Increase Prosperity”. It also proposed to establish indicators and targets foreach objective in order to facilitate monitoring and evaluation. Consequently, the EUSBSR Action Planwas updated with a view to the objectives, targets and indicators included in the Strategy. In 2014–2015,an extensive round of consultations with Member States and stakeholders in the Baltic Sea region wascarried out with the revised Action Plan then agreed in 2015. The revised Action Plan comprised 4Horizontal Actions and 13 Policy Areas, including Policy Area Tourism.The current update of the Action Plan accompanying the EUSBSR was launched in 2018 and takes intoaccount emerging global challenges such as climate change, current and future pandemics, demographicchange and migration as well as the European Union’s new strategic frameworks, the 2021–2027Multiannual Financial Framework, and addresses the Strategy’s governance challenges. The EUSBSRNational Coordinators’ Group approved the revised version of the EUSBSR Action Plan at their meetingon 29–30 June 2020 and in a silent procedure on 30 June–3 July 2020. The revised document was sentto the European Commission for internal procedure where it still might be modified further. The ActionPlan will enter into force after the internal procedure has been finalised and will be published as aCommission Staff Working Document.The revised Action Plan preserves the main objectives of the Strategy – “Save the Sea”, “Connect theRegion”, and “Increase Prosperity” – as well as the multi-level and cross-sectoral cooperation model. Thecomplementary sub-objectives have been reduced from 12 to 9 in an effort to adapt them to the changingcircumstances and arising challenges. They are notably interlinked and interdependent with regard to thethree overarching objectives. The revised Action Plan streamlines Policy Areas and foresees increasing theirnumber from 13 to 14, adding Spatial Planning as a new PA in order to foster territorial cohesion in theII. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism 14Baltic Sea region. The former Horizontal Actions Climate (with a focus on climate change) and Neighbours(focusing on cooperation with neighbouring non-EU countries) are mainstreamed as essential elementsinto all 14 PAs. Such integration ensures that they are properly taken into account and implemented mostefficiently in each PA. The total number of actions is reduced from 73 to 44. In doing so, the updatefollows calls for a more concise and hands on document with clarified roles and responsibilities forstakeholders and effective decision-making as well as reinforced results-orientation. Tourism was preservedas one of the 14 Policy Areas, while the number of corresponding actions in the field was increased fromtwo to three.Furthermore, and especially relevant for sustainable tourism development, the current Action Plan placesPolicy Areas in a strategic context by assessing their contribution to the UN Sustainable DevelopmentGoals (SDGs) and providing linkages in order to embed the EUSBSR into EU policies and fundingprogrammes. The main priorities derive from the EU strategic Agenda 2019–2024, which sets four long-term goals: protecting citizens and freedoms; developing a strong and vibrant economic base; building aclimate-neutral, green, fair and social Europe; and promoting European interests and values on the globalstage. However, the Action Plan is also designed to align with the achievement of gender equality, withthe objectives of the European Green Deal and reaching EU climate neutrality by 2050.In establishing the Baltic Sea Strategy Point (BSP) and Steering Groups, the EUSBSR governance structureis enhanced by two entities, which aim to support and coordinate the implementation of the EUSBSR.The BSP serves to provide administrative and technical support for EUSBSR management, developmentand communication. Each Policy Area will be supported by its respective Steering Group consisting ofrepresentatives of national or regional governments of the EUSBSR Member States. The Steering Groupwill guide and monitor the work of its respective PA in its function as a cooperation body.II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism 153. Developments in Policy Area TourismEUSBSR Policy Area Tourism is coordinated by the Ministry of Economics, Employment and HealthMecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. On 1 January 2020, Ms Andrea Krabbe took over the position asCoordinator for Policy Area Tourism from her colleague Mr Gerd Lange.PA Tourism contributes to the Strategy’s overarching objectives in numerous ways, for example byimproving the long-term competitiveness of the Baltic Sea region, connecting people through cultural,educational or scientific cooperation, and fostering changes in policies, business practices, and consumerbehaviour in tourism with a view to environmental protection and sustainability. According to the ActionPlan, PA Tourism “provides a strong platform to reinforce sustainable tourism development in the BSR”.Furthermore, it promotes cooperation between different stakeholders in the tourism industry and allowsall parties involved to search and find joint solutions for common challenges.The four most relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals for PA Tourism are: Decent Work andEconomic Growth (Goal 8), Sustainable Cities and Communities (Goal 11), Responsible Consumptionand Production (Goal 12), and Life Below Water (Goal 14). PA Tourism also draws on various Europeanpolicy frameworks, such as the Agenda for a Sustainable and Competitive European Tourism, the BlueGrowth Agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Commission’s Communication on“Tourism and Transport in 