Work on the Implementation of the EU Eco-label Scheme in the Areas of Marketing Lot 8

Transcription

1 Eco-label Project Marketing for tourism 2006 Work on the Implementation of the EU Eco-label Scheme in the Areas of Marketing Lot 8 Presentation First Czech Seminar, Prague 12 April 2006 Report April, 2006 Monika Pribylova, Enviros On behalf of the European Commission

2 Date 12. April 2006 Location The presentation took place in Hotel Adalbert, which was established in the premises of the historical monastery Břevnovský klášter in Prague. Co-operation The program was prepared in cooperation with the Czech Eco-label Competent body (the Eco-label Agency). Program It consisted of: Opening - presenting the aim of the seminar, introduction of the EU project for support of EU Eco-label in tourism by Monika Přibylová, Enviros. Presentation of MoE s role in the eco-label system (activities in tourism area) by Mr. Daniel Hájek, MoE Presentation of requirements for awarding the Eco-label, benefits and costs for accommodation operators, Eco-label award procedure by Ms. Adéla Princová, Eco-label Agency, CENIA Sharing of experience with obtaining the 1st EU Eco-label in the tourist accommodation category in the Czech republic by Mr. Filip Kühnel, director of Adalbert hotel Presentation of implementation benefits of EU Eco-label in tourist accommodation in by Ernst Leitner, G&L Discussion Visit of hotel Adalbert premises with discussion of changes needed to comply with the Eco-label criteria. There were 26 participants (see list of participants attached) from which 11 were representatives of hotels, pensions and other accommodation services, several representatives from national board on eco-labeling tourist services (representatives from MoE, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry for local development, European centre for Ecological and Agricultural tourism, Accommodation services association, ) - 2 -

3 Picture from the seminar discussion The target group were hotels and pensions in middle Bohemia region covering Prague, with size of beds. The following table shows the number of invited accommodation services (hotels/pensions) and number of attendees divided by regions. region Number of Number of invited attendees Prague 46 3 Around Prague 38 5 East Bohemia Hradec Kralove region 8 1 West Bohemia Karlovy Vary region 10 1 Noth Bohemia Usti n. Labem region 8 1 South Bohemia 2 0 Celkem

4 The representatives of hotels/pensions, who took part in the seminar, were in majority: smaller hotels (up to 40 rooms); from touristically attractive areas (e.g. Hotel Safari nearby the only Czech Safary in east Bohemia region) they were interested in attracting foreign (EU) clients, they were hotels out of the city centres (note that the number of Prague hotels interested in the seminar has the lowest ratio); Summary of the discussion at the seminar The presentation of requirements for awarding the Eco-label, benefits and costs for accommodation operators by Ms. Adéla Princová got interest from the representatives of hotels and pensions. The discussion focused mainly on strictness of fulfilling the criteria, fees for Eco-label and other practical questions. The next presentation made by Mr. Kühnel, director of Adalbert hotel, who was responsible for implementation of the Eco-label criteria and obtaining all relevant documents for acquisition of the Eco-label focused on sharing the experience with obtaining the 1st EU Eco-label and national Eco-label in the tourist accommodation category in the Czech Republic. He presented the newly prepared environmental statement of the hotel management. According to Mr. Kühnel, the most difficult part of implementing the criteria are those, where human factor plays high role as it needs lot of time and energy to consistently require the hotel staff to take care about water, energy and cleaning chemical consumption minimization. The technical requirements were not excessively big burden. As the eco-label in tourist accommodation services is a new topic in the CR, participants especially from the tourist/hotel associations were keen to hear the experience from the countries, where this eco-label already works. Therefore Mr. Leitner s presentation on EU experience, expectation of holiday makers in relation to environmental friendly hotels and benefits of EU Eco-label in tourist accommodation was welcomed. During discussion representatives of Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of local development expressed support to implement the EU eco-label in the CR. Representatives of Ministry of local development informed about preparation of program for support of such activities on regional and local level

5 Representatives of Ministry of agriculture and the European centre for Ecological and Agricultural tourism asked how the Eco-label agency plans to disseminate the information on local level. Ms. Pribylova and Ms. Princova suggested to carry our at least one more seminar focused not only for accommodation service but also camps within this year in South Bohemia region (Ceske Budejovice regional capital). Further more there is information available on web pages and EU Ecolabel web pages. Also within this project already information brochures were prepared - they can be disseminated over eco-centers on local level. After the end of the seminar the discussion on support of information dissemination continued with representatives of accommodation and tourist services associations. Result of the seminar immediately after the end of the seminar Mr.Zbyněk Čermák from Pension Primus expressed interest in applying for the EU Eco-label. He was given the full version of the criteria and had one meeting with the CB (Ms. Princova). Note: One week after the end of the seminar, hotel Adalbert was awarded by the EU and Czech eco-labels by the Minister of environment on press conference. Next activities: 1. Based on the interest of participants of the seminar the dissemination channel over various internet pages and tourist fairs will be explored and utilized during next months of the project. 2. Two articles on EU eco-label for tourist accommodation are to be published in Environmental aspects (quarterly magazine). 3. The above mentioned second seminar is planned to organize it during the Flower week in the middle of October 2006 in České Budějovice or Český Krumlov in cooperation with the regional authority of South Bohemia region. This seminar will have two parts one focused on tourist accommodation and other on camps

6 Annex - List of participants: 1. Bulla Ján Hotel Čechie, Praha 2. Burian Michal ECEAT 3. Ana Kučerová J. Pension Sport, Chomutov 4. Čermák Soběslav Penzion Klokočka 5. Čermák Zbyněk Pension Primus 6. Dufková Iveta Hotel Stefanie, Praha 7. Hájek Daniel MoE 8. Pavel Růžička MoE 9. Hamplová Helena Svaz obchodu a cestovního ruchu ČR 10. Mr. Hošek Ministry of Agriculture 11. Mr. Houška Ministry for local development 12. Kazmierski Tomáš REC 13. Kosek Eva Hotel Safari 14. Mrs. Srdíčková NFHR 15. Kühnel Filip Hotel Adalbert 16. Leitner Ernst G&L 17. Mogilevská Alla, Hotel Lesno 18. Viktor Magilevský, Hotel Lesno 19. Mrs. Novotná, Hotel Archibal 20. Plachá Dagmar, Sdružení cestovního ruchu Jeseníky 21. Princová Adéla, Agentura EŠV, CENIA 22. Přibylová Monika, Enviros 23. Rambousek Milan, HO.RE.KA ČR 24. Tittelbachová Šárka, Ministry for local development 25. Emilia Boďová, Slovak Env. Agency, Eco-label CB 26. Stanislava Trepáčová Hotel Populus, Praha - 6 -