BSPC Report on Sustainable Tourism 2023 – 2024

Report on Sustainable T ourismin the Baltic Sea Region2023–2024Berlin , 27 – 29August 202 333YEARSBSPCThe BSPC Rapporteur’s 2022-2023Report on Sustainable Tourism in the Baltic Sea Region© Schwerin, August 2024T ext: Birgit HesseEditing: Evgeniya Bakalova, Georg Strätker and Bodo BahrPhoto: Landtag Mecklenburg-VorpommernLayout: produktionsbüro TINUSBaltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceBodo BahrSecretary General+49 171 5512557bodo.bahr@bspcmail.netwww.bspc.netBSPC SecretariatSchlossgartenallee 1519061 SchwerinGermanyThe Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) was established in 1991 as a forum for po-litical dialogue between parliamentarians from the Baltic Sea Region. The BSPC aims toraise awareness and opinion on issues of current political interest and relevance for the Bal-tic Sea Region. It promotes and drives various initiatives and efforts to support the sustain-able environmental, social and economic development of the Baltic Sea Region. It strives toenhance the visibility of the Baltic Sea Region and its issues in a broader European context.BSPC gathers parliamentarians from 10 national parliaments, 7 regional parliaments and 5parliamentary organisations around the Baltic Sea. The BSPC thus constitutes a unique par-liamentary bridge between the democratic EU- and non-EU countries of the Baltic Sea Re-gion. BSPC external interfaces include parliamentary, governmental, subregional and otherorganisations in the Baltic Sea Region and the Northern Dimension area, among themCBSS, HELCOM, the Northern Dimension Partnership in Health and Social Well-Be-ing (NDPHS), the Baltic Sea Labour Forum (BSLF) and the Baltic Sea States SubregionalCooperation (BSSSC).The BSPC shall initiate and guide political activities in the region; support and strengthendemocratic institutions in the participating states; improve dialogue between governments,parliaments and civil society; strengthen the common identity of the Baltic Sea Region bymeans of close cooperation between national and regional parliaments based on equality;and initiate and guide political activities in the Baltic Sea Region, endowing them with ad-ditional democratic legitimacy and parliamentary authority.The political recommendations of the annual Parliamentary Conferences are expressed in aConference Resolution adopted by consensus by the Conference. The adopted Resolutionshall be submitted to the governments of the Baltic Sea Region, the CBSS and the EU anddisseminated to other relevant national, regional and local stakeholders in the Baltic Sea Re-gion and its neighbourhood.3Table of ContentsI. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 5II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable Tourism ................................................................. 91. EU Initiatives to Promote Tourism .................................................................................................................................... 9Interreg South Baltic 2021 - 2027 ..................................................................................................................................... 13Proposing a European Declaration on Cycling and Cycling Tourism in the BSR ........................................................... 16Attitudes in the EU towards tourism ................................................................................................................................. 17Health tourism: Public investment in tourism and cooperation ...................................................................................... 18European common data space in the field of tourism ..................................................................................................... 18Rural areas and the promotion of roots tourism ............................................................................................................... 19Roots tourism ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20Revision of the package travel Directive - Adaptation to COVID-19 context................................................................. 22European Commission announced new competitions for 2025 ...................................................................................... 24T ransition Pathway for Tourism ....................................................................................................................................... 26Guide on EU Funding for Tourism .................................................................................................................................. 32EU Tourism Dashboard ..................................................................................................................................................... 33European Agenda for Tourism 2030 ................................................................................................................................. 342. General developments in the BSR and beyond ............................................................................................................... 36Cruise tourism .................................................................................................................................................................... 36Warming of the Baltic Sea and proliferation of bacteria ................................................................................................... 36Children not wanted? An upsurge of “adults only“ hotels and restaurants ....................................................................... 37UN Tourism Commission for Europe Adopted Agenda for Europe as Region Leads Global Recovery ........................ 37UN Adopts a New Global Standard to Measure the Sustainability of Tourism ............................................................... 39Climate change and global warming posing serious challenges to global tourism ........................................................... 41World heritage sites in the Baltic Sea Region .................................................................................................................... 42Concept of “dark tourism” ................................................................................................................................................. 433. EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism ......................................................................................................................................... 444III. Meetings and Events ...................................................................................................................... 461. Fifteenth Baltic Sea Tourism Forum (BSTF) on 11-12 October 2023 in Tallinn, Estonia .......................................... 462. European Tourism Forum and Ministerial Meeting, 30-31 October 2023 .................................................................. 483. Charting a course to a future EU Blue Deal: SEArica Conference on 7 March 2024 ................................................... 494. Baltic Sustainable Boating 2030 annual meeting on 18-19 March 2024 ...................................................................... 505. Cycling tourism webinar of the EUSBSR PA Tourism, 26 March 2024 ....................................................................... 517. The 16th Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2024, 4-5 June 2024 in Oulu, Finland ................................................................ 548. EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference, 23-25 September 2024 in Viborg, Denmark ............................................ 549. Fifteenth Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region 2024 ................................................................ 54Annex: A Selection of Useful Links ..................................................................................................... 55List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................... 565 I. IntroductionI. IntroductionThe Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) is promotingsustainable tourism in the Baltic Sea region (BSR) with a view toecological, economic, social, and cultural aspects.Following the final recommendations of the BSPC Working Group onSustainable Tourism for the 26th BSPC resolution and the establishmentof the BSPC Rapporteur mandate on sustainable tourism in 2017, thiscommitment was renewed in the resolution of the 32nd BSPC in 2023.The present Report on Sustainable Tourism in the Baltic Sea Re-gion 2023–2024 – the sixth of its kind – is giving an overview ofpolitical developments, projects and events in the field.The Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU (from January 2024until June of that same year) had a focus on nature-based tourismnext to business tourism and city tourism. In addition, it has general -ly been committed to the Council Conclusions on a European Agen -da for Tourism 2030, to the T ransition Pathway for Tourism and tothe digital and green transition of the tourism sector.In this vein, the tourism sector has called for the attention of all Eu -ropean partners and the formulation of an ambitious vision to accel -erate its transition: The reopening after the COVID-19 pandemicand the recovery of the tourism sector was seen as an opportunity toleverage the recovery phase towards a green and digital transforma -tion for a more resilient tourism.1 Eco-friendly and family-friendlytourist options, study trips, theme/culinary travel, barrier-free travel -ling, round trips, and special accommodation outside remain impor -tant trends. Virtual reality options can complement the travel experi -ence, and ”edutainment” in tourism can enhance journeys and stays.1 https://belgian-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/events/informal-meeting-of-tourism-ministers-202/, access: 04/03/2024.Ms Birgit Hesse6 I. IntroductionExperts had forecasted that international tourism could fully recover to pre-pandemic levels from the year2024 on. Indeed, in 2024, people have been travelling as much as in pre-pandemic times. Forecasts alsosuggest that tourists will spend €742.8bn euros in Europe in 2024, a rise of 14.3% on last year. Accord-ing to the European T ravel Commission (ETC) such growth in Europe is positive from an economic per-spective, “however, it is not without concern either, as pressures on local resources increase and car-bon-friendly transportation options are still in the minority for cross-border travel.”Tourism risks are dominated by inflationary and geopolitical factors. The European recovery is largelydriven by strong intra-regional travel fuelled by Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands.2Richer individuals in Germany for example, who can afford it, travel two times a year: There is a “catch-ing-up effect” regarding both quality and length of travelling. More deeply enquired could be the CO2reduction of cruising vessels in this instance: the Cruising Lines (AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruises, Disney,Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC, Royal Carribean for example) try to enter the CO2 reduction line.But rising prices due to the energy and COVID-19 crises hinder larger parts of the population from go-ing on vacation at all (in Germany, 20% of the population are affected so strongly that they cannot affordtravelling), or from using the plane (in Germany: 50% of the population).Europe’s tourism industry has been experiencing a robust recovery in the first months of 2024. Neverthe-less, although recovery is steady, it is uneven across regions and source markets due to ongoing risks.Data from reporting countries indicates that Europe witnessed an increase of between 6-8% on 2019 levelsfor both international tourist arrivals and overnights in the first quarter.3 The Nordic countries Norway(+18%), Sweden (+12%), and Denmark (+9%) are also witnessing an uptake in tourist activity, as overnightstays grew above pre-pandemic levels. These countries seem to be attractive to travellers because of the north -ern lights and their winter sport segment, as milder winters increasingly threaten the ski season in the Alps.2 Information contained in this section has been accessed on the web page https://etc-corporate.org/news/european-tourism-recovery-continues-into-2024-with-travel-expenditure-expected-to-hit-record-numbers/ on 24/05/2024.3 European Travel Commission Quarterly Report, https://etc-corporate.org/, access: 27/05/2024.7 I. IntroductionMeanwhile, countries in the Baltic region continue to lag behind due to challenges caused by the war inUkraine, with Latvia registering the lowest post-pandemic international arrivals (-34%), followed by Es-tonia (-15%) and Lithuania (-14%).Due to the Russian war in Ukraine, also other tourist destinations near the Russian border, like the region ofSouth Karelia, Finland are suffering from a sharp reduction of arrivals. Overall, international tourism arrivalsto Finland remained 22% lower in 2023 compared to 2019 levels.4 Likewise, Poland as a tourist destinationhas been negatively affected by the Russian war (E.g. Olsztyński subregion, covered by Euroregion Baltic, bor -ders with Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation. The Olsztyński subregion is trying to cope with thenegative socio-economic impact of lost cross-border relations with this area, also affecting tourism.)Since Russia is continuously provoking further escalation, tourists are expected to avoid the Baltic Sea Region (BSR)when travelling. In example, Estonian border authorities reported, that Russia had removed Narva river buoys over -night in May 2024. Furthermore, there were signals from Moscow over demarcating its frontiers in the Baltic Sea.Also in May 2024, there have been almost daily reports on GPS signal jamming in the BSR. The jammingaffects civil aviation, marine transport and road construction among other things, and poses a safety risk.While these new threats are looming, many destinations, and governments at all levels, are developingpolicies to better manage the significant social and environmental impacts of