2020 and Beyond” as well as other frameworks on cultural development.Furthermore, PA Tourism is closely linked to the European Green Deal.Stronger involvement of relevant stakeholders remains a priority within Policy Area Tourism. This includesmaintaining already existing collaborations with e.g. PA Education and PA Culture and creating strongersynergies with other PAs (e.g. PA Bio Economy, PA Transport, PA Innovation or PA Health) in the courseof initiating and developing new flagship projects. New flagships would seek to engage multiplestakeholders, such as tourist organisations, public authorities, municipalities, business supportorganisations, higher education and research, Euro-Regions, SMEs, sanitary and epidemiological services,partner countries, international organisations such as the ETC, UNWTO, other interest groups includingNGOs, and the civil society.The establishment and the development of the Baltic Sea Tourism Center (BSTC), towards which theBSPC has signalled its strongest support in its 25th and 26th resolutions, is named as a key achievementwithin PA Tourism and a leading centre for improved communication and cooperation within the BalticSea region. In addition, the Action Plan lists the most important BSTC products, processes, andII. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism 16developments. Thus, it highlights that the BSTC has issued several publications, among them: the TourismMarket Monitor report and the Tourism Trend Radar, a “Business Plan” and a “Convention Paper” forfuture work within the framework of the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation, and a “PositionPaper on Sustainable Tourism development in the Baltic Sea Region Post 2020” to better position theBSR tourism sector at the EU level. The BSTC also devised a series of product development workshopsproviding tourism stakeholders with essential knowledge on how to launch new offers and published ahandbook “Co-development Toolkit – A Shortcut to Expanding your Business”, in order to disseminateknowledge and share best practices. With a view to the 2020–2025 period, the BSTC will continue itswork in developing future scenarios for tourism in the BSR 2030, organising meetings, workshops andtrainings, publishing position papers and reports, and building new international networks and projectsin collaboration with PA Education, PA Innovation and PA Health.As mentioned above, the renewed EUSBSR Action Plan foresees a change in PA Tourism’s envisionedactions. Whereas the previous Action Plan focussed on two main actions – facilitating networking andclustering of tourism stakeholders as well as promoting the establishment of the Baltic Sea Tourism Center– the renewed actions encompass:• Transnational tourism development in remote and rural areas;• Investing in people, skills and technology in the tourism industry;• Protection and sustainable utilisation of cultural heritage and natural resources in touristdestinations.These actions are planned to be implemented in 2020–2025 and correspond to the strategic goals outlinedwithin the European Commission’s “Tourism and Transport” communication from May 2020. In orderto promote transnational tourism development in remote and rural areas (Action 1) and to improve theprotection and sustainable utilization of cultural heritage and natural resources in tourism destinations(Action 3), two flagship projects will be launched in 2021. The Baltic Sea Tourism Center continues to bea key flagship for Action 2 (the investment in people, skills and technology in the tourism industry).Overall, PA Tourism’s focus has shifted towards increased sustainability, innovation and digitalisation.While the previous overarching target consisted in establishing the Baltic Sea region as a common andcoherent tourist destination through improved cooperation and coordination, the renewed actions andtargets envision more concrete and streamlined measures to account for environmental and eco-systemsprotection, to promote sustainable production and consumption, to foster the digital transformation oftourism, and ensure the preservation of the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities.II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism 17In addition, in 2020 Policy Area Tourism supported four seed money projects from different thematicfields of tourism, thereby enabling them to apply for EUSBSR seed money. Three of these projects wereapproved for funding by the Interreg Managing Authority/Joint Secretariat in June 2020. Thus, BalticDigiTour will provide connectivist massive open online courses for digitalisation in Baltic tourismattractions, whereas BalticBlueMarinas recognises and supports remote Baltic marinas as drivers forsustainable coastal tourism development. RESTinBSR aims at unlocking transformative ecotourismpotential for sustainable regional development. The call for applications for seed funding in the Baltic Searegion was released at the end of 2019 by the Swedish Institute, which seeks to develop and strengthencooperation with EU and non-EU countries around the Baltic Sea and in the immediate area. The projectsshould be linked to the objectives of the EUSBSR.4. The Baltic Sea Tourism CenterThe BSTC, established in 2016, is one of the key flagships within Policy Area Tourism of the EUSBSRAction Plan and has been highlighted as the PA’s main achievement so far. The promotion and supportfor the further development of the Baltic Sea Tourism Center has been one of the central demands of theBSPC parliamentarians as expressed by the 25th and 26th resolutions of the Baltic Sea ParliamentaryConference.The Baltic Sea Tourism Center offers a platform for tourism stakeholders in the BSR and provides servicesin