SEEMORE: Attractive Destinations Sustainable and Energy Efficient Mobility Options in tourist Regions in Europe

Transcription

1 SEEMORE: Attractive Destinations Sustainable and Energy Efficient Mobility Options in tourist Regions in Europe Authors: Maarten van Bemmelen Raul Medina Lluís de Victoria CINESI May 2015

2 Contents SEEMORE: Attractive Destinations Sustainable and Energy Efficient Mobility Options in tourist Regions in Europe Final publishable report of the SEEMORE project Authors: Maarten van Bemmelen, Raul Medina, Lluís de Victoria, CINESI. May Executive summary Project Objectives SEEMORE Partners SEEMORE Approach Sustainable Mobility Packages for Tourists SEEMORE Awareness Campaigns SEEMORE Promotional Videos SEEMORE Regions Provincia Forlì-Cesena, Italy Choczewo, Pomerania, Poland Dobrich District, Bulgaria Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain Limassol, Cyprus Bohuslän, Sweden Malta Madeira, Portugal 30 Impacts of the SEEMORE project. Achievement on IEE common performance indicators. Lessons and recommendations for local authorities Lessons and recommendations for mobility providers Lessons and recommendations for the tourism sector SEEMORE actions replicated in other tourism regions Find out more about sustainable mobility for tourists Legal disclaimer: The sole responsibility for the content of this document lies with the authors. It does not represent the opinion of the European Communities. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. SEEMORE is co-funded by the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme of the European Commission and ran from March 2012 until March 2015.

3 Executive summary The SEEMORE project has focused on introducing energy-efficient transport solutions for visitors in eight coastal tourist regions of Europe. The SEEMORE approach consisted of three main steps: Establishing local cooperation frameworks with stakeholders from the tourism and mobility sectors. Implementation of local actions to promote sustainable mobility of visitors. Exchange of experience with other regions to encourage replication of successful actions. SEEMORE has actively shared experiences with representatives from 107 European tourist regions in small-scale transfer workshops. 32 transfer regions have already started developing SEEMORE-like actions. The dissemination activities on project and EU-level reached practitioners. Because of the increase in public transport use in the eight implementation regions and the transfer regions, SEEMORE contributes to achieving EU 2020 objectives on CO2 reduction and savings in primary energy use. Overall it is estimated that by 2020, SEEMORE will contribute to primary Energy savings of 9,699 toe/year and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of 26,434 t CO2-equivalent/year. The main lessons and recommendations from the SEEMORE implementation are: The eight SEEMORE regions have implemented a range of 179 local actions that can be grouped into the following action types: Mobility information packages for tourists; Communication and awareness raising campaigns; Improved sustainable mobility options; Integrated products for leisure and mobility; Integrated planning processes taking the needs of tourists into account. SEEMORE has been successful in reaching its specific project objectivesders Setting up the cross-sectorial co-operation between local tourist and mobility stakehol- takes time and effort but is essential for creating win-win situations and reaching the The cooperation between desired impacts. the tourism and mobility sectors was improved in Public transport information should be easily accessible to visitors already well before each of the eight regions. their arrival at the destination. 4 Local working groups combi- 5 ning stakeholders from both sectors were formed. Combined new products were created and data exchange protocols established. 80% of the trainees involved in the regional workshop stated that their skills had increased. The combined promotion and awareness actions of the SEEMORE project have reached 7,800,000 visitors in the eight participating regions. 60% of the tourists that participated in the SEEMORE survey stated that they were aware of the sustainable mobility options that are promoted by the project. A shift towards more sustainable transport options is reflected in the additional 1,500,000 public transport tickets sold within the SEEMORE regions (comparing 2014 to 2012). Sustainable mobility of tourists is of strategic importance for tourist destinations because it adds value to the local tourism product and the image of the destination. The number of tourists looking for a sustainable holiday destination is growing. There is no sustainable destination without sustainable mobility. A close cooperation between local actors from the mobility and tourism sectors can create more attractive destinations. Public transport and sustainable mobility should be marketed as an integral part of the holiday experience. SEEMORE provides recommendations to hotels and accommodations on how to increase the service level to their guests and promote sustainable mobility at the same time. The mobility of visitors and leisure transport in general should be an integral part of each Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. This report presents a summary of the experiences of a three-year project of 14 partners, implemented at 8 tourist destinations. More detailed information can be found on the project website:

