Congressen

Green destinations take a long journey

Travelling to and from a conference is often referred to as the elephant in the room when it comes to organizing in a sustainable way. The question is to what extent you should go along with that. Can we only hold international conferences in easily accessible cities - from as many destinations as possible - and conference centres that are close to the airport and/or train stations? In this light, the choice of Global Green Destination Days (GGDD19) stands out. The international conference on sustainable tourism takes place in Mali Lošinj on the Croatian island of Cres, only accessible by air with a small business plane and no train connection. Conference participants are therefore dependent on car or bus and ferry to get there.

Green Destinations Foundation

The initiator of the conference, which is taking place for the third consecutive year, is the Green Destinations Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to help destination representatives and stakeholders to make their destination better and more sustainable. The choice for Mali Lošinj was made after the ITB Berlin trade fair took place, says foundation President Albert Salman. Bristol was another candidate, but in view of the approaching and uncertain Brexit this idea was dismissed mid-April. The involved tourism organizations in Croatia wanted to bring the conference to Lošinj partly in support of the rewarded silver Green Destinations Award. The awards and certification are an important pillar of the Green Destinations Foundation, says Salman. The bronze, silver, gold and platinum awards demonstrate to the outside world that these destinations are actively engaged in sustainable tourism and follow a growth path towards final certification that meets the standards of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC); the holy grail, so to speak. Through knowledge sharing and training, complemented by the award system, the foundation supports the small regions in particular, each with their own specific qualities and challenges, to work on sustainability in a practical way.

Partly in Zagreb

An island destination as difficult to reach as Mali Lošinj fits into the above described picture as a conference destination. The foundation demanded, however, that part of the conference would take place in Zagreb, out of fear that the number of participants would be very low. Interested parties could therefore also only register for a programme in the Croatian capital (or only Mali Lošinj). The registration was disappointing on the whole. Eventrify was used for this purpose, which was unusable twice in the run-up to the conference and in which registrants were also wrongly informed at a certain point that the tickets they wanted had been sold out. Maybe a good time to clarify responsibilities. The organization of GGDD19 is the responsibility of six tourist offices, they called in Globtour Event to make it all happen. The foundation does not have a conference department. [caption id="attachment_80227" align="alignnone" width="750"]Hilton Garden Inn Zagreb The kick-off takes place at the Hilton Garden Inn hotel, which officially opened its doors the week before.[/caption]

New conference hotel

The kick-off takes place at the Hilton Garden Inn hotel, which officially opened its doors the week before. The lift takes the participants to the conference centre on the top floor. From here the conference attendees have the area to themselves. At the check-in desk, everyone is given a conference bag full of leaflets. In defence of this, I should add that these were tourist brochures that were not printed specifically for this conference. The conference programme can only be consulted in digital form. The tables with cups and glasses in the reception area are ready, as well as a few staff members, but there are no drinks available. [caption id="attachment_80221" align="alignnone" width="750"] State Secretary Tonči Glavina tells a strong story, without PowerPoint support or notes, about the important role that tourism has played in the economic recovery of his country after the Balkan war 25 years ago.[/caption]

Green Tourism

Luckily, the keynotes bring the necessary energy this morning, starting with the opening speech by Albert Salman. With quotes from some of the Global Leaders - who have been forming the global network of the Green Destinations Foundation since last year - he sets the tone and underlines the sense of community within the club. The Minister for Tourism, announced in the programme, has been replaced by State Secretary Tonči Glavina. He tells a strong story, without PowerPoint support or notes, about the important role that tourism has played in the economic recovery of his country after the Balkan war 25 years ago. In recent years, there has been an open discussion on sustainable tourism in Croatia. The local residents are also intensively involved in this, because the country's 4 million inhabitants receive around 20 million visitors a year. A three-year action plan has been drawn up to stimulate green tourism. Where previously the central government took the lead in the development of tourism, the empowerment by the destinations themselves has now been placed in the hands of the government. This leads to more duties, more responsibilities, more money, more resources and more education on a local level, stresses Glavina.