the fields of Tourism Policies, Market Research, Training Offerings, and Sustainable Tourism. Theoverarching aim is to facilitate cooperation among tourism players and jointly improve competitivenessof sustainable tourism in the Baltic Sea region with a focus on three Core Competences: Partnerships,Insights and Skills. Partner institutions ranging from public administrations, research institutes as well asprivate companies can benefit from this cooperation by growing their international network, enhancingthe international visibility of the respective organisations and institutions but also of the BSR tourismindustry in general. In order to enhance cooperation and sustainable development and to anchor necessaryactivities in the BSTC, four permanent working groups, the so called BSTC Expert Groups (TourismPolicies, Market Research, Training Offerings and Sustainable Tourism), have been implemented.The BSTC also contributes to knowledge gathering, dissemination and transfer through its publicationsseries on the developments and trends in the tourism industry across the whole Baltic Sea macro-region.II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism 18With its BSTC Tourism Market Monitor and BSTC Tourism Trend Radar, the Baltic Sea Tourism Centeris gathering data, disseminating knowledge and sharing best practices with all participating institutions,which helps them to optimize and adapt their business and political decisions and take advantage ofinternational development trends. The latest BSTC State of the Tourism Industry report (2019) and theBSTC Tourism Trend Radar on Digital Tourism (2020) will be elaborated in more detail in the sectiondedicated to relevant publications.Furthermore, the project team developed a service, especially suitable for tourism businesses, which helpsthem to further improve their tourism product portfolio and make their offerings more sustainable andsuitable for the low season. Through a comprehensive Product Development Workshop series, that appliedthe Design Thinking method as a guiding principle, BSTC partners could learn how to think creativelywith diverse techniques such as the Business Model Canvas, Authenticity Model or the Harvard ValuePyramid.In addition, the BSTC released a Position Paper on “Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic SeaRegion post 2020”, outlining the need for permanent cooperation patterns, stronger political support,and stable funding opportunities in order to avoid fragmentation in the sector, raise internationalcompetitiveness, and jointly address common challenges. Thus, tourism cooperation, tourism policy andtourism funding were identified as three major areas by a comprehensive stakeholder consultation.According to the position paper, Tourism cooperation should focus, among other things, on supportingSMEs in product development and networking, improving the touristic infrastructure as well as theaccessibility, visibility and attractiveness of rural areas, mitigating seasonal fluctuations and overcomingskilled labour shortages. In the area of Tourism policy the position paper calls to further strengthen PolicyArea Tourism of the EUSBSR, initiate flagship processes, and create guiding themes, facilitate theimplementation of the recommendations of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference on sustainabletourism, strengthen cooperation with the BSPC, the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), and non-EU countries such as Belarus, Norway and Russia. In terms of Tourism funding, the paper advises furtheradjustments to existing funding instruments through e.g. ensuring that funded projects align with regionaland national tourism strategies, prolonging the project lifetime from free to over five years, simplifyingthe administrative burdens for applicants, and ensuring easier involvement of SMEs in the applicationprocess.II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism 195. Gothenburg is European Capital of Smart Tourism 2020The European Capital of Smart Tourism initiative is a competition implemented by the EuropeanCommission in order to honour outstanding achievements by European cities as smart tourismdestinations. Prizes are awarded in four categories: sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation as well ascultural heritage and creativity. This year, the Swedish city of Gothenburg was chosen as a winner togetherwith the Spanish city of Málaga for their overall commitment to smart tourism and their achievements inall four competition categories. Gothenburg was praised for its efforts to stay on top of digital trends andpassing these benefits on to citizens and visitors alike. Smart grids for traffic and electricity, accessible andopen government data, a future-oriented public transport system, and dedicated environmental protectionplatforms all contribute to the enhanced visitor experience in the city. Gothenburg has implemented aprogressive sustainable agenda evolving as a pioneer in issuing green bonds and setting consumption-based emission targets. A large majority of hotels and meeting facilities in the city are now environmentallycertified and the “Event Impact Calculator” has proven as a beneficial tool helping to evaluate events froman economic, social, and environmental point of view.We congratulate Gothenburg and Sweden to this great success and their innovative and forward-thinkingprogrammes. This achievement can truly serve as an example and inspiration.6. Green Tourism as a Priority of the Lithuanian CBSS PresidencyOn 1 July 2020, Lithuania took over the presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) fromDenmark. The Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Linas Linkevičius, announced