4 Project Objectives SEEMORE Partners Background Leisure travel accounts for 50% of all travel mileage in industrialized countries and is expected to grow further in the coming years. The impact of growing leisure travel is especially felt in tourist regions that have to cope with seasonal changes in transport demand and severe congestion caused by high levels of car use. An inefficient organisation of mobility can lead to a decrease in the attractiveness of a destination because of road congestion and poor air quality. At a local level, integrated policymaking and strategy development for mobility and tourism is needed to face these challenges. For tourist destinations to remain competitive and attractive in a global market, co-operation between local actors from the tourism and mobility sectors is essential. CINESI Transport Consultancy Spain Spain Sweden Sweden FGM-AMOR Austrian Mobility Research Austria Poland Municipality of Choczewo Poland Sustainable Development of Civil Society Club Bulgaria Province of Forlì-Cesena Italy Italy Cyprus Stratagem Energy Ltd Cyprus Horários do Funchal Public Transport Portugal Malta Objectives The SEEMORE project has focused on introducing energy-efficient transport solutions for visitors in eight coastal tourist regions of Europe. Its specific objectives were: To increase the co-operation between the tourism and mobility sectors, thereby creating new energy efficient mobility options for leisure travel. To increase the awareness about sustainable mobility options among tourists. To realise a shift of travel behaviour of visitors towards more sustainable modes of transport. 6 To widely share and communicate the SEEMORE experiences and outcomes with other 7 actors in Europe, so that they start implementing similar actions. Because of the shift in travel behaviour from private and rental cars towards public transport and slow modes, SEEMORE contributes to achieving EU 2020 objectives on CO2 reduction and savings in primary energy use.

5 SEEMORE Approach The SEEMORE approach consisted of three main steps: Establishing local cooperation frameworks with stakeholders from the tourism and mobility sectors. Implementation of local actions to promote sustainable mobility of visitors. Exchange of experience with other regions to encourage replication of successful actions. Establishing local cooperation with stakeholders The creation of local working groups involving stakeholders from tourism and transport in each of the eight participating regions has been the basis for the success of SEEMORE. The groups discussed the design, implementation and evaluation of the mobility management actions for tourism in the SEEMORE regions. In most of the regions, the SEEMORE local framework workshop was the first time that tourism and transport planners worked together in a structured way. The local framework documents and action plans produced by the different regional teams are available on the SEEMORE website. The cooperation continues also after the end of the SEEMO- RE project. Actions to promote sustainable mobility of visitors The eight SEEMORE regions have implemented a range of 179 local actions that This report first provides a visual presentation of three actions that were implemented by most of the regions, namely the mobility packages for tourists, the communication campaigns and the promotional videos. In continuation the reader can find an overview of the specific actions and impacts in each of the eight SEEMORE regions. Exchange of experience to encourage replication in other regions Throughout the project, the SEEMORE partners have organised small-scale faceto-face events to encourage the transfer of experiences to other tourist regions in Europe. During the national transfer seminars, the SEEMORE regions presented their local actions in their own language to a group of colleagues from their own country. Two specific international SEEMORE events in Trieste and Bucharest attracted participants from Central Europe. Overall, representatives from 107 regions participated in the SEEMORE transfer seminars. SEEMORE partner have presented the project 8 at different international thematic con- can be grouped into the following action ferences covering both the mobility and 9 tourism sectors. The thematic conclusions SEEMORE meeting in Sweden. from these presentations and discussions have been included in a series of targeted reports that are available on the SEEMORE website ( types: Mobility packages for tourists: combined mobility and tourist information in different formats and languages. Communication campaigns: promotional videos, photo competitions, billboards and public events. Improved mobility options: new public transport lines, public bikes, bike transport on trains and buses, cycling and walking routes. SEEMORE meeting in Madeira Integrated products: combined tickets for public transport and events or attractions, audio guides for public transport routes, journey planners for leisure trips. Integrated planning: protocols for data exchange between mobility and tourism actors, parking strategies in tourist areas, training of front desk staff from tourism sectors and integrate leisure mobility into Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans. SEEMORE meeting in Malta.