tourism, particularly fromunplanned tourism growth, that better account for and manage potential trade-offs. Diversifying thetourism offer, attracting new markets, and encouraging visitor flows to new and emerging destinationsand at different times of the year, can help to better spread the benefits and manage local pressures onhousing, community infrastructure, services, and the environment. (Auch hier wäre eine Möglichkeit.)4 OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2024, https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/support-materials/2024/07/oecd-tourism-trends-and-policies-2024_17ff33a3/Tourism-Policy-Highlights-2024.pdf, access: 18/07/2024.8 I. IntroductionIn the Baltic Sea region (BSR), the adoption of the updated EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EU-SBSR) Action Plan as well as the recent developments in Policy Area Tourism (PA Tourism), the approvalof the 2021–2027 Interreg Baltic Sea Region and Interreg South Baltic programmes have provided impe-tus for new cooperation initiatives and projects to support the development of sustainable tourism in theregion. One of the highlights has been the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum (BSTF) on 11 October 2023 in Tal-linn, Estonia, continuing the tradition initiated by the Ministry for Economy, Employment, and Tourismand the Tourist Board of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern back in 2008.The BSPC will continue to follow the initiative on EU-wide multimodal travel. As it is stated in the 32ndBSPC resolution, emphasis will be laid on the search for more streamlined funding mechanisms for thedevelopment of interconnected, sustainable and resilient cross-border transport infrastructure.In view of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982), the Glasgow Climate Pact and the commit-ments of the Paris Agreement, governments, businesses and civil society shall further be mobilized tojointly accelerate strategic cooperation in climate change mitigation, preservation of nature and biodiver-sity, as well as just transition towards a climate-neutral economy.For its part, the BSPC will continue closely following these developments following its commitment topromoting sustainable tourism and climate-friendly travel in the region.Birgit HessePresident of the State Parliament of Mecklenburg-VorpommernBSPC Rapporteur on Sustainable Tourism9 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismII. Main Developments in the Field of SustainableTourism1. EU Initiatives to Promote TourismInterreg Baltic Sea Region Projects contributing to PA Tourism: Programme 2021-2027Interreg (European Territorial Cooperation) is one of the two goals of the EU Cohesion Policy. The areaof the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme covers nine countries: eight EU member states (Estonia, Lat-via, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland) as well as one non-EU country (Nor-way). Projects are addressing four priorities: 1) innovative societies, 2) water-smart societies, 3) cli-mate-neutral societies or 4) cooperation governance.There are currently twelve projects contributing to the EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism (listed below):5Project title and description PriorityLight in the Dark (November 2023 - October 2026)The project “Light in the Dark” helps small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) in the tourism sector create an off-season nature-based offer to attracttourists to rural and coastal areas of the northern Baltic Sea region all yearlong.Innovative societiesBaltic Sustainable Boating 2030 (BALTSUSBOATING 2030)October 2022 - September 2024The project involves six organisations from Poland, Sweden, Latvia, Finland,and Estonia and runs from October 2022 to September 2024 with a budgetof almost 0.5 million euro. The project aims to create a pan-Baltic cooperationplatform to turn the Baltic Sea region into a sustainable and competitive lei-sure boating destination. It is a follow-up of the Baltic Sustainable Boatingproject, which concluded in March 2022 and was financed by the Swedish In-stitute. The project is supported by the Council of the Baltic Sea States(CBSS). Water-smart societies5 https://interreg-baltic.eu/projects/?period=2&c=pa-tourism, access: 30/05/2024.10 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismProject title and description PriorityBIKE ACROSS THE BALTIC (BAB) - IMPROVING BICYCLE TOUR-ISM AROUND THE BALTIC SEAAugust 2023 - July 2025The project BAB helps public authorities across the region harmonise infra-structure development of the Baltic Sea Cycle route and promote cycling tour-ism in the region.Climate-neutral societiesBaltic Museum Resilience (BAMUR)October 2022 - September 2024The project equips public authorities, NGOs and SMEs with a toolbox tohelp cultural and heritage institutions maintain their consolation role to peo-ple in times of crisis.Innovative societiesINNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR THE RURAL FOOD PRODUCTIONSECTOR TO DIVERSIFY INTO SUSTAINABLE CULINARY TOUR-ISM SERVICES (BASCIL)January 2023 - December 2025Small food producers in rural areas have experienced serious external distur-bances because of the pandemic, rising energy prices, production costs, etc.One of the solutions for small local food producers is the diversification oftheir business activity into the sustainable culinary tourism sector. Throughintegration of conventional small-scale food production with culinary tourismservices it is possible to reach the end-customers directly and to get the highestvalue from selling the products using the shortest value chain. The mixture ofservices can include farm tours, cooking workshops, degustations, temporary(pop-up) cafes, seasonal farm restaurants, food boxes etc. To attain visibilityand attention in tourism, solutions are efficient marketing of joint tourismproducts in the format of regional gastro tours, culinary routes, regional foodpackages stimulating cross-selling etc. Across Europe the rural areas in BSR re-gion are currently not very well known as a culinary tourism destination. Ac-tive involvement of food producers in culinary tourism is an excellent oppor-tunity for making the region more visible and attractive for visitors.Innovative societiesBSR Cultural PearlsJanuary 2023 - December 2025The project BSR Cultural Pearls helps smaller cities and regions be more at-tractive to live in and improve their quality of life by engaging people in cul-tural activities and developing a stronger sense of commonship.Innovative societies11 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismProject title and description PriorityClimate Smart Baltic Beaches and T ourism (BEACH-SOS)August 2023 - July 2025The BEACH-SOS project helps authorities, businesses and local communitiesadapt to the changing climate to ensure thriving and sustainable beach recrea-tion and tourism in the future.BEACH-SOS is supposed to develop capacity to uptake climate change intobeach management strategies, and provide the best available data and infor-mation for adaptation of coastal tourism. BEACH-SOS seeks broader Balticactor endorsement of four co-produced deliverables and outputs: 1) sustaina-ble adaptation pathways for coastal/beach tourism; 2) climate-smart commu-nity action programme for beach adaptation; 3) assessment and developmentof indicators and criteria for climate-smart and resilient tourist beaches; and4) a BSR information exchange network for resilient beach tourism.Water-smart societiesBSR HYDROGEN AIR TRANSPORT - PREPARATION OF BALTICSEA REGION AIRPORTS FOR GREEN HYDROGEN (BSR HyAirport)November 2023 - October 2026With airports, service providers, industry and research organisations onboard,the BSR HyAirport prepares Baltic Sea region airports for handling hydro-gen-powered aircraft, storing and delivering green hydrogen as a future energysource in aviation.Given the geo-economic structure of the region, efficient and reliable airtransport is of great importance for the mobility of people and businesses inthe Baltic Sea Region (BSR). Air transport not only provides access to periph-eral areas but also helps to connect regions on all sides of the Baltic Sea. Asmany flights cover short distances in an environmentally sensitive area, theBSR has great potential to benefit from the introduction of (gaseous) hydro-gen-powered aircraft, which are expected to come onto the market in thecoming years. Common challenges to be addressed by the partnership includethe evaluation of options and elaboration of concepts for the regional supplyof green hydrogen (GH2) to airports according to local demand, legal andsafety requirements related to GH2 storage and handling at airports, and thedevelopment and testing of equipment and procedures for refueling and han-dling hydrogen-powered aircraft. The project will create a unique (maybeleading) platform for the joint development, implementation, and testing ofpractical solutions.Climate-neutral societies12 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismProject title and description PriorityINTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR INTERACTIVE PUBLIC GARDEN DE-VELOPMENT IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION (Interactive Gardens)November 2023 - October 2026In the project public authorities develop a system of interactive public gardensin order to improve health services for people, and thus better meet theirwell-being, social and educational needs.Innovative societiesLAKES CONNECTOctober 2022 - May 2024As a part of this project, research units from Latvia and Poland in cooperationwith Lithuania conducted pilot studies on the water quality of selected waterreservoirs. A networking hub was established that serves as a knowledge-shar-ing platform, offering solutions to limit the impact of tourism on the qualityof inland waters.Water-smart societiesReNutriWaterJanuary 2023 - December 2025Hot summers and drought make saving water resources in summertime cru-cial also in the BSR. Freshwater, a labor intense product, is still often dis-charged after single use in many countries.The project’s aim is to preserve nutrients in reclaimed water, to combat the eu-trophication of the Baltic Sea and reduce the need for artificial fertilizers. Inthe pilot cases in ReNutriWater, we are testing how nutrient-rich reclaimedwater could be produced and used, and thus, would create circular economybusiness models in the water sector.Water-smart societiesNURSECOAST-IIJanuary 2023 - December 2025The project ́s overarching goal is to find an alternative wastewater treatmentsolution specifically adapted to tourist areas that will reduce nutrient inputs tothe Baltic Sea. It is recognised that the challenge of adaptation to high season-ality requires a broader approach than just technological solutions. Therefore,the project aims to provide a comprehensive method to address this issue. Water-smart societies13 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismInterreg South Baltic 2021 - 2027The Interreg South Baltic Programme promotes cross-border exchange in the southern Baltic Sea region,covering 26 NUTS 3 sub-regions in Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden.The programme vision ”United by the Sea into action for a blue and green future“ depicts the goal to commonlystrive for innovation, sustainablility, attractiveness and acitivity, also in the realm of maritime, coastal and cruisetourism which belong to the leading industries in the South Baltic area (SBA). However, despite the presence ofvaried tourist attractions, unpolluted and exciting natural landscapes and a decent accommodation base, relative -ly large disparities between SBA regions are noted in the level of development of the tourist infrastructure.The environmental and climate conditions of the SBA, created by the influence of sea water, beaches andgreen areas, are currently used only in a limited extent for the creation of year-round tourist offers. Thesustainable use of the environmental assets for building the tourism offer, breaking the seasonality in tour-ism, can contribute to the development of the whole Programme area.The SBA does not have a common approach towards building a sustainable and innovative tourist sector, thatwould allow to more fully reap the benefits of the region’s touristic potential. The Programme area could real -ly benefit from cooperation in developing a common tourist product. This would bring economic benefits andcould also elevate the SBA as a more attractive tourist destination. More sustainable practices could be intro -duced. In addition, as tourism and cultural sectors are ones of high significance in the SBA, supporting theirgreen and digital transition could promote social inclusion and social innovation in the SBA.The 2nd call for proposals of the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021-2027 was open between 5 Oc-tober – 30 November 2023.6The Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021-2027 opened the 1st Small-scale projects (SSP) call for proposalsbetween 22 February - 21 March 2024.7 For developing sustainable, resilient, and innovative tourism, two ap -plications have been tabled (requested cofinance: 279,199.20 Euro). Under the programme measure “Devel -oping sustainable, resilient and innovative tourism“ the project “Mental and Sustainable Mindscapes“ (Raisingawareness and competences of benefits of intersecting mental wellbeing and environmentally friendly tourismin the SB region) was selected by the Monitoring Committee on 27 June 2024.86 https://southbaltic.eu/-/the-2nd-call-for-proposals-under-isbp-2021-2027-is-open-, access: 11/06/24.7 https://southbaltic.eu/-/1st-small-scale-projects-call-to-be-opened-soon-terms-of-reference-and-supporting-measures, access: 11/06/24.8 https://southbaltic.eu/-/projects-from-the-1st-small-scale-call-for-proposals-selected-for-funding-by-the-monitoring-committee; access: 24/07/2024.14 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismThe fourth Seed money call for proposals had been open between 27 September and 21 November 2022and received 27 project proposals. The sum of total eligible budgets requested amounted to 1.08 millioneuro. Altogether, 