the Presidency’sfocus on green and maritime tourism as an important sector in reviving regional economy, therebyincreasing the region’s visibility and giving employment opportunities to young people. As one of theevents of the Lithuanian CBSS Presidency, Lithuania will host this year’s 13th Baltic Sea Tourism Forum,which will be held online on 10–13 November 2020.III. Meetings and Events 20III. Meetings and EventsFollowing the tradition established in previous BSPC reports on sustainable tourism, this section willprovide an overview of the recent events, conferences, and meetings, which brought together policy-makers and stakeholders to reflect upon the recent trends, develop recommendations, share experiencesand best practices in the field of sustainable tourism in the Baltic Sea region. Indeed, the Baltic SeaTourism Forum is one of the central instruments contributing to transnational exchange and cooperationin the area and serving as an important permanent platform for knowledge and information exchange. Incurrent turbulent times such exchange and collaboration becomes all the more important – it is thereforeparticularly encouraging and gratifying that the 13th Baltic Sea Tourism Forum has not been cancelled,but will be organised in the form of a digital event. Various other events and fora have also been movedonline due to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This section will, however, primarilyfocus on the meetings that took place before the pandemic’s outbreak. Prospective events will be elaboratedin more detail in the last section.1. The 12th Baltic Sea Tourism ForumThe 12th Baltic Sea Tourism Forum took place in Brussels on 13 November 2019. For the first time sinceits establishment in 2008, the annual conference was held outside the Baltic Sea region. Yet the choice ofvenue was by no means arbitrary, the aim being to bring together stakeholders from the Baltic Sea regionand representatives and institutions in Brussels, the de facto capital of the European Union. The forum’smotto “SHARE | INSPIRE | CREATE” was designed to convey the need for cooperation beyond nationalborders in a macro-regional context. In three sessions, participants exchanged experiences, receivedvaluable insights on innovative approaches, and discussed a comprehensive outlook on the multiannualfinancial framework of the EU and its implications for tourism cooperation in the Baltic Sea region. Inaddition to the plenum, a B2B Café was organised, offering tourism stakeholders a platform to presentand to connect themselves.The forum featured a multi-level and multi-sector array of speakers, ranging from representatives of theEuropean Commission, national administrations, regional organisations, to businesses and researchinstitutions.III. Meetings and Events 21Mr Bodo Bahr, Secretary General of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, addressed the forumwith an opening speech highlighting the role of tourism not only as a significant economic factor, butalso as an area that connects people and promotes understanding and trust. He reminded that thecreation of the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum was triggered by a call for action of the parliamentarians inthe southern Baltic Sea region and emphasised that the BSPC sees the Forum as a central event forcooperation and exchange on tourism-related issues in the Baltic Sea region. Furthermore, Mr Bahrunderlined the BSPC’s support for the further development of the Baltic Sea Tourism Center andexpressed explicit appreciation of its Core Competences “Partnerships”, “Insights”, and “Skills” and therespective Working Groups. While acknowledging the incredible success story embodied by thedevelopment of tourism in the Baltic Sea region in the past three decades following the fall of the IronCurtain, he also cautioned against underestimating the long-term effects of climate change andenvironmental damage. In this context, he paid special attention to the problem of munition dumps inthe Baltic Sea and stressed the need for sustainable practices and regional cooperation to ensure longlasting prosperity in the region.Further presentations were given by Mr Michael Cramer (former Member of the European Parliament),who spoke about cycling tourism as an alternative tourism industry in Europe, Ms Asa Bjering(Executive Secretary of the Baltic Sea Commission) with an overview of tourist mobility, and Ms AnnaPollock (Founder of Conscious.travel), who described new approaches to tourism. The audience alsoheard remarks by Mr Janos Schmied (Program Officer of DG Grow and EEN, European Commission),who introduced the COSME Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), and by Mr Maciej Hofman (PolicyOfficer of DG EAC, European Commission), who spoke about cultural heritage in the EU.The first session under the title “SHARE achievements” was opened by Ms Blanka Belosevic(Representative of the EUSAIR), who presented the legacy of the European Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region, followed by Ms Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło (Head of International PermanentSecretariat, Euroregion Baltic), who shared success stories of international tourism cooperation in theBaltic Sea region. Mr Tomasz Naprawski (Project Manager Baltic Museums Love IT!), Ms Ira Lahovuo(Project Manager Archpelago Access) and Mr. Niclas Fjellström (European Coordinator Baltic SeaFood) each introduced projects within the Interreg Programme framework for the South Baltic, CentralBaltic and Baltic Sea Region. The session was closed by Ms Constanze Metzger (Routes4U SeniorProject Officer), who presented the Cultural Routes program.The second session under the motto “INSPIRE partners”, featured Prof. Björn P. Jacobsen, Mr TjarkSchlegel and Mr. Christopher Blanck (all from the University of Applied Sciences Stralsund) whoIII. Meetings and Events 22presented the Tourism Market Monitor and the Tourism Trend Radar developed by the BSTC ExpertGroup “Market Research”. Ms Karin Melbye Holm (Danish Tourism Innovation) took the floor tointroduce the so-called “Co-development concept.”