6 Sustainable Mobility Packages for Tourists The basic idea of the sustainable mobility package for tourists is to combine updated information on local transport options and tourist attractions into one integrated carrier and to offer this in the languages of the target groups. This allows the visitor to plan his tourist excursions making use of public transport and by cycling or walking. The SEEMORE regions have implemented a range of solutions, including: Brochures with timetables of the bus lines towards the main attractions. Bicycle maps connecting cycling facilities to tourist attractions. An online trip planning tool allowing visitors to plan thematic excursions using public transport. A complete travel guide based on the regions public transport network. Billboard in Malta. Promotiong photo competition Map distribution at Palma de Mallorca airport. Promotion of SEEMORE photo competition in Forlì-Cesena Brochures from Funchal. SEEMORE desk in Forlì-Cesena. Bicycle maps produced in Bohuslän, Sweden. Travel guide Madeira.

7 SEEMORE Awareness Campaigns The SEEMORE regions have organised campaigns to raise awareness among tourists about the available offer of sustainable mobility options. Tourists where targeted both before arrival and during their stay. Photo Competition Forlì-Cesena, author Lucia Spadoni. Photo competition Limassol Дмитрий Синайский Posters photo competition Malta. 12 Photo Competition Malta, author Vincent van Roomen. Photo competition Limassol Giwrgos Triantafillides 13 Teaser postcard photo competition Madeira. Photo competition in Albena Resort, Dobrich. SEEMORE photo competition Limassol Back to nature! Romos Kotsonis. SEEMORE photo competition Limassol Cycling to the beach

8 SEEMORE Promotional Videos Malta The video format provides the possibility to transmit the positive emotions of SEEMORE: sustainable mobility is fun and it forms an integral part of your holiday experience. When walking, cycling or travelling in public transport you will SEE MORE of our attractive destination! The promotional videos are made available on regional tourist and transport websites but can also be accessed centrally on the SEEMORE YouTube channel: Pomerania Madeira Forlì-Cesena Dobrich Mallorca Limassol

9 Provincia Forlì-Cesena, Italy CASE STUDY Sustainable Mobility Guides for Visitors Provincia Forlì-Cesena, Italy The Province of Forlì-Cesena is a local authority coordinating 30 municipalities in several subjects, including tourism and mobility. For the SEEMO- RE project the Province directly involved its coastal municipalities of Cesenatico, Gatteo and San Mauro Pascoli and the art city of Forlì. Besides the province and the municipalities, the SEEMORE local working group also incorporated the local mobility agency, the local PT operator, the Forlì agency for integrated mobility and the hotel association of Cesenatico. Cesenatico Harbour. Petra Bottcher. Awareness campaigns were organised to promote the available offer of sustainable mobility options in the area. This included for example, the preparation of sustainable mobility guides for tourists, the production of a promotion video, the organisation of a photocompetition and the promotion of a bus line to the beach and the extended public bike system. The members of the local working groups recognized the importance of cycling tourism and the hotels were convinced to maintain their cycle rental and maintenance services. Bike sharing services were expanded in both Forlì and Cesenatico and a new bike map was produced. In coo- The great majority of visitors of the Province Forlì-Cesena arrive in their own car. In the summer season this generates peaks in congestion and pollution. Before SEEMORE there was a lack of information about alternative mobility options to reach the main historical and leisure attractions. The new sustainable mobility guides aim to convince tourists to park their car once they arrive in the area and then use sustainable modes for the trips during their holidays. The Province estimates that over 45,000 visitors were reached by the communication actions. 65% of tourists interviewed in a SEEMORE survey were aware of sustainable mobility options in 2014, in comparison to 46% in Nearly 72% of all interviewed tourists was aware of the bike rental offer at hotels. Bike trips by the respondents increased from 44% in 2013 to 71% in In the same time period the number of public transport tickets sold have risen from 642,738 to 726,244. Despite the role of Provinces is undergoing a deep transformation in Italy, it is the intention of Forlì-Cesena not to loose the significant lessons learnt within SEEMORE. The relations established with the involved municipalities and the other stakeholders are an added value that will last also after the project end. The protocol for data exchange, signed between members of the Local Working group, will continue also in the years to come. The guides contain complete multi modal mobility information for visitors in the English, German and Italian languages, covering the public bike 16 peration with the local mobility agency and PT-operator the use of the SMS payment systems system, bicycle parking, public trans- 17 Bemoov and DropTicket for bus tickets, were promoted. port and electro-mobility. One version of the guide is dedicated to the city of Forlì while the second version provides information on the beach resorts of Cesenatico, San Mauro Mare and Gatteo a Mare. Physical copies of the guides were distributed and electronic versions can be downloaded from the Province s website. Seemore Mobility Guide Coast. The sustainable mobility guides represented the central tool of the local awareness campaign on sustainable mobility and were highly appreciated by tourists. During a 2014 tourist survey, the percentage of tourists stating to have been informed on sustainable mobility options almost doubled compared to Other Italian tourist municipalities and regions have already shown interest in replicating the measure. The good cooperation within the local stakeholders group is a key success-factor that contributed significantly to improving and updating the information included in the guides. The challenge for the future is to maintain this level of cooperation, to facilitate the constant need for updates of the information.