23 projects with a total budget of 40 thousand euro each had been selected for fundingin February 2023. Three projects contributing to sustainable tourism development were selected under‘SME internationalisation’ and ‘Sustainable tourism’ specific objectives:9Acronym Project Title Lead Partner/countryBALTIC MAN-ORS @ interna-tional marketsSupporting SMEs to develop & promote newmanor tourism products for internationalmarketsTourism Association Vorpom-mern/ DEBeLIVEBaltic Living History Lessons – we share apassion, a common past and futureAssociation of Polish CommunesEuroregion Baltic/ PLSouth Baltic HorseTourismSouth Baltic horse tourism – development ofhorse tourism based on cooperation, jointpromotion, and offer management.Pomorskie Voivodeship/PLOn 17th and 18th April 2024, as the result of the above-mentioned 2nd regular call for proposals, 24 pro-jects have been selected for funding by the Monitoring Committee of the Interreg South Baltic Pro-gramme 2021-2027.The Monitoring Committee granted co-financing of the projects selected for funding in the 2nd call forproposals in the total amount of 36,8 million EUR (European Regional Development Fund, ERDF) forsome projects. For example, in the field of digitization, electromobility, connectivity, sustainable use ofwater, green energy, resource efficiency/circular economy, internationalization, sustainable, resilient, andinnovative tourism and enhancing the general cooperation capacity.9 4th Seed money call Monitoring Committee decision, https://southbaltic.eu/documents/18165/626053/4th+Seed+money+call+Monitoring+Committee+decision.xlsx/25795009-fee1-48d4-a958-7c98f4339e51.15 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismThe the following seven projects in the area of tourism were for selected for funding:10Acronym Project Title Lead Partner/countryBALTIC MAN-ORS ROUTEBaltic Manors ROUTE - Building up the“European Route of the Baltic Manors”Tourism Association Vorpom-mern/ DESTRIVESustainable Tourism through Resilient andInnovative Festival Ventures (STRIVE)CLEAN - Environmental ClusterDenmark/ DKMariExMariEx - Creating new Maritime ExperiencePoints & marketing narratives for land tour-ists to renew the maritime destination profileof the South Baltic areaTourism Association Vorpom-mern/ DEN-B-WellN-B-Well (Nature-based wellness tourism - anew concept for sustainable development ofthe SBA)Klaipeda University/ LTReTourRegenerative Tourism (ReTour) – developinga new approach that accelerates positivechange in tourism businesses, local communi-ties, nature and culture in the SBA.Visit Skåne AB/ SESB MANTASB MANTA - South Baltic natural and cul-tural heritage assets management as TouristAttractionAdministration of Lithuania Mi-nor Protected Areas/ LTBOATMANBOATMAN: creating a South Baltic networkof sustainable-tourism hubs connected to themaritime heritage themeStiftelsen Västerviks Museum/ SEThe detailed list of selected projects in the second and first call can be found here: https://southbaltic.eu/documents/18165/732216/Projects+selected+for+funding+in+the+2nd+call+for+proposals+in+the+In-terreg+South+Baltic+Programme+2021-2027+%28detailed+database%29.xlsx/7d1af3b3-8395-434b-8942-7a8eaab6416210 https://southbaltic.eu/2nd-call-for-proposals, access: 11/06/2024.16 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismThe 3rd call for proposals of the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021-2027 subsequently took place be-tween 25 April – 26 June 2024. During this call, applicants submitted four project proposals: two of thembelong to the category “Developing sustainable, resilient, and innovative tourism“. Following the assess-ment phase, the Monitoring Committee’s decision on the approval of projects submitted under the3rd call for proposals is expected on 28 November 2024.Proposing a European Declaration on Cycling and Cycling Tourism in the BSRCycling, as one of the most sustainable and healthy forms of transport and as a rapidly developing indus-try, is seen as a key enabler of sustainable tourism by the EU Commission (EC). It also brings tangiblebenefits to the local economies through quality green jobs, in particular small and medium-sized enter-prises (SMEs).11 Increasing the share of cycling in the area of tourism helps reduce greenhouse gas emis-sions, air and noise pollution as well as congestion that would otherwise be caused by many other meansof transport.Moreover, cycling can improve physical and mental well-being, and social inclusion.Yet, according to the EC, too few people cycle in the EU due to inadequate infrastructure and resultingsafety concerns, as well as due to differences in cultural attitudes towards cycling and a lack of awareness.• The EUSBSR PA tourism is involved in three cycling tourism projects. These three projects arecalled ”Baltic Biking Upgrade (BBU)/EuroVelo 10”12, cofunded by the Interreg South BalticProgramme13 and delivering support for SMEs,• ”Bike across the Baltic (BAB)/EuroVelo 10”14, cofunded by the EU Interreg Baltic Sea RegionProgramme, and• “ICT r-CE”, cofounded by the Interreg Central Europe Programme and working on an innovative,participatory, sustainable business model for cycling on the Iron Curtain trail/EuroVelo 13 (pleasesee section III.5 on the EUSBSR PA Tourism webinar on cycling).11 COM(2023) 566 final, p. 1.12 https://pro.eurovelo.com/projects/2023-09-21_baltic-biking-upgrade13 1 September 2023 until 31 August 2026, ERDF funding: 1,55 million Euro. Project partners are Poland (lead partner), Denmark, Lithuania, Sweden,Belgium and Germany.14 https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/bab/17 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismThe twelve Intereg South Baltic cooperation projects, which the EUSBSR PA Tourism is involved cur-rently in, are are also shown in the picture below:(Source: Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)Attitudes in the EU towards tourismA Eurobarometer survey of November 2021 had found out that 38% of European respondents were ex-pecting more domestic travelling in the future. A large majority of EU citizens (82%) were prepared tochange some of their habits to support more sustainable tourism, for example, by consuming local prod-ucts (55%), choosing ecological means of transport (36%) or by paying more to protect the natural envi-ronment (35%) or to benefit the local community (33%).The graph below is showing the greenhous gas emissions of different means of transport. The comparisonsare measured in grams of CO2 emissions per passenger-kilometre. T rains that run on green electricity aremore or less CO2-free.18 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismHealth tourism: Public investment in tourism and cooperationDue to the lack of financial resources in light of rising energy costs and social expenses, touristically attractive mu -nicipalities and regions are facing increasing problems regarding the need to invest in tourist infrastructure. There -fore, health spas, among others, have difficulties to maintain their quality status and attractivity. In example, inhealth resorts ocean water pipelines need to be kept working and thermal baths have to be renovated.Lacking investments and – at the same time – rising hotel prices bear the risk of causing dissatisfaction onthe side of the guests.Some voices express the opinion that living up to the tourists’ expectations, as it pertains to awards (e.g. ahealth spa status) the locations have been given, is a requirement.Baltic regions, which have invested in areas near the shore when there had still been leeway for publicspending, are now benefitting from higher numbers of overnight stays.Some regions give special financial support to health spas.The role of cooperation between touristic locations in preparing good offers for travellers augments intimes of austerity.Health tourism made up about 5 percent of the tourism industry in the former EU28 and contributed toabout 0.3 percent of the EU economy. It in fact had a higher domestic share than traditional tourism did.Therefore, increasing the share of health tourism may lessen the seasonality of tourism, increase laborquality and sustainability.15European common data space in the field of tourismOn 20 July 2023, the EU Commission (EC) presented main views in preparation of a common European dataspace in the field of tourism. A concept for its creation was developed within the Digital Europe programme.This data space is supposed to promote vast data exchanges between tourism businesses, science and pub-lic administrations. The aim is to develop innovative tourist services while strengthening economic15 European Parliament, Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies (2017): Health Tourism in the EU – A general investigation. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2017/601985/IPOL_STU(2017)601985_EN.pdf19 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismcompetitiveness and the ecological sustainability of the sector. In example, energy consumption of hotelscould be monitored. This could allow a minimization of the ecological footprint of tourism and enabledecisions based on sustainability calculations.The data space shall facilitate access by many different kind of users, from commercial mediator organi-zations to local administrations, helping smaller businesses to improve and personalize their services.The common data space is supposed to create a coherent, trustworthy and efficient framework for data gov -ernance based on EU and national data protection rules and common European standards. It shall also pro -vide compatible different data areas and sectorspecific data rooms for mobility, energy and environment.Rural areas and the promotion of roots tourismRural T ourismThe European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has partnered with UN Tourism for a comprehensive study ofthe significant impact and potential of tourism in fostering socio-economic development in rural areas.16 The re -port, published in 2024, emphasizes the critical role of cooperation between these two organizations in bridginglocal and global efforts towards shared objectives. It highlights the potential of rural tourism to contribute to theresilience of regional and local communities, addressing challenges such as depopulation, inequality and limitedaccess to basic services. Key findings on the impact of rural tourism on EU regions are listed below:• Resilience of Rural Tourism post-COVID: The report sheds light on the remarkable resilience dis-played by rural tourism during and post-COVID-19. Despite global challenges, rural tourism wit-nessed a surge in popularity, particularly among local travelers. This resilience underscores its poten-tial as a robust economic driver and displays its ability to adapt to changing circumstances.• Economic Diversification and Cultural Preservation: A key insight is the potential of rural tourism to driveeconomic diversification and job creation in rural areas. The study also underscores tourism’s contribution topreserving cultural heritage. Rural tourism is seen as a bridge between tradition and modernity, fosteringcommunity participation and sustaining local services while preserving the unique identity of rural regions.16 https://www.unwto.org/news/european-committee-of-the-regions-and-un-tourism-break-new-ground-with-study-on-rural-tourism-and-development-in-europe,access: 24/05/2024.20 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourism• Challenges and Opportunities for Economic Development: The study identifies challenges faced byrural areas, such as inadequate infrastructure, limited financial resources, and declining local popula-tions. Simultaneously, it recognizes these challenges as opportunities for growth. By providing a nu-anced understanding of the complexities involved, the report sets the stage for sustainable rural tour-ism development, urging stakeholders to navigate challenges thoughtfully.• Integrated Rural Value Chains and Collaboration: An overarching recommendation is the integra-tion of rural value chains in tourism. The report emphasizes the need for collaboration between busi-nesses and stakeholders to create synergies within the local economy. By maximizing economic bene-fits, this approach ensures a holistic and sustainable development trajectory for rural tourism.• Digital Connectivity and Skills: Recognizing the digital divide in rural areas, the report recommendsa focused effort on improving digital connectivity. It underscores the importance of digital skills de-velopment to empower rural stakeholders in leveraging technology effectively. By addressing these as-pects, the report aims to enhance the digital readiness of rural communities, unlocking new opportu-nities in the digital era.