“CREATE perspectives” was the overarching theme of the third session, during which Ms RamuneGenzbigelyte-Venturi (Policy Officer in the Tourism Unit of DG Grow, European Commission)presented the European Commission’s initiatives to promote sustainable tourism. She spoke about theEuropean Tourism Indicators System (ETIS) toolkit, which includes indicators to measure thesustainability performance of tourism destinations. Furthermore, Ms Genzbigelyte-Venturi introducedthe EU-ecolabel for Tourist Accommodations and the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme(EMAS), which help companies and organisations to evaluate, report on, and improve theirenvironmental impact. She also referred to the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) and theEuropean Capital of Smart Tourism initiatives aiming to award sustainable tourism concepts in citiesand presented a number of preliminary findings produced by the Study on the Contribution of Tourismto Local and Regional Development. Ms Genzbigelyte-Venturi closed her presentation with theannouncement of the European Tourism Day initially planned for April 2020 but later postponed dueto the COVID-19 pandemic. Within the same session, Ms Joanna Mouliou (Program Manager of DGRegio, European Commission), elaborated on the role of tourism and culture in the new EuropeanRegional Development Fund and connected five policy objectives to possible fields in tourismdevelopment. She also spoke about the Regional Policy 2021–2027 and Urban Development andCCIs. Ms Andrea Krabbe (EUSBSR Policy Area Coordinator for Tourism) presented the new actionsdefined within Policy Area Tourism in the revised EUSBSR Action Plan (which was elaborate in theprevious section of this report) and encouraged all stakeholders to engage with these actions throughprojects, platforms, flagships, and networks. Mr Stefan Hyttfors (Global Speaker, author and Changeagent) shared his reflections on the future and reasons for actions and developments.Closing the forum, Ms Lidija Bajaruniene (Chief Official for Tourism Policy, Ministry of Economy andInnovation of the Republic of Lithuania) invited everyone to the next BSTF, which was set to take placein Palanga (Lithuania) in autumn 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 13th Baltic Sea TourismForum will take place online on 10–13 November 2020.III. Meetings and Events 232. The First Baltic Sea World Heritage SummitOn 24–26 September 2019, the First Baltic Sea World Heritage Summit took place in Karlskrona,Sweden. The municipality is the leading partner within the Development of UNESCO Natural &Cultural Assets project and invited various stakeholders from the region to strengthen multilateral andmulti-level cooperation and to promote exchange and sharing of knowledge and best practices.Sustainable tourism development as a tool to building inclusive communities featured as one of the keytopics. Participants received valuable insights about exemplary projects in the area of sustainable andinnovative tourism development. Ms Annelie Börjesson (President of the United Nations Associationsof Sweden) informed the audience about the importance of the UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) to support a resilient, sustainable and peaceful Baltic Sea region, while the representatives ofthe non-profit foundation Green Destinations elaborated on the process of becoming a sustainabledestination. The summit closed with a discussion of future cooperation formats of World Heritage Sitesaround the Baltic Sea and the proposal of the Municipality of Karlskrona to create a Baltic Sea WorldHeritage Centre as a support instrument.3. Project Exchange Meetings Series in the Baltic Sea RegionIn 2019, Policy Area Tourism initiated a series of project exchange meetings and workshops in the BalticSea region under the title “Tourism Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region”. Similar meetings werepreviously organised on an annual basis. The goal of the workshop series was to create a platform forsustainable tourism development where local partners can get to know each other, participants can learnmore about ongoing projects on the ground and stakeholders may be encouraged to participate in futureEUSBSR flagships.The first meeting of the workshop series was organised by PA Tourism in cooperation with the Baltic SeaTourism Center at the International House of Tourism in Rostock, Germany on 12 September 2019. Intotal 14 projects and 10 organisations participated in the event and seized the opportunity to present theirown approaches to sustainable tourism and interact with other stakeholders.The next meeting was held at the museum of the Palanga Resort in Lithuania on 22 November 2019. ThePalanga Tourism Information Center organised the event in cooperation with the Ministry of EconomyIII. Meetings and Events 24and Innovation and the Klaipėda Region as well as PA Tourism. During the meeting, project representativeshad the opportunity to interact with each other and exchanged ideas and best practices.On 13 February 2020, the third exchange meeting, organised by PA Tourism together with the Ministryof Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland, took place at the Ministry of Transportation andCommunication in Helsinki. It followed the common aim of the workshops series to