10 Choczewo, Pomerania, Poland CASE STUDY Promoting cycling among tourists Choczewo, Pomerania, Poland The region of Pomerania is located in the north of Poland along the Baltic coast. The Choczewo commune has beautiful natural surroundings and its beaches attract tourists especially in the summer season. Since the national rail network does not serve Choczewo, the majority of external visitors arrive at the local tourist accommodations with their private cars. SEEMORE allowed the Choczewo to combine the publication of cycling maps with the installation of a signposting system and assured the dissemination of maps round the Choczewo Beach. clock (7/24, seven days a week). 10 newly installed map dispensers aim to convince tourists not to use their car to satisfy their daily mobility needs but to go walking or cycling instead. Thanks to this initiative, public transport operators have decided to allow passengers to carry bicycles on board of their buses. In Pomerania, a quality label called Bike & Bed was introduced for tourist accommodations that are well equipped for hosting cyclists. Within SEEMORE, the idea of environmental labelling was promoted among hotels and other tourist accommodation facilities in Choczewo. The Polish project partners, PSWE and Choczewo promoted the use of sustainable modes 18 through the awareness campaign RoweRowe Piątki (Bike Fridays) in 2012 and 2013 as well as In the summers of 2013 and 2014 as many as 4, the awareness campaign Ciclovia AmberExpo in 2013 and Ciclovia after Tour de Pologne in A rich media banner has opened the possibility (2 million views) for targeted campaigns on Internet and has been important to integrate tourism and mobility information. The first tab contains the SEEMORE tourist video promoting Pomerania and the coastal area, showing how they can be visited on foot, by bike or by bus. Further tabs link to graphic materials, the SEEMORE website, the CO2 emission calculation tool and the Polish language version of the national reader of the SEEMORE project. The highest longer term benefits resulting from the SEEMORE project, are connected to the preparation of the underlying assumptions for a car parking policy in the Choczewo municipality. It is the first document of its kind adopted by a coastal commune in Poland. Before the SEEMORE project, an overview of existing network of bicycle friendly routes around Choczewo was not available. Tourist promotion publications were only offered to visitors during the office hours of the municipality. The SEEMORE project allowed the municipality to combine the publication of cycling maps with the installation of a signposting system and assured the dissemination of maps around the clock (24/7) through the installation of seven map dispensers. The map dispensers are an important tool to convince tourists not to use their car to satisfy their regular (daily) mobility needs during their holidays. The local public transport operators could also benefit from the implementation of this task. Thanks to this initiative, public transport operators have decided to offer the opportunity of carrying bicycles on board of their buses. maps were taken from the 7 map dispensers. An important supplement to the map dispensing system was the installation of an extensive bike route signposting system. In view of high dispersion of the cycling traffic, the number of cyclists using the existing cycle route network has not been evaluated yet, but opinions collected from the motorized tourists show that the signposting system has been very user friendly and has been highly assessed by the visitors. Tourist map Choczewo Map dispenser Pomerania