• Alignment with Consumer T rends and Sustainable Practices: Acknowledging evolving consumertrends and the need to place sustainability at the heart of tourism development, the report encourag-es responsible travel initiatives, that not only meet changing consumer expectations but also contrib-ute to broader sustainability goals. This recommendation positions rural tourism as a catalyst for pos-itive environmental and social impact.Roots tourismRoots tourism, also known as “genealogy tourism” or “diaspora tourism”, is a broader segment of the tourismmarket, consisting of tourists who have ancestral connections to their holiday destination. It is a subcategoryof Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) tourism. Up to 48% of tourists around the world are VFR travellers.As such, roots tourism is said to be intrinsically connected to heritage, gastronomy, culture as well as oth-er key policies – transport/accessability/connectivity and the socio-economic development of towns, vil-lages and regions.21 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismAn opinion, entitled “Promotion of roots tourism for sustainable local revitalisation“, of the EuropeanCommittee of the Regions (CoR) was adopted in June 2024 in the Commission for Natural Resources(NAT). It called for strengthening Europe’s global image, drawing on its resources and deeply rooted val-ues, which are the result of centuries of cultural exchanges, integration and diversity. This CoR opinionwill finally be adopted during the 162nd CoR Plenary on 8-9 October 2024.The main aim of the initial opinion was to highlight the potential of roots tourism for all regions and mu-nicipalities of Europe, providing evidence of its economic and cultural potential. Roots tourism is thereinalso seen as a means to reduce overtourism.Tourism is one of the NAT commission’s priority areas. The opinion took stock of the achievements of thetourism strategy post COVID and reflected on how local and regional authorities could best respond tonew opportunities and challenges. It asked the European Commission and the Members States to exploreways of financing actions and programmes which support sustainable and roots tourism. In addition, theopinion called on the European Commission to push ahead with the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strat -egy, with due emphasis on intermodal transport combining various forms of transport as a way to reach allurban areas and regions across Europe, thus fostering territorial and social cohesion. The CoR views a ful -ly integrated, seamless system of multimodal mobility as crucial for developing sustainable tourism.It recommends prioritising sustainable tourism initiatives, which promote high-quality employment op-portunities and ensure equitable distribution of benefits in regions and rural areas. What is more, theopinion promotes community-based tourism initiatives that empower local communities, including in-digenous peoples and minorities, while respecting their traditions and protecting their rights and territo-ries. It is also emphasizing the importance of preserving cultural heritage, ensuring the rights and liveli-hoods of local populations, and fostering sustainable economic development by directly benefiting the lo-cal population through tourism.The CoR calls for the various parties to work together to raise awareness and provide training for the lo-cal communities and tourism operators on the subject of roots tourism. This could start with respondingto requests for help with tracing families of people interested in roots travel, in cooperation with the mu-nicipal authorities and local churches or other civil society organisations. A digital platform could be setup to promote services for roots tourists.22 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismRevision of the package travel Directive - Adaptation to COVID-19 contextIn 29 November 2023, the EU Commission (EC) adopted a proposal for a directive amending Directive(EU) 2015/2302 to make the protection of travelers more effective and to simplify and clarify certain as-pects of the Directive.The proposal has been prepared taking into account the evaluation of the current Directive, published in2021. The evaluation concluded that the Directive still has EU added value.It had been concluded that, while the Directive objectives are in line with the expected needs of travelersand package travel organisers/retailers, developments in the relevant markets, such as digitalisation, or theshortcomings faced by consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic, would call for an update of the pro-visions.Several interactions were held with stakeholders between 2021 and 2023 have substantiated further thoseclaims.Based on Article 114 of the T reaty on the functioning of the European Union (approximation of laws),the overarching goal of the proposal is to strengthen the level of consumer protection, including in theevent of a major crisis, while improving the functioning of the internal market in the package travel sec-tor.Article 1 on the subject matter and Article 2 on the scope of the Directive are amended to allow for theextension of the rules included in the Directive also to certain aspects of the contracts between organisersof packages and service providers.Article 3 on the definitions is amended to simplify the respective notions of a package travel and of alinked travel arrangement. The definition of a package travel under Article 3(2) would now always ensurethat the purchase of at least two services from separate traders would qualify as a package when such a pur-chase is done through linked online bookings processes where the relevant personal data of the travellerswould be transmitted from the first trader to the subsequent(s). The new definition of a linked travel ar-rangement under Article 3(5) is narrowed. It would correspond to a combination of different types oftravel services, not qualifying as a package, whenever following the payment of a first travel service, fol-lowing the invitation of the trader, the consumer would buy an additional type of travel services from an-other traders at the latest 24 hours following the confirmation of the booking of the first contract.23 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismAnother set of amendments improve the information to be provided to the travellers from before the con-clusion of any contract until following its conclusion, especially in the case of changes or of a cancellation.With the introduction of a new Article 5a on payments, Member States would be obliged to ensure thatthe retailer should not require the payment of a down payment higher than 25% of the total price, exceptfor packages booked less than 28 days before their start, or those packages defined at Article 3(2) point b)(iv). Article 5 on pre contractual amendment is also amended to include a reference to the new Article 5a,but also to reinforce consumer protection at Article 5(1) point (g).Article 12 on the termination of the package travel contract and the right of withdrawal before the startof the package is amended. Article 12(2) extends the geographical outbreak of unavoidable and extraor-dinary circumstances also to the place of the traveller’s residence or departure, or to similar circumstancesaffecting the journey. Article 12(4) is also amended to specify that any termination fee should be also jus-tifiable, and to provide that the refund or reimbursement to the traveller in 14 days would also apply tothose who do not specifically ask for such a refund or reimbursement. A new Article 12a on vouchers isintroduced. It would apply to the events mentioned at Article 10 on alteration of the price, Article 11 onalteration of other package travel contract terms, and Article 12 on termination before the start of thepackage. T ravellers could be given in writing the choice to accept a voucher, corresponding to at least theamount of the refund right. T ravellers would lose their right to a refund during the validity period of thevoucher only if they would accept explicitly and in writing to accept such voucher instead of a refund. Thevoucher would have a validity of 12 months from the moment when the traveller would accept it explic-itly.Article 17 on the effectiveness and scope of insolvency protection is amended at Article 17(1) to includealso the refunds and vouchers to which the travellers have been entitled before the insolvency of the or-ganiser. Also, the organisers not established in a Member States should be obliged to provide the securitymentioned at Article 17 in accordance with the law of that Member States. Article 17(2) is amended tospecify that this security should be sufficient to cover all the costs associated to the refunds, repatriationsand vouchers at all time. Article 17(3) is amended to provide for Member States to supervise the insolven-cy protection arrangements of organisers. Any co-financing by Member States of such arrangementsshould be possible only in exceptional and justified circumstances, pursuant with the Union State aid pro-visions. Article 19 on insolvency protection and information requirements for linked travel arrangementsis amended in accordance with the new scope provided for at Article 3(5), and to ensure its alignmentwith the amended Article 17.24 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismArticle 22 on the right of redress and refund rights of organisers is amended to include a new Article 22(2)which would create an obligation to a service provider that would not provide a service part of the pack-age to refund the organiser with the payment received, within seven days.The file has been referred to the Committee on internal market and consumer protection (IMCO), AlexAgius Saliba (S&D, Malta) has been appointed rapporteur.In the Council, the file is examined in the working party on consumer protection.European Commission announced new competitions for 2025European Capital and Green Pioneer of Smart T ourismThe EC launched the 2025 edition of the European Capital of Smart Tourism and the European GreenPioneer of Smart Tourism competitions. Tourism destinations across Europe were invited to submit theirinnovative practices of smart and sustainable tourism to become leading examples in European tourism.As the EU’s third largest eco-system, tourism plays a crucial role in economic growth and job creation. TheSmart Tourism initiative recognises cities implementing new digital tools and practices such as equal opportu -nity and access to visitors, sustainable development and support to creative industries and local talent. Withthese competitions, the EC promotes and awards the future of smart and sustainable tourism in Europe.To compete for the 2025 titles, cities were asked to demonstrate their innovative tourism practices andsubmit their applications using an online form. Applications will first be evaluated by a panel of inde-pendent experts. In the second step, shortlisted cities will be asked to present their city’s candidature infront of the European Jury. The European Jury will select two winners, the ‘European Capital of SmartTourism 2025’ and the ‘European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025’, which will be announced inNovember 2024.Both competitions were open to cities across both the EU, as well as the non-EU countries that take partin the Single Market Programme (SMP) - former COSME Programme.25 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismEuropean Capital of Smart T ourism 2025 – Smart gets you furtherThe European Capital of Smart Tourism competition has a proven track record of success. The 2025 EuropeanCapital of Smart Tourism is the sixth edition of the competition. Dublin was selected as the 2024 Smart Capital.Previous winners include Pafos and Seville as 2023 Capitals, Bordeaux and València as the 2022 Capitals, Goth -enburg and Málaga as the 2020 Capitals, while Helsinki and Lyon won the inaugural competition and jointlyheld the 2019 titles. Since 2024, there is only one winner of the European Capital of Smart Tourism competitiondue to a change in competition rules, whereas previous editions featured two winners annually.The European Capital of Smart Tourism 2025 will benefit from communication and branding supportthroughout 2025 which will tell the story of the outstanding smart and innovative practices that made itstand out and win. This will include the production of a promotional video, a large hashtag sculpture to in -stall in a prominent location, diverse promotional activities and visibility at EU level and internationally. Thewinner will also have the chance to join a growing and active network of smart destinations that were short -listed in the five previous editions of the competition, exchange best practices and learn from one another.The European Capital of Smart Tourism competition is open to cities with a population of over 100.000.For more information, please refer to the European Capital of Smart Tourism Guide for Applicants.European Green Pioneer of Smart T ourism 2025 – Green leads the wayThe European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism is the successor of the European Destinations of Excel-lence (EDEN) competition which was first introduced by the EC in 2007 to reward non-traditional,emerging sustainable tourism destinations in Europe.The competition is founded upon the principle of promoting the development of sustainable tourism insmaller destinations which brings value to the economy, the planet, and the people. Being the EuropeanGreen Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025 will allow the winning city to serve as an inspiration to other tour-ism destinations across Europe, enhance their city’s profile as a quality travel destination, attracting visi-tors and generating economic growth in a sustainable way.The Green Pioneer competition is open to cities with a population between 25.000 – 100.000. For addi-tional information, please refer to the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism Guide for Applicants.For both competitions, applications had to be received by: 31 May 2024 at 17:00 CET.1717 https://www.tourexpi.com/en-intl/news/european-commission-announces-new-competitions-for-2025-197282.html, access: 19/04/202426 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismTransition Pathway for TourismThe EC’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship & SMEs (DG GROW)has within the framework of the 2021 updated industrial strategy reflected on the two past years of thetransition pathway for tourism, which it had published in February 2022. Through an online call forcommitments, tourism stakeholders had been invited to contribute to this process, supporting the greenand digital transition of the tourism ecosystem, ultimately increasing the sector’s resilience in reaction tothe COVID-19 pandemic.According to DG GROW tourism is about social and cultural well-being next to economic growth (tour-ism accounts for 5,6 % of EU GDP , albeit varying strongly among member states, from 3% of GDP inDenmark to 50% of GDP in Malta).Tourism has been taken by the EC to the highest political level of attention. An informal EU Commis-sion expert group (T4T), established in June 2023, is supposed to inform the EC about stakeholderneeds, to contribute to awareness raising and engagement of stakeholders on priority topics each monthwith the help of the platform. The expert group comprises three subgroups and will bring up monthlytransition topics. DG GROW sees the need to work more on skills, the Data Space for Tourism, support-ed by the Digital Europe Programme, and revising Regulation (EU) 692/2011 on Tourism statistics.The