create a discussionplatform for sustainable tourism development in the Baltic Sea region. In light of the revised EUSBSRAction Plan and specifically the new actions determined within PA Tourism, speakers presented insightsfrom projects covering all three action areas: transnational tourism development in remote and rural areas(Action 1); investing in people, skills and technology in the tourism industry (Action 2); and protectionand sustainable utilisation of cultural and natural resources in tourism destinations (Action 3).VI. Notable Publications on Sustainable Tourism in the Baltic Sea Region 25VI. Notable Publications on Sustainable Tourism in theBaltic Sea RegionWith a view to the need for tourism data and analysis covering trends, developments, and statistics in theBaltic Sea region specifically, which was identified by the Baltic Sea Tourism Center, this section willprovide a brief overview of the recent publications, analyses, and trend reports with a specific focus onsustainable tourism in the region. It is especially noteworthy to highlight the publications prepared by theBSTC and the Routes4U project, since they take into account particular regional trends, specificities,challenges and competitive advantages in order to provide recommendations for policy-makers andtourism stakeholders in the BSR.1. European Tourism: Recent Developments and Future ChallengesIn October 2019, a study on “European Tourism: Recent Developments and Future Challenges” waspublished upon request of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism. The studyaimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the tourism sector in the EU, an assessment of itspreparedness to face expected challenges as well as a set of recommendations for EU policy makers. Thestudy urged all tourism stakeholders to think more sustainably not only in terms of environmentalprotection and awareness, but also with a view to the social, economic, and political aspects of sustainability.Regarding sustainable tourism, the study made the following explicit recommendations:• Strengthen the tourism industry’s organisational, financial structure and capabilities at the EU level,for example, by introducing a specific tourism budget line and a new stakeholder group or body tosupport tourism sustainability and responsibility (renew Sustainable Tourism Group and its tasks);• Update the European Charter on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism with actions addressingmore recent tourism challenges (such as over-tourism and under-tourism, individual carbonfootprints, sustainable consumption patterns, just tourism, etc.);• Promote and implement the European Charter on Sustainable and Responsible tourism lines ofaction;• Support the transition of the UNWTO Code of Ethics into a Convention and recommend it foradoption by EU Member States;VI. Notable Publications on Sustainable Tourism in the Baltic Sea Region 26• Promote and actively support environmentally friendly modes of travel;• Monitor airline and other tourism transport’s contribution to climate change and reactaccordingly;• Support and promote actions in regard to tourism flows and management in space and time tomitigate overcrowding impacts on infrastructure, culture, nature, local inhabitants, visitors and thepolitical environment;• Build critical awareness and support for implementation of economic instruments to reduce thenegative impacts of tourism (offsetting, environmental costs, licencing, environmental taxes, etc.).Furthermore, the study assessed the impact of climate change on coastal destinations and providedexamples of good practice in adapting to climate change from around the world. Building on theseexperiences and practices, the study derived a set of recommendations for the EU:• Tourism policies and plans need to acknowledge climate change, since this aspect is all too oftenignored or not considered seriously;• Plans should be developed with a two-step process, which should include the assessment ofvulnerabilities and planning to improve resilience;• The above steps and evolutionary resilience more generally should rely on a good understanding oflocal factors and inclusive engagement with local people/stakeholders;• Destination developers/managers should consider three forms of resilience – engineered, ecologicaland evolutionary – and how they should be integrated in different destinations;• Developers need to consider not only the expected losses, but also potential benefits – newenvironments between the land and sea, which could also prove beneficial for tourism.Aside from sustainable tourism development, the study examined the state of investment in technology,effective tourism governance, and European tourism marketing and evaluated the progress in skills andtraining as well as the role of tourism in the European Union more generally.2. Tourism Trend Radar “Digital Tourism” 2020 EditionThe Baltic Sea Tourism Center published its first data analysis document summarizing qualitative datausually found in trend studies. The Tourism Trend Radar applies web-based trend analysis in order toVI. Notable Publications on Sustainable Tourism in the Baltic Sea Region 27develop forecasts and roadmaps for relevant travel and tourism trends in the Baltic Sea region. In its 2020edition, the BSTC evaluates the state of digital tourism in the region and examines the role of big data inthe tourism sector. It also analyses the role of big platforms such as Airbnb in the tourism economy andintroduces smart assistants in the field.3. Market Report “State of the Tourism Industry in the Baltic Sea Region” 2019EditionIn its second edition of the report on the State of the Tourism Industry in the Baltic Sea Region, the BalticSea