11 Dobrich District, Bulgaria CASE STUDY New public transport services at tourist destinations Dobrich district, Bulgaria The SEEMORE partner CSDCS, has closely cooperated with the local authorities (Dobrich District and the Municipalities of Kavarna, Balchik and Dobrich), as well as with the maritime resorts (Albena, Kavarna and Balchik), local transport providers and other interested NGOs and companies. 5 trainings on sustainable mobility were organised for local decision-makers and staff involved in the transport and tourism sectors. Albena Resort - Dobrich A tourism information package was designed to promote the use of sustainable mobility. 2,500 printed copies were distributed and more than 60,000 electronic packages were downloaded. The photo competition was very successful and the related photo-exhibition on sustainable mobility in the Albena resort attracted 60,000 visitors. To reach tourists before their arrival, links with long distance transport providers were established (bus company Etap-Grupp and Bulgaria Air) and promotion of SEEMORE was realised via their communication channels. Overall 741,000 visitors could be reached through the different campaigns and communication channels. The Bulgarian SEEMORE video was translated in English and presented at 6 international conferences and events. ELTIS uploaded the video on its website where more than 50,000 visitors 20 saw it. population. Also in the rural area of the target region a new bus line was launched from Balchik 21 to Obrochishte in May 2013, connecting the small villages between the two towns. Three cycling paths were marked and bike rental schemes were created in the resort areas and Dobrich. By the end of the project, all Albena hotels provided free of charge bicycles for their guests. Electrical propulsion was strongly promoted and the number of e-vehicles available for tourists in the resorts has tripled. New sustainable parking policies were introduced in Albena and Balchik. The municipality intends to build a huge buffer parking near the entrance in the city in the near future. New bus lines were launched in the Dobrich region thus improving service level of public transport. Combined tickets for transport and tourist attractions were launched in 2014 in Kavarna. The combined tickets will be continued after the end of the project. The SEEMORE team supported the city of Kavarna to develop a SUMP that was approved by the Municipal Council in April 2015 and is the first SUMP in Bulgaria. Periodic surveys among the tourists show an increased awareness about available sustainable mobility options (from 44% in 2012 to 55% in 2014), as well as increase in cycling and walking trips. The Dobrich vision for SEEMORE was to introduce sustainable mobility measures in resort areas and enhance the synergies between the tourism and transport sectors. However, before the project started, public transport connections between coastal areas and inland towns were poor and the accessibility was considered as inadequate for a high quality touristic destination. New public transport offer at tourist destinations Several stakeholders came together to address this problem, including the District government, Municipalities, the Dobrich transport company, Albena Tour Ltd (the transport company of the Albena resort) and several private transport providers from Dobrich. Two new bus lines were launched in Kavarna. The first one connected the city centre with the beach and its timetable was included in the SEEMORE mobility package. The second was a circular line launched in May 2013 making a round of Kavarna neighborhoods to serve the rural To address the high demand for summer transport for the Balchik beaches, a minibus service was established in summer 2013 for visitors wishing to visit the Balchik seaside. In order to further increase the use of PT in the target region, a new long distance bus connection Sofia-Albena-Balchik-Kavarna was launched in The measure has proven to be financially viable, as the number of tickets sold increased by 20% in the whole Dobrich region. The main innovation is the link established between tourism and transport sector, which happens for the first time in the region. The stakeholders realized that it is not possible to create sustainable tourism strategies without providing visitors with adequate public transport.