European Agenda for Tourism (December 2022) has been endorsed and approved through the Pal-ma Declaration by tourism ministers in October 2023. The Belgian presidency also has helped to keeptourism high on the political agenda.27 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismOverall, the T ransition Pathway proposed measures in 27 areas, including:• developing comprehensive national and regional strategies taking account of economic,environmental, and social sustainability of tourism,• developing greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction plans by passenger transport companies in line withthe Climate Law goals,• developing the use of locally supplied ingredients with low environmental footprint to reduce theenvironmental impact of food services,• establishing large-scale pilots on sustainable tourism, e.g. on islands and remote regions, includingthe outermost regions,• enhancing the Guide on EU Funding for Tourism by providing information on recently fundedprojects and upcoming calls, as well as• providing a one-stop-shop that would link to key support resources and funding opportunities fortourism SMEs on European, national, and regional level.The first T ransition Pathway stocktaking document, published in January 2024, can be found online. Fur-ther reports will follow on a yearly basis. The process of stocktaking of the T ransition Pathway, buildingon consultations, was aligned with the EU Agenda for Tourism. Every three years, there will be a reportto the Council on the implementation of the EU Agenda for Tourism 2030.According to DG GROW, progress was assessed across five main transition dimensions.18 The stocktakingrevealed, that public administrations are very active as far as tourism data and statistics are concerned,while SMEs and NGOs were supporting tourism measurement and strategies. Progress had also beenmade regarding the development of tourism strategies.18 Analysis based on the groups of actions in the EU Tourism Agenda/multi-annual work plan matched with the Transition Pathway topics: Policy and governance,green transition, digital transition, skills and stakeholder support, resilience/inclusion28 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismThere was, on the other hand, little progress in the development of product environmental footprintmeasures, skills and in the creation of decent attractive tourism jobs.The EC monitors the number of EU member states (MS) that for example established a single digital en-try point for platforms to deliver data on short-term rentals.Most MS (25) have reported on their actions related to the EU Agenda for Tourism/their actions regard-ing the 27 T ransition Pathway measures through the Tourism Advisory Council annual online reporting,and a best practice document was published. In addition, the MS have submitted pledges, and they areurged by the EC to inform about progress related to them.One of the priorities the MS highlighted was the well-being of residents, followed by the data-driven des-tination management, diversification of tourism services and the reduction of their environmental im-pact.New/revised legislative proposals and adopted acts by end of 2023:• EU regulation on short-term rentals• Passenger mobility package• Package T ravel Directive• Fit-for-55 package• Waste Framework Directive• Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive• Empowering consumers for Green T ransition Directive• Green Claims Directive• Digitalization of Schengen visa procedure• Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive• European Disability Card Directive• EU Talent pool29 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismPolicy communication and support measures:• Smart Tourism Capitals• Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism• EU Tourism Dashboard• Communication on Common European Data Space for Tourism• EU Declaration on Cycling• several City awardsFunding calls and measures for tourism (see also Guide on EU funding for T ourism)• Projects under Single Market programme providing direct assistance to SMEs• Pilot projects and studies (many with EU Parliament support)• Urban agenda19 partnership on sustainable tourism• Technical support instrument• Funding across several programmes (DEP , Horizon, Erasmus+, ERDF)Support for SMEs/companies at EU-level• Enterprise Europe Network (with sutainability advisors)• European digital innovation hubs• EU cluster collaboration platform• Erasmus for young entrepreneurs• EU ecolabel• EU Eco-management and Audit Scheme• EURES portal19 Thematic partnership, that was launched in 2022. In addition, sustainable tourism was one of the three topics of the second call of proposals under the EuropeanUrban Initiative (overall indicated budget for the call was EUR 120 million from ERDF). Selected cities could benefit from up to Euro 5 million for the testingof urban innovative solutions.30 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismA new online collaboration stakeholder platform ‘Together for EU Tourism’ (T4T) is scheduled to belaunched in September 2024. It will replace the “Sustainable EU tourism destinations community” and aimsat giving support to stakeholders’ green and digital transition and resilience by providing knowledge, resourc -es, information on good practice, funding opportunities, as well as facilitating collaboration opportunities.There will be another stakeholder consultation round in October-November 2024, followed by a reportin December 2024/January 2025.A “Sustainable Tourism Partnership“ contributes to implementing the EU T ransition Pathway for Tour-ism and coordinates with other partnerships to ensure synergy and prevent redundancy. Aligned with EUstrategic priorities in the field, particularly the post-pandemic recovery and the updated EU IndustrialStrategy emphasizing green and digital transitions, the Sustainable Tourism Partnership collaborates withstakeholders at all governance levels and MS to contribute to and collaborate in the implementation ofthe transition pathway for the tourism ecosystem.The Report on the T ransition Pathway for Tourism also calls for attention on the relationship between sus-tainable urban tourism and the renovation of the physical assets, namely of tourism-related buildings: inthis perspective, the New European Bauhaus initiative seems relevant.EU cohesion policy support for sustainable tourismThe European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is supporting regions in their efforts to add value totheir geographical assets and the natural, cultural and historical heritage, invest in tourism in an efficientand sustainable manner, and foster cross-border cooperation in culture and tourism. During 2021-2027,the ERDF direct support for sustainable tourism is worth 4.2 billion Euro (EU planned allocations; in-cluding under Interreg programmes). ERDF-support for the transition pathway is eligible under all fivepolicy objectives. Furthermore, there is a dedicated ERDF Specific Objective under Policy Objective 4(“A more social and inclusive Europe”), which is supposed to enhance the role of culture and sutainabletourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation. Sustainable tourism has beenenhanced through the possibility to support integrated sustainable territorial strategies under Policy Ob-jective 5 (“A Europe closer to the citizens”).2020 Information in this subsection has been delivered during the online webinar „Two-year anniversary of the Transition Pathway for Tourism – Stakeholder event“,https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/events/2-year-anniversary-transition-pathway-tourism-2024-03-15_en, access: 13/06/2024.31 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourism(Source: Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)Tourism is reflected in the macro-regional strategies as a polical priority area.In the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR), tourism-related challenges to be tackled are:• T ransnational tourism development in remote and rural areas• Investing in people, skills and technology in the field of tourism• Protection and sustainable utilisation of cultural heritage and natural resources in tourismdestinationsIn the period 2021-2027 some dedicated Interreg transnational programmes envisage support for tourismprojects (see section II.1).32 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismGuide on EU Funding for TourismThe Guide on EU Funding for Tourism21 was first published by the European Commission (EC) in May2021 in order to highlight existing funding opportunities for the tourist sector. It was updated in Febru-ary 2022. The online guide features a wide range of funding programmes financed by the new EU budget/the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021–2027/NextGenerationEU. It contains links to relevant EUprogramme websites with the latest developments (such as annual work programmes or calls for propos-als) and further details per programme. Also open calls and project examples are displayed. Overall, 17funding programmes can fund tourism-related projects.Financial support comes also from the EP to implement pilot projects.(Source: Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)21 Guide on EU Funding for Tourism, https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/tourism/eu-funding-and-businesses/funding-guide_en.33 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismThe ‘DiscoverEU’ programme, among several other programmes on the promotion of tourism, allows 18year-old Europeans to travel across the EU and learn more about the diversity of Europe.EU Tourism DashboardOn 27 May 2021, the Council of the European Union issued its conclusions on Tourism in Europe forthe Next Decade.22 Among other things, the conclusions envisioned the development of an EU TourismDashboard,23 as an EU flagship tool for the tourism ecosystem. It should also contribute to the T ransitionPathway for Tourism published in February 2022. The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre(JRC) and the Directorate-General developed the EU Tourism Dashboard for Internal Market, Industry,Entrepreneurship and SMEs. It was launched at the end of October 2022.The EU Tourism Dashboard was conceived as an instrument to support tourist destinations and publicauthorities in documenting and systemising their progress towards the green and digital transition as wellas in highlighting vulnerabilities and strengthening resilience. The online knowledge tool shall help to fa-cilitate policy initiatives. It should also serve to improve access to statistics and policy-relevant indicatorsfor tourism. The dashboard itself represents an online knowledge tool, which offers visualisations of tour-ism-related data and indicators from trusted sources.24The indicators of the EU Tourism Dashboard are sorted into three thematic groups: environmental im-pacts, digitalisation, and socio-economic vulnerability. The dashboard also offers a set of basic tourism de-scriptors to provide further context regarding the characteristics of tourism destinations in terms of de-mand, supply, and tourism offer.Currently, the dashboard covers all the EU27 Member States, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.22 Council conclusions on “Tourism in Europe for the next decade: sustainable, resilient, digital, global and social”, 27 May 2021, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/49960/st08881-en21.pdf.23 EU Tourism Dashboard, https://tourism-dashboard.ec.europa.eu/?lng=en&ctx=tourism.24 Such as Eurocontrol (https://www.eurocontrol.int/), Eurostat, and the European Environment Agency.34 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismIt allows for the following types of analyses:Profiling and benchmarking of countries and regions according to the characteristics (indicators)of their tourism activity, based on data collected and harmonised from various sources (convention-al and emerging) at the highest possible territorial granularity.T racking the progress of tourism destinations (countries and regions) over time in relation to thepolicy pillars: environmental impact, digitalisation, and socio-economic resilience. The dashboardindicator series shows the years from 2019 (or the closest year available) to the most recent yearavailable.The current release of the EU Tourism Dashboard (October 2023) reports all data and indicators at thelevel of the NUTS version 2021.European Agenda for Tourism 2030In its conclusion on Tourism in Europe for the Next Decade25 from 27 May 2021, the Council of the Eu-ropean Union called upon the European Commission (EC) and EU member states (MS) to design a Eu-ropean Agenda for Tourism 2030/2050 in cooperation with relevant stakeholders and to present a firstoutline by the end of 2021.On 1 December 2022, the Council of the EU adopted conclusions setting out a European Agenda forTourism 2030.26 It included a multi-annual EU work plan to support member states, public authorities,the EC and stakeholders in assisting the tourism industry in its transition towards green economy, sus-tainability, resilience, and digitalisation.As stated above, the European Agenda for Tourism is closely linked to the EC’s T ransition Pathway forTourism.25 Council conclusions on “Tourism in Europe for the next decade: sustainable, resilient, digital, global and social”, 27 May 2021, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/49960/st08881-en21.pdf.26 Council conclusions on ‘European Agenda for Tourism 2030’, 1 December 2022, https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-15441-2022-INIT/en/pdf.35 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismIts work plan has been following five priority areas: green transition, digital transition, resilience and in-clusion, skills and support, and the enabling policy framework and governance. Under each priority, theAgenda identified a number of goals and objectives as well as corresponding actions and responsibilities.These actions described voluntary activities for MS, public authorities, the EC and other stakeholderswithin the European tourism sector.Actions under the work plan included e.g. the implementation of the EU Tourism Dashboard and sup-port