Tourism Center provided an overview as well as detailed, comparable data on the main characteristicsof the BSR tourism sector. It highlighted the overall economic impact and developments in tourismpolicy and analysed the industry’s performance. Furthermore, the report encompassed national andregional profiles in the Baltic Sea region, conveying valuable data insights on stakeholders in differentregions.4. Routes4U Feasibility Study on the Maritime Heritage Route in the BalticSea RegionIn May 2020, a “Feasibility Study on the Maritime Heritage Route in the Baltic Sea Region” was publishedwithin the Routes4U framework, a project jointly financed by the Council of Europe and the EuropeanCommission (DG Regio). It aimed to map maritime cultural heritage sites in the Baltic Sea region morecomprehensively than is usually done within the frameworks of national or type-specific listings andconsequently to show the unique and diverse potential of the region. It also identified relevant collaborationstructures to support the development of linkages between heritage, tourism, and the different regionswithin the Baltic Sea area. The analysis of the current state of the maritime cultural heritage in the BSRincluded a brief historic summary and the exploration of key destinations for a possible route, such asmaritime museums, coastal World Heritage Sites, and lighthouses as examples of maritime heritage inrecreational use. In addition, the study examined the diversity of other maritime attractions such as divingparks and focused on sustainable travelling and transport in the area. The study included recommendationsVI. Notable Publications on Sustainable Tourism in the Baltic Sea Region 28directed at various stakeholders, such as the states of the BSR, EUSBSR PA Tourism, and national tourismpromotion organisations, Member countries of the BSR Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routesof the Council of Europe, with a description of possible cultural routes on maritime heritages and on howto realise the project.5. Routes4U Branding Strategy for the Baltic Sea RegionIn addition, in June 2020, the Routes4U programme published a report on a possible branding strategyfor the Baltic Sea region. It illustrates the nature and purpose of a branding strategy, elaborates on benefitsand challenges for the Baltic Sea region regarding the strategy, and highlights possible themes for BSRCultural Routes. Among the reasons for creating a brand the study lists the need for more sustainabletourism development, diversification of the visitor experience, and the development of a common identityin the Baltic Sea region. Some of the proposed thematic clusters were spirituality, arts, the life and influenceof famous European personalities and societies, including the movement of people in Europe. Theapproach presents various possible routes such as the Hansa Route, Viking Routes, Impressionism Routes,Route of Saint Olav Ways or a European Cemeteries Route. The study further identifies elements for aBSR brand and offers concrete guidance on the implementation of the brand. In its recommendations,the study also advocates for a broader and more intensive engagement of local stakeholders to guaranteesuccessful implementation.V. Prospects and Outlook 29V. Prospects and OutlookOn the path to develop the Baltic Sea region into the first eco-region, where ecology and economy worktogether in balance, it is necessary to further support and strive for the implementation of the politicalrecommendations of the BSPC Working Group on sustainable tourism. In addition, it is vital to respondto unforeseen challenges in a creative and cooperative manner. The many projects, initiatives, andcooperation formats already in place need to be connected in order to enable exchange and synergeticeffects as well as to avoid parallel international activities. One of most important tools to connect theexisting initiatives quickly and productively is the Baltic Sea Tourism Center. The Center offers a strongstrategic connection platform for politics and the tourism economy with all its facilities and a comprehensiveoverview of the activities aimed towards the joint goal of sustainable tourism in the Baltic Sea area.1. The 13th Baltic Sea Tourism ForumThe 13th Baltic Sea Tourism Forum, one of the central events in the field of tourism in the Baltic Searegion, will for the first time in its history be held as an online event. Jointly organised by the Ministryof the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern TouristBoard, EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism, and the Palanga resort municipality, it will take place digitallyon 10–13 November 2020 under the overarching theme “Reviving Tourism in Times of GlobalChange”. The Forum is featured as one of the events of the Lithuanian 2020–2021 CBSS Presidency,which has identified sustainable development as well as green and maritime tourism among itschairmanship priorities. The Forum will also serve as a platform for working out a future vision fortourism as part of a new forward-looking CBSS Vilnius Declaration “A Vision of the Baltic Sea RegionUntil 2030”, which the Lithuanian Presidency intends to work on throughout its tenure.The Forum will open on 12 November and include two sessions on “The Future of TransnationalCooperation” and “Adapting to Change and Rethinking Tourism” with presentations covering a widearray of topics ranging from skills, digital transformations, new business models, to domestic and smarttourism. A warm-up session on “Sustainable Entrepreneurship during Challenging Times” will beorganised ahead of the Forum on 10 November. Here participants will specifically look at the impactof COVID-19 on the tourism