12 Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain CASE STUDY Parking regulations at the beach Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain Staff from tourism information offices was trained in sustainable mobility and the participating tourist offices now have access to a specific extranet were they can access updated information on public transport. The SEEMORE mobility guide in Mallorca contains a symbolic map of public transport connections as well as timetable information. During the project, 4,400 printed copies were distributed and about 240,000 electronic versions downloaded. A large version of the map is shown at the arrival halls of the international airport and in the intermodal station of Palma. s Amarador beach, Natural Park Mondragó. Eduardo Miralles Before 2014, the parking situation at the Natural park s Amarador & Cala Mondragó was chaotic with visitors leaving their cars even in sensitive dune regeneration areas. The target area featured high congestion and a continuous flow of cars driving along the road that leads to the beaches. This chaotic situation meant a mayor barrier for effective public transport and emergency services. The Public Transport website has been completely refreshed and tailored to the The road accesses to the beaches have needs of tourists. The website is now available in six languages and a specific area Tourism by been reorganized in order to prevent illegal Public Transport was created. In total 50 routes, split into 3 typologies (walking, heritage and parking and decrease the risk of accidents. beaches) were prepared and can be accessed in combination with an up-to-date travel planner. Parking has been limited and is now only Other SEEMORE actions, like the Emission Calculation Tool, the SEEMORE promotional video allowed in tow designated parking areas. and the travel planner tool are highly visible. During the first year this new section on tourism Both areas have a total capacity of 400 places and users have to pay a 5 fee to park attracted 200,000 visitors. during the whole day. A segregated lane Parking regulations at Cala Mondragó A new express bus line was introduced to link an important beach resort in the Southwest to the city centre of Palma. The service level towards the eastern beach resorts was also improved with new lines and higher frequencies. On 6 bus lines it is now allowed to carry bicycles for free, which has resulted in a total of 2,100 bicycles transported annually. Overall, a small increase in public transport tickets sold is observed. A Sustainable Mobility Plan was implemented for the natural park of Mondragó, where two popular beaches are located. The SEEMORE team contributed to a stakeholder workshop for the Palma SUMP on mobility for tourists. It is estimated that the combined SEEMORE promotion and awareness raising actions reached 3,922,000 visitors. Periodic surveys among tourists show an increased awareness about the available sustainable mobility options. for pedestrians, delimited by timber piles, was created along the road access to Cala Mondragó. The bicycle parking has been enlarged and is located close to the beach. For the loading and unloading of goods the delivery bays were reshaped ensuring an efficient distribution of products to local businesses. New parking spots for disabled were created close to the beach. Public transport users can now wait for the bus at a more comfortable and peaceful location. The information leaflet combines mobility information with information on the attractions of the Natural Park. The measure was developed in close cooperation with residents and local authorities to ensure the success and sustainability of the measures on the medium and long term. Many visitors expressed their satisfaction with the new layout displayed in the area. Evaluation results show that both traffic congestion and traffic conflicts have diminished. Together with the reduction of noise and air pollution, this has lead to an improved attractiveness of the area.

13 Limassol, Cyprus CASE STUDY Mobility Management for Large Events Limassol, Cyprus The Limassol Tourism Board, the official tourism authority in the region of Limassol, cooperated with the local partner Stratagem in the SEEMORE project. They coordinated the efforts of in total 120 local stakeholders from the tourism and transport sectors. In total 56 tourism professionals, mainly front office staff, received training on the available sustainable mobility offer. Protocols for data exchange were established. Updated information was regularly provided, to hotel front personnel and guest-relations officers about bus schedules, airport shuttle service, bike sharing and walking tours. Bike sharing system Limassol The Limassol Sustainable Mobility Guide combines mobility and tourist information and includes maps on cycling routes, bike sharing stations and the public transport network. 8,000 Mobility Mobility Management for Large Events, Limassol guides in English and Russian were distributed to all Limassol hotels, travel agents and other local stakeholders. A further 1,800 electronic copies were downloaded from the Limassol Website. Seven new info kiosks providing 24-hour information were installed in four different municipalities. Mobility information is offered for free and is also downloadable on smart phones. Almost a million clicks were recorded the first year of operation. The tourism board advertised the free A promotional campaign titled: Experience Limassol was carried out to promote activities in Limassol such as bus routes to nearby villages, cycling excursions, walking tours. The SEEMORE promotion video is promoted via the Limassol website (3,000 views) and at international tourism fairs. Tourist cities like Limassol welcome a growing number of large events that are highly appreciated by the tourists. For events considered of high interest to the visitor, free transfer was offered. The Limassol Tourism Board offered two buses per event with English and/or Russian speaking guides. In 2013 free bus transfer was offered for four major events and in 2014 for five major events, most of which were held in villages in the Limassol region. For events in the town of Limassol, information about the urban bus service towards the event location was included in the promotion material. transport to events with flyers and posters in all hotels and also promoted the service via Internet and at local tourist information offices. A new airport shuttle service was successfully introduced. Within Limassol, 7 bus stops were refurbished to make them more attractive and changes in the network made leisure locations more accessible. Public transport users have free access to the Municipal museums on one day per week and free public transport is offered for large events in the region. New cycling and walking tours were developed and the public bike system was extended with 7 new stations and 50 bicycles. Overall it is estimated that the communication actions reached 752,000 visitors. The number of public transport tickets sold increased from 4,500,000 in 2013 to 5,000,000 in In the 2014 tourist survey, all respondents stated that they were aware of the sustainable mobility options in the region (compared to 52% in 2012). Around 1,000 travellers used this bus service in 2013 and 2014 to visit the events. Some of them would have visited using private or rented cars. Others would have ignored the opportunity to attend the event if a transfer facility was not in place. The local communities were very pleased to see tourists attending their cultural events and tourists were very excited to see small villages and experience the local culture and traditions. The local partners will continue offering free or low cost bus transfer with tour guides to large events in the region.

