Sustainable tourism development strategies

In the ten years of its existence ECEAT-Projects has initiated and worked on a wide variety of projects on developing sustainable tourism in different countries worldwide.

Name:	Tour-Link, Demonstrating how an integrated ecolabeling and tour operating supply chain management strategy can foster sustainability in tourism
Location:	Global
Funding:	EU LIFE Programme
Position:	Leader
Date:	2004 - 2007
Description:	Introduction of the agreed sustainable supply chain management methodology among at least 75 + tour operators in The Netherlands, United Kingdom and other European countries leading to more demand for sustainable/certified suppliers. Individual tour operators shall be trained and coached. Based on an overall monitoring of the implementation process and results it is foreseen to introduce the system industry wide within the Netherlands and the UK.

Name:	Link All
Location:	Latin America
Funding:	EU - @LIS Programme
Position:	Partner
Date	2003 - 2006
Description:	Assistance in the uptake of innovative IT practices, to support collaboration, promote exchange of experience and transfer of know-how and improve related skills in three targeted sectors - Crafts, Eco-Agro tourism and Culture, in order to help remote Latin American communities secure a sustainable and environmentally friendly economy, relying on their local natural, material and human resources.

Name:	Sustainable tourism and town twinning Netherlands - Poland
Location:	Netherlands/Poland
Funding:	NL - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Position:	Subcontractor
Date	2003 - 2004
Description:	Integrates sustainable tourism in 101 Town Twinning "Netherlands -Poland" projects. ECEAT role: participation of 2 conferences, research tourism offer, development of project proposals for sustainability in tourism for at least to twinning projects, publication and publicity activities.

Name:	Civil Link Slovakia
Location:	Slovakia
Funding:	Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MATRA Programme
Position:	Project leader
Date:	2001 - 2004
Description:	A programme to create an integrated development strategy in participation with regional and local stakeholders in a mountainous Presov region in East Slovakia. Emphasis on tourism development and land use management. Empowerment of local authorities with respect to planning and regional development.

Name:	In search of Europe’s lost heart
Date:	2001
Location:	Europe
Funding:	EU - DG ENV. NGO Programme
Position:	Project leader
Description:	Development of a European standard for accommodations in and around national parks and other nature reserves in the framework of Natura 2000 and Europark (European Federation of Nature Parks). Adviser for the Europark Charter for Sustainable Tourism, criteria, strategy and management tools for the development of sustainable tourism in European nature parks.

Date:	2001
Location:	Kyrgyzstan, Kazachstan, Uzbekistan
Funding:	EU - TACIS Programme
Position:	Consultant
Description:	West Tien Shan Biodiversity project. A GEF/ World Bank / TACIS project to support the protection of biodiversity in 4 Zapovedniks in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazachstan. Contribution to management plans. Product development and marketing. Criteria for sustainable tourism development. Development of tourism micro-enterprises in the Sary-Chelek Zapovednik. Support the creation of a national Community Based Tourism association. Development of a organisational, business and marketing strategy for Community Based Tourism in Kyrgyzstan.

Name:	The strengthening of the socio-economic position of women farmers in Poland
Date:	2000
Location:	Poland
Funding:	EU - Phare Programme
Position:	Subcontract
Description:	Development of tourism and agricultural production groups for Polish Farmers Women. Creation of a network of rural tourism accommodations in the Beskidy mountains (South of Krakow).

Date:	1999
Location:	Costa Rica
Funding:	Dutch Ministry for Development Co-operation
Position:	Consultant
Description:	Eco and agro tourism development and marketing programme. Creation of a national marketing network of small and medium rural tourism enterprises. Active marketing of products within European and American markets. Assessment of existing quality and needs for training and education. Development of a quality system for ecotourism.

Date:	1999
Location:	Ukraine
Company:	World Wildlife Fund
Position:	Consultant
Description:	Development of an ecotourism strategy and development plan for the Danube Delta in the framework of the WWF Partners for Wetland program for the Odessa Oblast. An initiative of WWF in Eastern Europe, which follows a concept in presenting several parks together to the tourism market, combining eco-tourism and nature conservation. Parks, and enterprises who provide tourism facilities in these parks can obtain the PanParc logo, when meeting quality standards for service and nature conservation.

Date:	1998 – 2000
Location:	Estonia
Funding:	EU - Phare Programme
Position:	Advisor
Description:	Formulation of a development strategy and organisational structure for the rural accommodation sector on behalf of the Estonian Ministry of Agriculture and the Estonian Tourism Board. Actor analysis of rural tourism and preparation of co-operation agreements (Tourism Board, Farmers Union, Ecotourism association, tour operators association, etc.). Development of a training programme for rural tourism entrepreneurs. Development of a promotion strategy for rural tourism. International market research for rural tourism to Estonia. Development of a quality control system for rural tourism.

Date:	1997
Location:	Costa Rica
Company:	Dutch Ministry of Development Co-operation
Position:	Advisor
Description:	Conducting of a feasibility study and a project identification mission for the development of eco and agro tourism, focussed on product development, training, quality management and marketing.

Date:	1997
Location:	Benin, Africa
Funding:	Dutch Ministry of Development Co-operation
Position:	Advisor
Description:	Conducting of a feasibility study to the potential of tourism as a contribution to rural development. Identification of local NGO partners for sustainable tourism development. Formulation of a pilot project – developing locally produced facilities and handicrafts - in the Boukombe region.

Name:	Tour operating as support for Sustainable Development and Nature Protection
Date:	1996
Location:	The Netherlands
Company:	EU - DG ENV
Position:	Advisor
Description:	Production of a manual “Tour operating as support for Sustainable Development and Nature Protection” for NGO's active in tourism.

Date:	1996
Location:	The Baltic States, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary
Company:	Regional Environmental Centre
Position:	Advisor
Description:	Introduction of an ecotourism programme in close co-operation with local communities. Creation of national networks of regional eco-tourism development initiatives. Standardisation of products, selection and training of entrepreneurs, marketing of the products through ”Green Holiday Guides”

Date:	1993 – 1997
Location:	Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary
Funding:	EU DG ENV./Dutch Ministry of Environment
Position:	Consultant
Description:	Several assignments in the framework of support programmes for countries in transition. Introduction of eco and agro tourism within a small and medium enterprise development programme. Production of a training manual for small tourism entrepreneurs. Linking of sustainable and rural tourist accommodations with 115 European eco tour operators. Development of 15 tours and modules in co-operation with local communities in 6 Central and Eastern European Countries. Development of European standards and criteria for sustainable campsites, B&Bs and self-catering accommodations.