Policy instruments
Discover the policy instruments that the partners of this project are tackling.
A means for public intervention. It refers to any policy, strategy, or law developed by public authorities and applied on the ground to improve a specific territorial situation. In most cases, financial resources are associated with a policy instrument. However, an instrument can also sometimes refer to a legislative framework with no specific funding. In the context of Interreg Europe, operational programmes for Investment for Growth and Jobs as well as Cooperation Programmes from European Territorial Cooperation are policy instruments. Beyond EU cohesion policy, local, regional, or national public authorities also develop their own policy instruments.
The policy instrument is a regional development strategy that includes tourism as development axis.
Within this priority axis, the main objective is to shift the traditional tourism model turning the region in a more sustainable destination by promoting the reduction of the carbon footprint of the regional tourism value chain. To achieve this goal, it establishes as domain of intervention: the “promotion of innovation projects within the field of tourism that favour the emergence of new business models, solutions and products that are sustainable, intelligent and that connect resources and people”.
For the project purpose the strategic actions that are defined in the tourism strategic axis are especially relevant:
-the strategic planning for sustainable tourism and tourism sustainability.
-the monitoring and evaluation of tourism activity in the Coimbra Region in a strategic and sustainable way.
On the other hand, the policy instrument (as a whole) promotes the alignment of the actions to be taken with the SDG achievement highlighting the two SDGs that are the core concern of Tourism4SDG project: SDG12 and SDG8.
Partners working on this policy instrument
Because tourism is also one of the main cross-border cooperation fields between CyL and Portugal, the policy instrument has as goal to foster this sector by enhancing cross-border tourism and by taking profit of the synergies between these 2 regions.
Under priority P4.B (Culture and Tourism) the PI will address the (SO4) Specific Objective 4.vi based on interregional, cross-border and transnational actions: the PI states that the cross-border area of CyL “has a great wealth of cultural, ethnographic, landscape and environmental heritage, and enhancing and maintaining it is essential for the economic development of the border villages, that’s why the new programme will be oriented towards the type of actions aimed at protection, development and promotion of cultural and natural heritage, and other tourism resources in the cross-border area from a sustainable perspective”. It also includes the possibility of funding sustainable cross-border cooperation tourism projects.
SDG 12 is identified as an objective to which the PI has to contribute (as well as SDG8).
On the other hand, the PI preview a specific follow-up committee that should assure the accomplishment of the previewed results (including the tourism sustainability achieved because of the PI funding).
Partners working on this policy instrument
Programme of tourism development in Lubelskie Voivodship has been adopted in 2016 as a document that addresses one of main challenges pointed out in Lubelskie Regional Development Strategy: the need for developing those competitive edges that exploit innovation, social and intellectual capital of region’s residents.
The document takes into consideration the fact that dynamic cultural, social and political changes influence tourism sector. Therefore, the document lays down the framework of operation of this sector in Lubelskie Region, and defines the main marketing idea and ways it should be exploited.
This strategy is a dynamic document committed to build a strong and evolutive tourism sector in 2030 perspective.
The policy instrument aims at inspiring tourism development through cooperation and innovation, with special attention to the preservation of regional nature, cultural heritage, and lifestyle of our residents (that is to say, in a sustainable way).
The programme also includes a monitoring system based on performance indicators and including as component the Regional Territorial Observatory.
Three specific objectives of the PI are relevant in terms of achieving and measuring the tourism sustainability:
1.To assure an efficient and effective ecosystem of development (of the tourism activity/tourism sector).
2.To develop an accessible tourist space.
3.To make of Lubelskie a “low-travel” region.
Partners working on this policy instrument
Sustainable Urban Development Strategy and its annexes are the main policy instrument that define the framework for the use of financial resources allocated to City of Nyíregyháza from the Territorial and Settlement Development Operational Programme Plus (SUDS) in connection with article 11 of the Regulations on the ERDF (1301/2013/EU) dealing with sustainable urban development. The central element of Article 11 is the integrated sustainable urban development strategies dealing with economic, environmental, climatic, demographic and social challenges. It indicates the development directions and the necessary interventions. Pursuant to the Government's decision 1658/2021 a budget of EUR 130 million was allocated for Nyíregyháza. To use these funds efficiently, it is mandatory to develop a SUDS.
The methodology required several innovative approaches (resilience/adaptability of cities, as a key aspect of long-term development; green and digital transition; participation/conduct surveys among the population and institutions) all focused on achieving local sustainability.