industry in the BSR. On 13 November, a meeting of BSR TourismV. Prospects and Outlook 30ministers will be organised to elaborate on a strategic outlook for tourism in the Baltic Sea region until2030.In addition, the Forum will feature the 1st Sustainable Tourism Award (STA). The award ceremony willtake place on 11 November and aims to acknowledge outstanding achievements in the field of sustainabletourism development in the Baltic Sea region and take stock of the positive changes and transformationsof tourism businesses in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Baltic Sea Region Sustainable TourismAward will include three categories: the most sustainable destination; the most sustainable product andexceptional services; the most sustainable private tourism services provider. Cities, municipalities,communities as well as enterprises, tour operators, catering and accommodation establishments wereencouraged to apply until 31 October 2020. The Selection Committee is comprised of representatives ofthe CBSS, the European Travel Commission, Policy Area Tourism, the Baltic Sea Tourism Center, the EUproject “Youth Networking for Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region” as well asnational representatives from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway,Poland, Russia, and Sweden.2. New EUSBSR Flagship ProjectsIn 2021, following the revised EUSBSR Action Plan in regard to PA Tourism, two flagships will belaunched to ensure the promotion of transnational tourism development in remote and rural areas (Action1) and to improve the protection and sustainable utilisation of cultural heritage and natural resources intourism destinations (Action 3). These flagships will, similar to the Baltic Sea Tourism Center, representlandmark developments for sustainable tourism in the Baltic Sea region.3. “Tourism Recovery through Cooperation” WorkshopFurthermore, PA Tourism will participate in a macro-regional strategy workshop on “Tourism Recoverythrough Cooperation”, which will take place in October 2020 within the framework of the EuropeanWeek for Regions and Cities 2020. The envisioned exchange of best practices and coping strategies forV. Prospects and Outlook 31current and future challenges among the European regions will provide valuable insights and inspirationgoing forward.4. “Towards More Sustainable Tourism for EU Cities and Regions” CoROpinionThe Committee of the Regions is planning to adopt an opinion “Towards Sustainable Tourism for EUCities and Regions” at its plenary meeting on 9 December 2020. The opinion will likely contain referencesto the Tourism and Transport package by the European Commission, to transport modalities, the impacton the natural environment, social and economic aspects as well as digitalisation with a view to sustainabletourism.5. The European Tourism Convention 2020The European Tourism Convention, as announced in the Communication on Tourism and Transport bythe European Commission from May 2020, will take place on 12 October 2020 as an online event. Theconference will bring together all relevant stakeholders including regions in order to reflect on sustainablerecovery policies and develop the European Agenda for Tourism 2050 as a roadmap towards a moresustainable European tourism ecosystem. The event will feature three parallel thematic workshops on safeand seamless tourism experiences; greener holidays; and tourism powered by data. The workshops wouldaim at mapping key issues and challenges as well as proposing a set of action points to be further presentedand discussed at the Convention’s Plenary session.Sources and Useful Links 32Sources and Useful LinksBSTC Market Report 2019, State of the Tourism Industry in the Baltic Sea Region –2019 Edition,https://bstc.eu/fileadmin/bstc.eu/Downloads/State_of_the_Tourism_Industry_2019_in_the_BSR.pdfBSTC Position Paper, Sustainable Tourism Development in the Baltic Sea Region Post 2020,https://bstc.eu/fileadmin/bstc.eu/Downloads/Position_Paper.pdfBSTC Tourism Trend Radar 2020, Digital Tourism, 2020 Edition, https://bstc.eu/fileadmin/bstc.eu/Downloads/BSTC_Tourism_Trend_Radar_%E2%80%93_2019_Edition.pdfEU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Action Plan, Agreed by the NC Group, July 6 2020,https://dl.tmv.de/PATOU/AP/EUSBSR%20Action%20Plan%20NCG%20agreed%20final%20version%2006%2007%202020%20PDF%20ht.pdfEuropean Commission, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, theCouncil, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions, Tourismand Transport in 2020 and Beyond, May 2020, https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/communication-commission-tourism-transport-2020-and-beyond_en.pdfOECD, Tourism Policy Responses to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), June 2020, https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/tourism-policy-responses-to-the-coronavirus-covid-19-6466aa20/Research for TRAN Committee - European tourism: recent developments and future challenges,October 2019, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2019/629200/IPOL_STU(2019)629200_EN.pdfRoutes 4U, Branding Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Analysis and Recommendations, July 2020,https://rm.coe.int/routes4u-study-baltic-sea-region-branding/16809ebb5a%0A%0ARoutes 4U, Feasibility Study on the Maritime Heritage Route in the Baltic Sea Region, May 2020,https://rm.coe.int/maritime-heritage-study/16809ed711%0A%0AUNWTO, World Tourism Barometer, Vol. 18, Issue 4, July 2020, https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/epdf/10.18111/wtobarometereng.2020.18.1.4Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conferencewww.bspc.netBSPC SecretariatSchlossgartenallee 1519061 SchwerinGermany