for the development of models and transferable practices for sustainable tourism as well as for estab-lishing large-scale pilots on sustainable tourism across the EU, including on islands and in outermost re-gions. Furthermore, the EC and MS would support data-driven sustainable destination management de-velopment and provide various forms of support to help companies, start-ups, and local communities in-novate with sustainable and resilient tourism services. Another key objective was related to meeting theskills demand in the tourism ecosystem by implementing the Pact for Skills, a shared engagement modelfor skills development. To this end, the EC, MS and other relevant public authorities would facilitate andsupport the establishing of national, regional, and local skills partnerships. In addition, the EC would es-tablish a stakeholder support platform by 2023.New Eurobarometer shows Europeans’ positive attitude towards language learning Language acquisitionis an important pull-factor for tourists and is a prerequisite for the internationalisation of the tourism sec-tor. A new Eurobarometer published in May 2024 found, that a vast majority of Europeans (86%) believethat everyone should speak at least one foreign language, and almost three out of five (59%) can have aconversation in one. Coinciding with the world day for cultural diversity, the survey highlights a growingrecognition of the importance of linguistic diversity in enhancing cultural understanding, economic op-portunities, and social cohesion within Europe. With 24 official languages and around 60 regional andminority languages spoken in the EU, multilingualism reflects the European cultural diversity.2727 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_2686, access: 29/05/2024.36 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourism2. General developments in the BSR and beyondCruise tourismIn Norway, cruise ships are not allowed anymore to enter havens with fossil fuel propulsion. Therefore thecruise companies have reacted. This has to be explored more thoroughly.Warming of the Baltic Sea and proliferation of bacteriaThe Baltic Sea is warming three times faster than the average ocean temperature rises.28Due to climate change the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus proliferates on the Balitic coastlines,posing risks to public health, tourism, and aquaculture. According to a Nature article, reducing nutrientinputs could be an effective method to control the Vibrio vulnificus populations in eutrophied brackishcoasts.The Baltic Sea’s annual mean sea-surface temperatures are rising and the ecosystem is expected to be in-creasingly affected by warming in the coming decades, and will be faced with extended heat wave dura-tions.29According to the advisory opinion issued by the International T ribunal for the Law of the Sea in Ham-burg (ITLOS) on 21 May 2024, parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UN-CLOS) are obliged to protect the climate: the tribunal regards the warming and acidification of the seaand the rise of the sea level as “pollution” of the sea.28 „Die Ostsee wird immer wärmer“, Ostseezeitung from 23 May 2024, p.11.29 David J. Riedinger et al., Control of Vibrio vulnificus proliferation in the Baltic Sea through eutrophication and algal bloom management, May 2024. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01410-x, access: 18/07/24.37 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismChildren not wanted? An upsurge of “adults only“ hotels and restaurantsAdults only hotels have become a global trend. They emerged in Spain at the end of the last decade, withthe feature of being designed so that guests can enjoy time with their partner, to find tranquillity, luxuryand pure relaxation.Many resorts only allow guests aged 16 or over to visit the wellness, spa and fitness areas. More and morehotels and restaurants on the shore of the Baltic Sea are completely refusing to welcome children.Psychologists like Christina Miro are explain this trend: “In an increasingly overstimulated world, manypeople are longing for peace and quiet. Miro assumes that the trend will continue to gain momentum - ifonly because more and more couples are deciding not to have children.Nevertheless, there is a risk that tourist destinations appear inhospitable to potential guests, if the prolif-eration of “adults only“ hotels continues for the sake of economic profit.UN Tourism Commission for Europe Adopted Agenda for Europe as RegionLeads Global RecoveryEurope’s national tourism authorities have met to advance shared solutions to the biggest challenges fac-ing tourism as well as the opportunities offered by the sector’s post-pandemic return.The 70th meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for Europe brought together 40 high-level represent-atives in the Albanian capital. With the participation of nearly all UN Tourism’s Members in the region,the meeting served as a platform for dialogue and collaboration, providing a ground for exchangingknowledge, sharing best practices, and addressing the challenges and opportunities facing the tourism sec-tor.Prior to the meeting, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili met with the Prime Ministerof Albania Edi Rama to discuss shared priorities and future collaboration. The Secretary General has com-mended Albania’s leadership in tourism recovery after the pandemic – the country has been one of thebest performing destinations in 2023, showing 53% increase over the international tourism arrivals reg-istered in 2019.38 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismThe Secretary-General and the Prime Minister also discussed the importance of sustainable tourism de-velopment and opportunities to further enhance the tourism sector in Albania. They exchanged views onkey strategies to promote responsible tourism practices, harness digital innovation, and further contributeto economic growth through tourism education. They underscored the value of fostering a resilient andinclusive tourism industry that benefits local communities and preserves cultural heritage.High-level delegations representing 40 Members were informed about the work and activities realized byUN Tourism since the Commission met in Bulgaria in June 2023, as well as strategic objectives and pri-orities, with a focus on:• Political outlook and the situation Europe• The rebranding of World Tourism Organization• Latest data on tourism arrivals and receipts• Events and initiativesOne of the main highlights of this meeting was the adoption of the legal framework of the Agenda for Eu-rope. The Members adopted the Rules of Procedure of the Working Group, the Selection Criteria and KeyPerformance Indicators for the evaluation for the projects supported through the Agenda for Europe andagreed on the priorities for the elaboration of the workplan of the Agenda for Europe for 2024. The Agen-da for Europe is the manifestation of the priorities of the members in the region of Europe, the world’sleading destination and a pioneer in tourism innovation. It aims to ensure a regional focus that will ben-efit and address the specific needs of the members at a regional and subregional level.This document is the result of a consultative process among the members in the region, initiated duringthe 66th meeting of the Commission for Europe in 2021, to advance the adaptability of the Europeantourism ecosystem to the new trends and reality that emerged in the post-pandemic era.The Commission Members were updated about the preparations for World Tourism Day 2024 by Geor-gia and accepted the invitation of Azerbaijan to host the Commission meeting in 2025.The second meeting of the Working Group for Southeast Europe was held on the sidelines of the 70thmeeting of the Commission for Europe, by the initiative of the host, Albania, and UN Tourism. The pur-pose of the meeting was to foster an in-depth discussions on the specific challenges facing the tourism sec-tor in Southeast Europe. Representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia,Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia shared their ideas, insights, andopinions, with a special focus on short-term rentals and regional investments.39 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismA traditional side conference was held about “Tourism Investments and Economic Development in Eu-rope”. During this event, a guideline “Tourism Doing Business: Investing in Albania”, developed by UNTourism, was presented. The speakers, experts, and other participants of the event discussed the globaltourism investment trends and opportunities, identified avenues for accelerating tourism investments forpositive change and for the benefit for all and shared success stories and future prospects of tourism in-vestments in Albania.30UN Adopts a New Global Standard to Measure the Sustainability of TourismA groundbreaking statistical framework, developed under the leadership of UN Tourism, has been adopt-ed by all 193 UN member states.The Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST) thus becomes the interna-tionally agreed reference framework for measuring the economic, social and environmental aspects oftourism.The adoption by the UN Statistical Commission at its 55th session (27 February – 1 March 2024) marksa historical milestone towards harnessing the full potential of the sector, providing a solution to the press-ing need for a harmonized methodology to effectively assess the sustainability of tourism.“Tourism is a powerful force for positive change when managed responsibly and sustainably,” says ZurabPololikashvili, UN Tourism Secretary General. “The adoption of the Statistical Framework for Measuringthe Sustainability of Tourism marks a paradigm shift, going beyond GDP by enabling the measurementof what matters most to people and planet.”This achievement is the fruit of a seven-year UN process led by Austria and Spain as co-chairs of the UNTourism Committee on Statistics, with Saudi Arabia and Seychelles as co-vice chairs. Under auspices ofthe Committee, the Framework was developed thanks to the extraordinary work of the multistakeholderExpert Group on Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism composed of 40+ countries and 30+ interna-tional and regional organizations including the UN Statistics Division, the International Labour Organ-ization (ILO), subnational authorities and observatories, academia and others.30 https://www.tourexpi.com/en-intl/news/un-tourism-members-adopt-agenda-for-europe-as-region-leads-global-recovery-197974.html40 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismThe work involved technical guidance from an Editorial Board chaired first by the Philippines and thenby Canada, as well as extensive engagement and consultation with input from numerous pilots in coun-tries.The Statistical Commission expressed an overwhelmingly enthusiastic support with 34 countries, threeworld regions and international organizations taking active part in the deliberations31Looking ahead, the Commission also welcomed the future development of an implementation pro-gramme, including a compilation guide, and called on the international donor community to support thefinancing for measuring the sustainability of tourism.Established in 1947, the UN Statistical Commission gathers Chief Statisticians from Member States andinternational organizations, and is the highest decision-making body for international statistical activities.The last time that the Commission adopted a statistical standard for tourism was in 2008, when the In-ternational Recommendations for Tourism Statistics and the Tourism Satellite Account framework werepresented.In the margins of the United Nations Statistical Commission, Austria, Spain and UN Tourism co-organ-ized the high-level side event “Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism: Closing the gap between policyand statistics”, in collaboration with the UN Committee for Economic-Environmental Accounting. Aus-tria and Spain shared their vision on the importance of the Statistical Framework for MST for evi-dence-based policy and decisions, while acknowledging its significance in upholding the relevance of sta-tistical systems worldwide and the links to key topics like data governance and stewardship.Mexico, the Philippines and Canada reflected on their pioneering experience with implementing theframework, showcasing the power of integrating data from different domains and sources to distil moreholistic and meaningful information on tourism.31 Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Benin on behalf of the African Group, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, DominicanRepublic, Egypt, Finland on behalf of the European Statistical System, Greece, Jamaica, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, theNetherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Slovenia, Spain, T ajikistan, T anzania,United Arab Emirates, United States of America, the Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities and ILO.41 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismThe event raised awareness of the Statistical Framework for MST and functioned as an informative pre-amble to the UN Statistical Commission’s formal deliberations.32Climate change and global warming posing serious challenges to global tourismStill recovering from COVID-19 pandemic, the industry now grapples with increasing temperatures, ris-ing sea levels and extreme weather events. Climate change and global warming are posing significant chal-lenges to world-renowned tourism destinations, threatening their ecosystems and infrastructure.Due to the impacts of climate change on the tourism sector, various challenges are emerging for globallyrenowned tourism regions.According to the World T ravel and Tourism Council’s 2022 data, the tourism sector, valued at $7.7 tril-lion, contributes 7.6% to the global economy. The sector’s value before COVID-19 was $10 trillion, com-prising approximately 10.4% of the global economy.A report by Cambridge University research highlights the negative impact of rising sea levels, extremeweather events, and ocean acidification on the infrastructure supporting maritime tourism. Coral