Sustainable tourism model for nature protected areas The 2nd International Conference on the Baltic Sea Strategy April 19-20, 2012, Baltic Beach Hotel, Jurmala, Latvia

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Sustainable tourism model for nature
protected areasThe 2nd International
Conference on the Baltic Sea Strategy April
19-20, 2012, Baltic Beach Hotel, Jurmala,
Latvia
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Latvian Country Tourism Association
Founded 1993 Members 350 (rural tourism
providers) Staff 12 Office in Riga

• Functions
• RT product development
• Quality control and labelling
• Povider training and consultations
• Promotion and marketing (brochures, maps,
  Internet)
• Lobbying for interests of members
• Project implementation

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Sustainable tourism model
p

• Developed under the project Proposals for
  environmental policy based on demonstration of
  environmental, social and economic benefits from
  tourism in the Slitere National Park, (LIFE07
  ENV/LV/000981).
• Implemented in the Slitere National Park,
  Latvia, in 2009-2012.
• Represents documentation of experience in
  developing a sustainable tourism destination in a
  nature protected area.

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Background situation in the SNP

• Formerly a closed military zone
• Especially Protected Nature Site (formerly a
  nature reservation 1957-2000)
• Poor tourism infrastructure and services
• Poor cooperation between administration,
  municipality, local businesses, residents.
• Increasing unorganised tourist flow

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Aims of the sustainable tourism model
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Sustainable tourism model structure
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Start the process - COOPERATION at all levels

• -
• SNP administration
• Local municipality
• local NGOs
• Tourism entrepreneurs
• Other active local people

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Concept proposals for sustainable tourism
development in SNP

• Involve local community trhroughout the process
• Inventory of the local tourism resources
• Proposals for sustainable tourism development a
  vision

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Products and infrastructure develop touring
routes

• 9 routes (walking, cycling, driving, bird and
  animal watching)
• new route description format
• unite local individual stakeholders
• experience documented in 10 steps in developing
  a touring route

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Products and infrastructure route marking

• Involve stakeholders
• agree with land owners, SNP administration
• cheep, efficient marking method
• principles of route marking documented in the
  guidelines

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Products and infrastructure - service provider
training
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Products and infrastructure outdoor
interpretation

• several hundreds of stands analysed
• all players involved local ownership
• focus on practical information

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Maintain cultural environment

• local identity tourism resource
• practical advice for builders
• guidelines local initiative

X
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Livonian coastline cultural identity of Slitere
National Park

• The Livs are one of the smallest surviving
  nations in the world
• Ethnic identity of the territory through the
  language in its natural environment (signposts,
  info stands, the Travellers day)

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Nature values

• Contents
• Plant finder photos and descriptions of plants
  featuring attractive facts and stories.
• Worth seeing botanical trails, secular trees,
  botanical gardens, etc.Ievads
• Plant and mushroom watching tours

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Marketing The Slitere NP Tourism guide

• Based on local stories (gt 30 interviews)
• Most significant natural, cultural and
  historical facts,
• 12 Treasures of Slitere
• Touring routes
• Annual events
• Services and facilities
• Tour Maps

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Marketing National Parks guidebooks Latvia and
the Baltics
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Marketing Participation in trade fairs,
exhibitions, work with tour operators
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Promotional events Travel Day to Slitere

• Local initiative
• Stakeholder roundtable
• Becomes a tradition
• Testing and launching new products
• Visitor feedback

Kala Pivad
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Travel Day to Slitere in figures
June 2-3, 2012 sliteresdiena.wordpress.com

• June 12, 2010
• Ca 1000 visitors
• 12 touring routes
• 19 open attraction sites
• 30 local market participants
• June 4.-5., 2011
• Ca 2000 visitors
• 23 touring routes
• 14 creative workshops
• 5 local cuisine tasting sites
• 21 attraction site

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Visitor monitoring

• Electronic visitor counting
• Surveys
• Interviews
• Visual and photo monitoring
• Sample plots

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Increase in tourism
Number of tourism service businesses Before project (2009) Project conclusion phase (2012)
- Accommodation 11 14
- Guides (incl. nature guides) 5 14
- cafes, produce tasting facilities 3 6
- Fish smokers 0 6
- Tourism gear rentals 4 7
- Artisans 0 1
Total 23 48
208 increase 208 increase 208 increase
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Monitoring conclusions

• Economic benefits
• Estimated input into local economy in 2011 (ca
  60 000 visitors) 700 000 - 800 000 LVL (gt 1
  000 000 EUR).
• Environmental benefits
• Tourism development has not caused degradation
  of nature values. Visitor flows are directed to
  less sensitive nature areas. Local community
  appreciates nature values as a resource and
  involve in protection.
• Social benefits
• Reduced local conflicts. Strong cooperation
  businesses SNP administration local
  municipality.

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Policy proposals for tourism development in
nature protected sites
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Results of policy proposals based on sustainable
tourism model experience
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• Latvian Country Tourism Association Lauku
  celotajs
• Kalnciema 40, Riga LV-1046, tel. [phone]
• asnate_at_celotajs.lv, www.celotajs.lv
• Facebook Lauku celotajs
• Twitter http//twitter.com/laukucelotajs