Fourth stakeholders meeting in Hamburg

The fourth stakeholders meeting took place in Hamburg on January, 21 2020 in the Hamburg Ministry of Economics, Transport and Innovation. 10 persons attended the meeting organized by the Hamburg Metropolitan Region.

Sustainability in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region

Katharina Klanck (Head of Destination Management for Hamburg Tourism) presented the work of Hamburg Tourism in the field of sustainability and the initiatives created such as :

  • Survey of tourism enterprises according to criteria
  • Collection on website and brochure
  • Accompanying communication guideline for marketing has been developed (-> attachment)
  • Green Globe certification for Hamburg Tourism
  • Online and digital campaign #nacHHaltigbegeistert to raise awareness on the “green” offer in Hamburg
  • Sub-project " Your city, your hotels " started for the first time in November 2019
  • Introduction to the « Hamburg CARD Green », the first sustainable discount card in Europe


Project objectives for the Elbe region in Hamburg Metropolitan Region

In the frame of STAR Cities, Tanja Blätter presented the two main approaches for the Elbe region in Hamburg Metropolitan Region, following the different local meetings and core recommendations from the international seminars :

  • Marketing
  • Improvement of the accessibility

Project manager Tanja Blätter presented the Interreg Europe project " Transdanube.Pearls" as a good practice project. Along the Danube river, sustainable mobility has been developed within and between destinations, mobility centers have been established and marketable products have been created.

The proposal to concentrate on the development of sustainable mobility offers in the further course of the project meets with broad approval. Already existing project approaches are to be integrated such as the project " Kurs Elbe ".

In the following discussion, the participants agreed that it should be examined whether the approach planned in the LP Biosphere Reserves might be transferred to the entire Elbe region. Even if integration into the planned lead project is no longer possible due to the project’s schedule, the approach developed there should be checked for transferability.

In the next meeting, the results of the examination as well as the approach of the lead project will be presented in order to discuss the further procedure.


Report from Kaunas : Impressions and results

Following the second Interregional Learning Session in Kaunas, which topic was “Locals and community engagement”, the german partners concluded it makes sense to involve small cultural initiatives developed locally by or with the involvement of local actors and initiatives.

Two conclusions were drawn in a workshop on how these initiatives could offer a chance for tourism development :

  • Downsizing of tourism with small and sustainable offers ;
  • Increasing the acceptance of tourism by involving the population.

However, this approach is rather difficult to use for large-scale marketing.

Interregional learning session in Hamburg Metropolitan Region 

The planned programme of the second thematic seminar has been presented. The theme of the event is “Tourism products and marketing”, it will take place in April in Hamburg. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region has a lot of offer in this specific field compared to the other project partners.

All stakeholders are cordially invited to participate in the seminar to exchange ideas with the international project partners.