reefdamage, rising temperatures, and wildfires further threaten tourist destinations.A 2023 study by the World Economic Forum (WEF) emphasizes the negative impact of extreme heat on tour -ists. Examples like wildfires in Greece, heat waves in Italy, and flight cancellations in the US illustrate this point.The aviation sector, crucial for tourism, also faced challenges due to extreme heat. Some US aviation com-panies had to reduce passenger loads and luggage or postpone flights during 46-degree Celsius weather.Tourist behavior is also changing due to temperature rise. Research by the European Commission suggeststhat if global warming continues, tourist activities in Europe might shift from the south to the north.This could lead to a decrease in the number of tourists for southern destinations and an increase for thosein the north.32 https://www.tourexpi.com/en-intl/news/un-adopts-a-new-global-standard-to-measure-the-sustainability-of-tourism-197128.html, access: 19/04/2442 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismThe Maldives, one of the most threatened tourist destinations due to climate change, faces the potentialsubmergence of a large portion of its landmass due to rising sea levels.The Maldives, reliant on tourism and vulnerable to rising sea levels, faces potential submergence of 77%of its land by 2100, according to the country’s Tourism Ministry.Similarly, the Caribbean, heavily dependent on tourism, is witnessing coral reef bleaching and rising sea levels.In Europe, the Alps struggle with inadequate snowfall, affecting winter tourism. Venice faces climate-re-lated challenges, including rising sea levels and extreme weather events, threatening its historical sites.The EU‘s 9th Cohesion Report also mentions the “significant“ impact of climate change on tourism.33 Itstates that global warming will lead to a redirection of tourism. According to forecasts, a temperature in-crease of 3°C will reduce the number of summer tourists in southern coastal regions by almost 10 % andincrease those in northern coastal regions by 5 %.In South Asia, popular coastal regions are grappling with environmental degradation caused by over-tour-ism and pollution. Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines have implemented measures to preserve theircoastal ecosystems.Africa is also at risk of significant biodiversity loss, impacting safari tourism. According to World Bank data,the continent could lose 50% of its bird and mammal species and 20% to 30% of life in lakes by 2100.34World heritage sites in the Baltic Sea RegionThe ”Green Belt”, adjacent to the European Green Belt along the former Iron Curtain and known as thenatural and cultural landscape along the former inner-German frontier (geographically starting at the Bal-tic Sea Priwall island) between the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) and former “WesternGermany“, has been set on the tentative UNESCO world heritage list in December 2023. This is seen asa step towards attracting tourists regardful of history and nature.33 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/information-sources/cohesion-report_en, p. xxix and p. 121.34 https://www.tourexpi.com/en-intl/news/climate-change-and-global-warming-posing-serious-challenges-to-global-tourism-196899.html, access: 19/04/2443 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismT wo spa towns on the island of Usedom, Sopot (Poland) and Heringsdorf (Germany), are attempting tobe put on the list as well, and highlight their health spa architecture, natural sites and villas.Country-wise information on UNESCO world heritage sites and tentatative lists can be found here:https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/Concept of “dark tourism”Dark tourism is a complex phenomenon.Tourism researchers in Great Britain found out, that the number of travels to sites of past suffering, dread,fright or death have been increasing in the past 30 years.35 According to a German researcher, there is anintrinsic need of humans to visit such places, and their motives are as diverse as the destinations themselves.Dark tourism covers a wide variety of destinations, it can be non-commercial or commercial, educationalor engineered around fictional charakters. In the researcher’s view, dark tourism should be considered asmore than morally dubious entertainment. It could rather be understood as reasserting or creating com-mon values and as fostering solidarity within society.Among the assumed causes of travelling to dark tourism sites, researchers found the wish:• to approach death, fear, evil or human abysses without being oneself threatened with danger• to learn from and about the past / to find out about the family’s past• to commemorate / think back• to appeal for peace• to make a pilgrimage• to mourn• to reassure oneself / find one’s identity• to be thrilled• to seek the adventure, the exceptional or hidden secrets• to visit film settings• to make an emotive experience35 The term is rather wide, even catastrophe tourism and slum tourism exist.44 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismMost of the “dark tourism” sites are in nature or in cultural heritage buildings.The history of dark tourism allegedly dates back to the times when people got interested in seeing othertowns‘ torture chambers.First package holiday tours to battlefields have been offered by Thomas Cook in the 1840s (Waterloo).In German-speaking research, the term is mostly restricted to historical sites (victim sites like concentra-tion camps and holocaust memorials, grave yards/burial grounds, culprit sites like documentation sites onnational socialism, battlefields/military sites like bunkers, sites of crime and justice, torture museums,sites of catastrophe and terror, eerie amusement sites).An Interreg South Baltic Project of the pas, funded from April – Juli 2022, for example had the overallobjective to find innovative solutions in dark tourism, here defined as a form of tourism connected toplaces historically associated with tragedies, to tackle the seasonality of tourism in the South Baltic area.During the implementation of the seed money project, the project had planned to create an interactivemap with dark tourism sites, objects, museums, and other places across the region. Even more innovativein this approach to dark tourism is the idea to renovate the sites using new technologies, such as virtualrealities, that could allow more people, including people with disabilities, to visit and enjoy those sites.3. EUSBSR Policy Area TourismAn updated EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) Action Plan is planned to enter into forcein 2026. Policy Area Coordinators facilitate this planning process together with their Steering Groupmembers from all eight EU countries bordering the Baltic Sea. mportant steps regarding the content ofthe future Action Plan will be taken during autumn 2024.45 II. Main Developments in the Field of Sustainable T ourismThe previous Reports on Sustainable Tourism in the Baltic Sea Region 2020 and 2021 have closely fol-lowed the update of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) Action Plan. After four years,the revised EUSBSR Action Plan was approved in February 2021. As mentioned in the Report on Sus-tainable Tourism 2021, the Policy Area Tourism (PA Tourism) was preserved as one of the 14 policy areas(PAs) and now includes three actions to be implemented within the 2020–2025 period:• transnational tourism development in rural areas,• investing in people, skills, and technology in the tourism industry,• protection and sustainable utilisation of cultural heritage and natural resources in tourismdestinations.Since April 2022, PA Tourism36 is coordinated by Poland (Pomorskie Tourist Board) and Finland (OuluRegion). Ms Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło from Pomorskie Tourist Board and Ms Anna-Maija Toivonenfrom the Council of Oulu Region act as Coordinators.According to the EUSBSR Action Plan, PA Tourism provides a platform to reinforce sustainable tourismdevelopment in the Baltic Sea region; creates networks and strengthens the dialogue with stakeholders ofthe tourism industry and tourism education institutions to ensure competence development in the tour-ism sector across the Baltic Sea region. It develops synergies by linking projects, initiatives and organisa-tions with tourism activities; facilitates and strengthens the cooperation in the area to find solutions forcommon challenges. EUSBSR PA Tourism enhances the profile, visibility, and attractiveness of the BalticSea region as a preferred partner for tourism cooperation within the Baltic Sea region.36 EUSBSR Policy Area ‘Tourism’: https://www.eusbsr.eu/pa-tourism-about.46 III. Meetings and EventsIII. Meetings and Events1. Fifteenth Baltic Sea Tourism Forum (BSTF) on 11-12 October 2023 inTallinn, EstoniaThe 15th Baltic Sea Tourism Forum “Towards a greener and more sustainable tourism in the Baltic SeaRegion” took place in Tallinn, Estonia on 11 October 2023.Organised by the EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism Coordinators, with support from the Estonian Ministryof Economic Affairs and Communications, Visit Estonia, Visit Tallinn, and the Council of the Baltic SeaStates (CBSS), this forum aimed to promote dialogue, consensus building and a shared vision for the keychallenges and opportunities in tourism development across the Baltic Sea Region (BSR).Attendees were invited to explore the latest trends and best practices in green and sustainable tourism inthe Baltic Sea Region, uncover new market opportunities, gain insights into sustainable maritime tourismand actively engage in networking activities.As part of the event, the CBSS was hosting a workshop specifically dedicated to sustainable boating in theBaltic Sea.Key speakers from Poland, Sweden, and Germany conveyed key messages on trends in sustainable tour-ism development in the BSR. They emphasized the growing desire among tourists for authenticity andnature, often leading them to venture off the typical tourist path. Additionally, a new travel trend knownas set-jetting was highlighted, wherein travelers draw inspiration for their vacations from various sourcessuch as smartphones and popular TV shows or movies. The modern tourist also values ethical production,focuses on quality rather than quantity, and embraces the concepts of slow living and slow food. The ide-al holiday for these individuals combines elements of both country and city life. Moreover, modern tour-ists are discerning, curious, and expect professional treatment. They have limited time and are less easilyinfluenced.NURSECOAST-II experts Tiia Pedusaar (SEI Tallinn) and Virpi Vorne (Natural Resources Institute Fin-land, Luke Oulu), who attended the event, reported that special features could be observed in tourism to47 III. Meetings and Eventsthe Baltic Sea. The majority of tourists visiting the Baltic Sea Region consist of couples. Additionally,more than 30% desire to travel with their families (including adults and children), while another 30%prefer travelling with friends or colleagues. These tourists tend to prioritize sightseeing over passive vaca-tions. Interestingly, around 80% of visitors combine multiple destinations in a single trip, often includingboth urban and rural locations. Furthermore, their holiday trips tend to be longer than the European av-erage, with nearly 40% spending a minimum of eight consecutive days on vacation. While nature holdssignificant appeal as a destination factor, cultural experience is equally captivating for these tourists.The global shift towards responsible and sustainable travel is evident. According to the World Tourism Or -ganization, sustainable tourism “takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environ -mental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities”.In addition to sustainable tourism, a novel concept known as regenerative tourism has emerged. Regener -ative tourism involves travellers undertaking journeys intending to positively impact on their destination,striving to leave it in a better condition than they found it. This approach goes beyond the traditional no -tion of a typical vacation experience. The key distinction between regenerative tourism and sustainabletourism lies in their objectives. Sustainable tourism focuses on maintaining the current state of a destina -tion and minimizing any additional harm, while regenerative tourism aims to actively restore and enhancethe destination, setting the stage for a more promising future. While sustainable tourism marks a positivestep forward, regenerative tourism represents a revolutionary leap toward shaping the future of travel.Although the word “wastewater” was not mentioned at the event, all activities and infrastructure affectedby tourism consume water and produce wastewater. At the event, it was stated that 100% of tourists eat atthe destination. It was also stated that the most visited places in nature sites are toilets and parking lots. APanel about boaters in the BSR highlighted the need for proper infrastructure in the small ports (easily ac -cessible and functional septic/grey/bilge wastewater discharge stations) but also social aspects, as the localcommunity conveys common values and an impression of social cohesion. Measuring the impact of tour -ism is crucial. Data is the key to ensuring sustainable tourism in Europe, providing insights for tailoredpolicies and fostering sustainable growth. Although the functionality of the wastewater system of touristdestinations is not yet the basis for issuing certificates or life cycle assessment calculations, it is hoped thatthe development towards more sustainable and regenerative tourism will pay more attention to this.All these trends and goals in tourism relate to and support the need for the project NURSECOAST-II,the two attendees note. Tourism-related small-scale wastewater treatment plants, their existence, andtechnological development are crucial to providing experience in nature, authenticity in a remote envi-ronment, and ensuring better water quality in the Baltic Sea.48 III. Meetings and EventsIn conclusion, they emphasize the words by Grzegorz Marek Poznański, Director General of the Councilof the Baltic Sea States from the 15th Baltic Sea Tourism Forum: “Cooperation is key for bringing goalsof sustainable tourism to fruition. We should avoid competition. It doesn’t really matter who will be moresustainable in the region. Either all of us will be sustainable, or none of us will be. We are as sustainableas our neighbours and environment is. That’s why it’s crucial for all of us to cooperate toward a commongoal.”372. European Tourism Forum and Ministerial Meeting, 30-31 October 2023The 2023 edition of the European Tourism Forum (ETF) took place on 30 October 2023 in Palma deMallorca. Within three roundtables participants discussed measures and best practice for supporting thetransition towards a sustainable tourism ecosystem, focusing on the following aspects:• indicators for measuring social sustainability in tourism: The UNWTO through its Committee onStatistics was planning to present a statistical framework for the measurement of sustainability intourism (SF-MST, please see section II.2) in March 2024, containing a specific chapter on socialsustainability.