Global leaders

Next, two Global Leaders present their stories: Susan Santos de Cardenas, President of the Society for Sustainable Tourism in the Philippines, and Beatriz Barreal, founder and CEO of Riviera Maya Sostenible. They set the tone for what will be presented in the coming days, particularly in the area of Sustainable Destination Management and Community Empowerment. We see pictures of tourist flooded attractions (Angkor Wat, Kuta Beach) and examples of sustainable, small-scale alternatives. For example, from illegal loggers who used to cut down the mangroves for charcoal and who have been retrained to guides that show small groups of (eco)tourists around in nature. This project is also included in the Top 100 Sustainable Destinations, which the foundation compiles and presents annually at ITB Berlin on the basis of their sustainability scores. During the break, the drinks finally reach the tables. However, this is not enough, and the passive employees do not intervene until late in the day to replenish the empty bottles of water and juice in good time. [caption id="attachment_80223" align="alignnone" width="750"]Albert Salman Foundation President Albert Salman concluded the morning programme by once again emphasizing the problem of over-tourism.[/caption]

Over-tourism

In the second part of the plenary programme Jelka Tepšić, Deputy Mayor of Dubrovnik, talks about how the Croatian city was facing a third place on the CNN 2018 list of destinations to avoid. Through traffic measures, visit slots and more parking for residents, the flow of traffic was improved, especially at the two traffic congestion areas Pile Gate and Luža Square. Albert Salman concluded the morning programme by once again emphasizing the problem of over-tourism. In the past, mass tourism used to be viewed as something negative due to, for example, overflowing beaches. Nowadays, very culturally responsible highlights and particularly beautiful destinations are being flooded by tourists. The result: a decrease in the tourist experience, an increase in pollution and an intolerable situation for the local residents. It is not so much the local companies that benefit from this type of tourism; it is the fast food chains and digital intermediaries, according to Salman.

Controversial PowerPoint presentations

In the afternoon, there are a few parallel sessions. The presentations of regional projects by people who are very involved in the sustainable development of their destination are impressive. The enthusiasm of a few speakers, however, is severely thwarted by PowerPoint presentations that are starting to lead a life of their own. The technical service, which was present at the start, was now nowhere to be found, it's a shame. The first day of the conference in Zagreb ultimately attracted some 125 participants from 31 countries. That is almost half of the conference that took place in the Netherlands last year. When we travel to Mali Lošinj by bus the next day at 7am, about half of the participants have left. Not entirely surprising when you consider that the journey takes five hours and most of the participants have to return to Zagreb to travel back to their own country from there.

A way of life

During the bus ride I sit next to Paul Peeters, Associate Professor Sustainable Transport and Tourism at the Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas). On the first day, he provided a presentation on research into the further refinement of sustainability criteria. He came from the Netherlands by train and will - because he has to be back a day early – travel from Mali Lošinj by bus, ferry and shared taxi Goopti to Rijeka and then by train via Villach and Munich to his home town Ede. A way of life, that's what he calls his choice. Yes, it usually takes more time and money, but not to the extent it seems at first glance. In the case of destinations that are not served by low-cost carriers, the price difference is not that big, as well as the time from doorstep to destination. I can also do more work on the train, he says.

Required travel movements

There are more participants who made the environmental conscious choice and came by train instead of by plane. As a cost-saving tip, I am told that it is better to split an international train journey into tickets for each country. This can cut costs by half because each country subsidizes train tickets, but there is evidently no interest in regulating this across borders. Peeters believes it is important to look at the necessary travel movements when choosing a conference destination. According to him, there are programmes available that calculate this on the basis of the origin of (most) participants. The planned visit to the Gorski Kotar nature reserve - just like Mali Lošinj located in the Kvarnar region - turns out to be a regular coffee and pee break to the surprise of the participants. Luckily, we still get Croatian blueberry strudel for the bus. We have to leave quickly because you don't want to miss the ferry to the island. [caption id="attachment_80230" align="alignnone" width="750"]Conference hotel Bellevue in Mali Lošinj While the participants staying in in the five-star conference hotel Bellevue in Mali Lošinj are checked in at the same time, they are fortunately offered a nice glass of water.[/caption]