These approaches should be also applied to tourism as the thematic objective S5 (out of 7): “Vibrant cultural life, recreational opportunities, developed tourism”.
Partners working on this policy instrument
The Plan "Destination Marketing This is Parkstad" was developed as a tool to implement the vision for tourism development agreed between the municipalities of the City Region of Parkstad which aims to steer the sector towards a regenerative and GREEN tourist destination.
Under the vision of “positively influence the development of tourism towards a regenerative and GREEN destination, where rural and urban qualities are in balance, where all actors related to tourism cooperate, and where the local residents are involved in both the planning of the vision and its execution” the PI has as central objectives (al link to tourism sustainability):
- Helping the neighbouring Hill Country with spreading day-tourists from the Hill Country to Parkstad as an instrument to lower over-tourism in the Hill Country
- Strengthening the awareness and image of the region Parkstad based on the real DNA;
- Increasing tourist-recreational spending/promoting the local economy;
- Turning inhabitants into ambassadors for the region
- Strengthening the quality of life for residents, by bringing them into contact with and informing them about the recreational opportunities in Parkstad. This makes the "living area" of local residents larger and makes them appreciate their surroundings more.
Linked to the PI implementation there are regional agreements on monitoring that can be understand, in the particular case of the PI, as a tool for monitoring the tourism sustainability.
Partners working on this policy instrument
In the context of a renewed tourism activity and profound transformations in the sector marked by both new expectations of tourists and greater consideration of sustainable development, La Rochelle Urban Community has just adopted (its sustainable tourism strategy ‘strategy for balanced tourism 2023-2030’ supported by the La Rochelle Zero Carbon Territory project. The general ambition is to become a sustainable and responsible coastal tourism destination at the European level, anchored in the values of the territory: a chosen tourism, which is meaningful and beneficial to all, and resource-friendly (considering water and biodiversity issues, as well as the living environment...).
This ambition requires the development of observation tools and sustainable performance indicators, no longer only quantitative but qualitative (environmental impact and carbon impact of the sector, quality and satisfaction of visitors and inhabitants, etc.). This aspect was particularly highlighted in the citizen consultation conducted for 2 months in early 2022 as part of the updating of the 'La Rochelle Agglo 2040' territory project. The objective is to continue to take advantage of the economic dynamism generated by the attractiveness of the region's tourist industry, but to balance it better in order to limit the effects of mass tourism. In order to achieve this objective, an efficient observatory to better manage tourism policies is needed.
Partners working on this policy instrument
The National Industrial Policy Guidelines 2021-2027 (NIP) is a medium-term policy planning document covering all sectors of the economy and setting goals and courses of action to promote economic growth for the next seven years, both domestically and internationally, adopted on February 16, 2021. The responsible authority for the implementation of the Guidelines is the Ministry of the Economy, in cooperation with all line ministries that share responsibility for ensuring the implementation of the tasks set out in the Guidelines. The objective of the NIP is to increase the volume of export to €22 billion in 2023 and to €27 billion in 2027.
Following the path started in the last programming period Tourism is one of Latvia’s economic and environmental priorities. Tourism is also addressed by the PI as one of the dimensions of urban-rural interaction.
Sustainability is a transversal factor introduced in the PI (and guided) by the Latvian Sustainable Development Strategy until 2030 and it is part of the vision establish by the PI that present an “integrated view of the country's balanced and sustainable development”.
Partners working on this policy instrument
The development strategy is an agreement of the eight local governments of the county and partner organisations drawn up under the coordination of the Association of Municipalities of Tartu County. The basic principles of the strategy are co-creation, innovation and a sustainable way of thinking.
Desired state: Tartu County is smart and adaptive. It moves towards climate neutrality and ensures good living conditions for people and, by valuing biodiversity, for all wildlife in the context of both climate change and social development.
Tourism sustainable development is an important part of the PI. Its relevance is stated in its different areas of action, as the following:
- Encouraging cultural tourism based on local heritage and distinctive stories and cluster-based development of cultural journeys.
- Development of sustainable tourism and marketing Tartu County as a sustainable tourist destination, which includes participation in international Green Destinations competitions.
- Development of recreation areas that integrate tourism business and a good living environment.
The PI includes in itself a monitoring system to follow-up its implementation as well as an analysis of its contribution to the SDG.