• short-term rentals (STR) and the necessity of balanced coexistence in cities:• In her speech before her renewed election as President of the EU Commission on 18 July 2024 inStraßburg, Ursula von der Leyen described the EU’s housing crisis and announced a new EUCommissioner for housing.• The spread of information technologies and social networks lead to a new model of accomodationthat many freelancers and entrepreneurs have taken advantage of, together with large companies.This clearly impacted on tourism and can explain a significant part of the growth in the volume oftourism in recent years. The “housing for tourist use“ was initially concentrated in urban areas, buthas progressively expanded to other areas, such as small rural towns.37 https://interreg-baltic.eu/project-posts/from-sustainable-tourism-to-regenerative-tourism-key-trends-for-the-future-of-baltic-sea-tourism/, access: 23/07/2024.NURSECOAST-II experts Tiia Pedusaar (SEI T allinn) and Virpi Vorne (Natural Resources Institute Finland, Luke Oulu) participated in the event and sharedtheir reflections.49 III. Meetings and Events• good practices around sustainable tourism employment: Fair wages, occupational health and preven-tion and the development of programmes to fulfill workers‘ family and professional needs are amongthe determining elements in job satisfaction. In regard of the European Year of Skills and the EU Pactfor Skills the large-skale partnership in tourism was debated, next to an EU-wide promotional cam-paign of the Directorate-General GROW and the development of an EU-wide network of tourismand hospitality schools.On 31 October 2024, the Presidency of the Council of the EU organised an informal ministerial meetingtogether with EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, and EU Ministers in charge oftourism.3. Charting a course to a future EU Blue Deal: SEArica Conference on 7March 2024The European Parliament’s Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas (SEArica) Intergroup Final Conference(2019-2024), hosted by MEP Tonino Picula (Chair of the SEArica Integroup) took place on 7 March2024 in the European Parliament (EP) in Brussels. It was organised with the support of the Conferenceof Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR).Over the past four years, the vital role of seas, rivers, islands and coastal areas has gained significant im-portance in the EU actions to address the environmental, climate and energy crises. While the EuropeanGreen Deal set a package of policy initiatives, targets and legislation to engage the EU on the path of greentransition, the European Commission proposed a new vision for the transformation of the maritime eco-nomic sectors, paving the way for a transition towards sustainable Blue Economy.Within its third mandate, the SEArica Intergroup has contributed to the political debate on the maritime di -mension of strategic EU policies. Shedding a light on the proposals of the SEArica members for an enhancedconsideration of maritime issues at EU and international level, the SEArica Intergroup has provided an engag -ing platform for cross-sectoral dialogues and has voiced specific EU sea-basin challenges and realities.With the parliamentary term coming to an end, and in light of the European Ocean Days 2024, this fi-nal conference aimed at reflecting on past maritime achievements and on the next generation of EU mar-itime policies.50 III. Meetings and EventsNils Torvalds was the SEArica Vice-Chair for the Baltic Sea. SEArica has reflected on the role of the Bal-tic Sea as frontrunner for a green transition and European energy sovereignty and security.SEArica Members also signed a common declaration with five proposals to develop common rules toboost a EU sustainable nautical tourism.4. Baltic Sustainable Boating 2030 annual meeting on 18-19 March 2024Partners of the Baltic Sustainable Boating 2030 (BaltSusBoating 2030) project were set to convene inStockholm on 18-19 March 2024 for their annual meeting to evaluate progress and plan future steps to-wards enhancing sustainable boating tourism in the BSR.Co-financed by the Interreg Baltic Sea Programme, the BaltSusBoating 2030 initiative aims to foster col-laboration among key organisations and stakeholders in boating tourism across the Baltic Sea Region(BSR).Its objectives include creating a pan-Baltic cooperation platform, developing a Sustainability Roadmap,facilitating knowledge exchange, engaging in dialogue with policymakers, and progressively shaping amarketing strategy that presents the Baltic Sea as a sustainable boating destination.The project seeks to improve the sustainability and appeal of leisure boating in the BSR, capitalising onemerging opportunities in post-pandemic boating tourism. The CBSS lifts the initiative by providing aplatform for political dialogue and connecting with relevant policymakers across the BSR, aligning theproject’s efforts with broader sustainability goals outlined in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Devel-opment and the CBSS Baltic 2030 Action Plan.Led by the Association of Sea Cities & Municipalities (ZMiGM – Poland), the BaltSusBoating 2030 con-sortium includes a range of organisations committed to developing boating destinations and marketingwithin the BSR. The project, which runs from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2024, is supported byfunding from the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme.51 III. Meetings and Events5. Cycling tourism webinar of the EUSBSR PA Tourism, 26 March 2024In a cycling tourism webinar, organized by EUSBSR policy area tourism, on 26 March 2024, speakers provid -ed a comprehensive overview of EuroVelo and cycling-friendly offers, unravelling the potential they hold fortourism development in the Baltic Sea Region. Another question that was being delved into, was: “Why dobike-friendly businesses matter in cycling tourism development?”, shedding light on the symbiotic relationshipbetween cycling-friendly businesses and the flourishing tourism industry based on Finnish practice.In addition, it was shown, how cross-border bike rent can help fulfil the potential of EuroVelo routes.38Alexandra Fournier from European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) a Brussels-based independent non-profit asso -ciation, presented the EuroVelo biking routes. The EuroVelo network is a backbone for national cycle net -works to develop further cycling routes. The European Cyclists’ Federation cooperates with national EuroV -elo coordinators. The EuroVelo Data Hub was also presented (https://en.eurovelo.com/), containing infor -mation for businesses and consumers and displaying an increased use of the EuroVelo routes by cyclists.(Source: Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)38 https://www.eusbsr.eu/pa-tourism-news and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9DkrDK4ZtU, access: 10/04/2024.52 III. Meetings and Events(Source: Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)Henna Palosaari from Bikeland.fi gave a presentation on “Why do bike-friendly businesses matter in cy -cling tourism development?” The speaker shed light on the symbiotic relationship between cycling-friend -ly businesses and the flourishing tourism industry based on Finnish practice: In 2020, the Finnish Centerof Cycling Tourism was founded to develop Finland as a bike-friendly tourist destination, supporting theregional route development. The “Welcome Cyclist – program“, also established in 2020, which offers use -ful services to cyclists and created a nation-wide standard, was initially funded by the Finnish Ministery ofEconomic Affairs and can be found on the bikeland.fi web page and on the route (to be identified from theWelcome Cyclist – badge). Among others, the services offered by Welcome Cyclist companies are safe bikestorage, pumps and basic tools, charging points, water bottle refills, route info and information on furtherbike services in the area. On the other hand, these businesses are involved in the route development.Birger Kjærbye from Onewaybiketours (Denmark) described how cross-border bike rent can help fulfilthe potential of EuroVelo routes. Partnering bike rentals are offering bike rental, equipment, bike drop-off and travel advice from 1 hour and up to 30 days to destinations in Denmark and around Europe.53 III. Meetings and EventsTibor Polgár from the Westpannon Team presented the “Iron curtain trail“ project (ICT r-CE), cofound-ed by the Interreg Central Europe Programme and envisaging an innovative, participatory, cooperative,sustainable business model for cycling on the Iron Curtain trail/EuroVelo 13. The project involved a sur-vey in the initial phase and led to the conclusion that SMEs in the area of the trail are suffering from alack of digitization business cooperation, access to innovation and international know-how.The ICT r-CE project now focuses on three pilot areas and is going to last until February 2026. It aims atincreasing tourism along the 3000 kilometres of the route (marked red in the picture below), which over-laps with the European Green Belt and contains many rural areas, by introducing CO2-footprint calcu-lation and booking functionality.(Source: Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)54 III. Meetings and Events7. The 16th Baltic Sea Tourism Forum 2024, 4-5 June 2024 in Oulu, FinlandOn 4-5 June 2024, the Baltic Sea Tourism Forum (BSTF), entitled “Sustainable Journeys: Biking throughCulinary and Culture”, was held in its 16th edition in Oulu, Finland. The forum centred around four themes:cultural tourism, culinary tourism, coastal tourism and cycling. The forum aimed to promote dialogue, con -sensus building, and a shared vision of the key challenges of tourism development around the Baltic Sea.Participants learned from examples from the Baltic Sea Region, had networking opportunities, and thechance to explore the European Capital of Culture for 2026.As part of the event, the CBSS presented the BSR Cultural Pearls project, led by the CBSS and funded bythe Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme.The BSTF 2024 was supported by the CBSS Finnish Presidency and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs ofFinland, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland, City of Oulu, Visit Finland, VisitOulu and Interreg Baltic Sea Region. The event was organised by the EUSBSR PA Tourism coordinators:the Council of Oulu Region (FI) and Pomorskie Tourist Board (PL) with guests and speakers from allEUSBSR countries and beyond.Additional information can be found on the the official website.8. EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference, 23-25 September 2024 inViborg, DenmarkOn 23-25 September 2024 the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference will take place in Viborg, Den-mark.9. Fifteenth Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region 2024The 15th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) “Sustainability, Resil-ience, and Security” will be held on 30-31 October 2024 in Visby, Sweden.55 Annex: A Selection of Useful LinksAnnex: A Selection of Useful LinksDavide Pernice, Olena Kuzhym: Fact Sheets on the European Union – Tourismhttps://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/126/tourism.EU Newsroomhttps://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/whats-new/newsroom_enEU Tourism Dashboardhttps://tourism-dashboard.ec.europa.eu/?lng=en&ctx=tourism.EUSBSR Policy Area Tourismhttp://www.baltic-sea-strategy-tourism.eu/pa-tourism/.EuroVelo Data Hubhttps://en.eurovelo.com/Guide on EU Funding for Tourismhttps://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/tourism/eu-funding-and-businesses/funding-guide_en.Interreg Baltic Sea Region Projectshttps://interreg-baltic.eu/projects/Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021-2027https://southbaltic.eu/interreg-south-baltic-2021-2027UNWTO World Tourism Barometerhttps://www.unwto.org/un-tourism-world-tourism-barometer-data56 List of AbbreviationsList of AbbreviationsBSC Baltic Sea Commission of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR)BSPC 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 RegionsCPMR Conference of Peripheral Maritime RegionsDG Directorate-GeneralDG GROW Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEsDG MARE Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and FisheriesDG REGIO Directorate-General for Regional and Urban PolicyERDF European Regional Development FundETC European T ravel CommissionEU European UnionEUSAIR EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian RegionEUSBSR EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea RegionGDP Gross Domestic ProductINI Own-initiative procedure (Report by European Parliament)NGO Non-governmental OrganisationOECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and DevelopmentPA Policy AreaPSF Project Support FacilitySDG Sustainable Development GoalsSME Small and Medium EnterprisesUN United NationsUNWTO United Nations World Tourism OrganizationBaltic Sea Parliamentary Conferencewww.bspc.netBSPC SecretariatSchlossgartenallee 1519061 SchwerinGermany