Five-star conference hotel

The afternoon programme on this second day takes place in the five-star conference hotel Bellevue in Mali Lošinj. While the participants staying in this hotel are checked in at the same time, they are fortunately offered a nice glass of water. After an excellent lunch, there is an afternoon programme with three parallel sessions, which consists for the most part of presentations about regions and cities that want to be attractive for sustainable tourism based on their specific qualities in terms of nature, culture and history. We are clearly dealing with a group of peers. The knowledge and examples of the participants in the room are just as important as those of the speakers. [caption id="attachment_80242" align="alignnone" width="750"]Global Green Destination Days Award Night The evening programme includes the Green Destinations Awards and Top 100 Ceremony in the Museum of Apoxyomenos.[/caption]

Award evening

The evening programme includes the Green Destinations Awards and Top 100 Ceremony in the Museum of Apoxyomenos. After an opening speech by Mayor Ana Kucic, the awards and certifications are presented. The mayor receives the silver award from Mali Lošinj. In the 'country ranking' of this evening, Slovenia is the leader with no less than 12 awards for the various sustainable destinations. The next morning, upon arrival at Hotel Bellevue, there were once again no drinks available for the participants. You could argue that they could have had their coffee, tea, fruit juice or water at breakfast, but during conference days I always meet fellow-sufferers looking for (mostly) coffee. The filling of water bottles is done in the hotel rooms or toilets, for lack of public water coolers. In this generously dimensioned location with a pleasant atmosphere and sea view, lunches and coffee breaks are well taken care of.

Technical failure once again

On day three, the sessions on Waste Management experienced a bad start with again technical problems that were not solved right away. In the end, a technician quickly manages to make the presentations visible on the supporting screens at the side of the hall. The main screen didn’t work at all. The chairman and speakers stay calm and keep telling their passionate stories, followed by an animated session with the participants. In the afternoon, Lošinj is explored. After all, it would be a shame not to experience the nature-laden island and the picturesque villages. During the bus trip, we learn that the wooded island has long been known as a health and vitality destination because of the good quality of the air and sea water, the 280 kilometres of footpaths and cycling trails, the rich biodiversity (1,200 plant species, 230 of which are medicinal) and the health and wellness centres. [caption id="attachment_80233" align="alignnone" width="750"]Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation in Veli Lošinj In Veli Lošinj, we visit the Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation. Researchers and many volunteers are working here to protect the local bottlenose dolphins.[/caption]

Bottlenose dolphins

In Veli Lošinj, we visit the Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation. Researchers and many volunteers are working here to protect the approximately 200 bottlenose dolphins that are present in this part of the Adriatic Sea. Tourists can sail with the researchers on their identification trips which offers many advantages: the tourists get a richer experience because the researchers like to provide a lot of information, the dolphins are not harassed by too many and too ignorant visitors and there is money in the pocket to continue the good work of the institute. A perfect example of a project in the spirit of the Green Destinations Foundation. A lot of work has been done for many years to get this off the ground and get is widely accepted, but this is now bearing fruit. The brand-new Marine Education Centre, which is scheduled to open its doors in 2023, is now being eagerly anticipated. [caption id="attachment_80236" align="alignnone" width="750"]Museum of Apoxyomenos in Mali Lošinj The Museum of Apoxyomenos in Mali Lošinj is a small museum dedicated to the almost two-metre-high antique bronze statue of an athlete that was removed from the seabed near Lošinj in 1999 and then restored.[/caption]

Strengthen connection

What follows is a closer inspection of the Museum of Apoxyomenos in Mali Lošinj, a small museum dedicated to the almost two-metre-high antique bronze statue of an athlete that was removed from the seabed near Lošinj in 1999 and then restored. An additional connection between the Green Destinations Foundation and Mali Lošinj is made by planting a tree at the local primary school. Here, too, the mayor is doing her bit. At the end of the three-day conference, we watch the sunset from the Tematski vidikovac Providenca viewpoint, which puts Mali Lošinj in a fairytale-glow. Meanwhile, the healthy juices and antipasti on offer are consumed with great pleasure. It is a final agreement entirely in line with the peak-end rule. [caption id="attachment_80239" align="alignnone" width="587"]Tematski vidikovac Providenca viewpoint At the end of the three-day conference, we watch the sunset from the Tematski vidikovac Providenca viewpoint, which puts Mali Lošinj in a fairytale-glow.[/caption]   Photos: Sandro Tariba, Edwin Nunnink      

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