14 Bohuslän, Sweden CASE STUDY Combined tickets for attractions and public transport Bohuslän, Sweden Fyrbodal Association of Municipalities consists of 14 municipalities in western Sweden and has around inhabitants. The seven coastal municipalities in Fyrbodal constitute the SEEMORE region of Bohuslän. Within SEEMORE, there has been a close cooperation with the public transport planning authority within the Region Västra Götaland, the regional tourism board and the SEEMORE site manager Trivector. A local stakeholder forum was initiated to provide new knowledge, a meeting place and the opportunity to share experiences. The forum has been highly appreciated by the stakeholders and cooperation will continue also after the project. Cycling in Bohuslän The SEEMORE mobility guides combine information on mobility and tourist attractions. 572 electronic versions were downloaded from the Fyrbodal website. The SEEMORE photo competition was promoted through social media and encouraged visitors to photograph themselves while making use of sustainable mobility options. Through the SEEMORE project, local actors in the region of Bohuslän have developed a combined offer for public transport and tourist attractions to encourage visitors to travel by public transport. The offer is based on a cooperation scheme between the public transport company Västtrafik and three popular tourist attractions. Västtrafik developed a major marketing campaign to inform all travellers about the possibility of travelling with public transport to the attractions. The marketing campaign was highly appreciated by the attractions that received a large exposure throughout the wider region. It was also useful for Västtrafik who got the chance to inform about the option to travel by public transport also to tourist attractions. 26 A new public transport ticket option was developed as a result of the collaboration between 27 tourist attractions and the public transport company. The ticket and the attractions were promoted in the wider region. Through the SEEMORE project, the possibility to bring bikes on trains visitors reaching them by public transport. The attractions introduced special offers for was introduced in the region of Västra Götaland and has gone from being a pilot test to a permanent service that is well appreciated by the passengers. Furthermore, a bicycle route map Ark Zoo, one child does not pay any fee At the Havets Hus Aquarium and Nordens was developed covering 12 municipalities. The road network in the region of Bohuslän has been when entering with an adult. At the Nordic Combined tickets for Nordens Ark Zoo and public transport mapped and suitable road for biking have been categorized using several variables such as traffic Watercolor Museum, visitors travelling by intensity, road with and sight. The map also contains information about the local area, attractions, bike rentals and much more. The local destination management organizations see great trance fee of 20 SEK (around 2 euros). The attractions themselves also provide information about public transport get a reduction of the en- potential for the bike map. sustainable travel options. It is estimated that the combined communication actions reached 579,000 visitors. The periodic tourist surveys show an increased awareness about the local offer of sustainable mobility options (25% in 2012 versus 78% in 2014). The main achievement for Fyrbodal Association of Municipalities has been the increased cooperation between the sectors of mobility and tourism. Also the increased knowledge in sustainable mobility among public staff has been an important success. The project has led to an increased interest and also interesting initiatives regarding sustainable mobility and sustainable tourism. In addition, Västtrafik introduced a new group/family ticket for two adults and up to three children. A major marketing campaign used the slogan Travel with 5, pay for 1 during the summer months. The background of the campaign is that there is generally one person using this type of ticket for the same price that five people can use it. Public transport travelling and visits to popular tourist attractions decreased in 2014 due to the warm and sunny summer, which made people spend more time by the sea instead of moving around. Despite this, it is likely that this measure will bring positive changes in travel attitudes on the medium and long-term.

15 Malta CASE STUDY Inform visitors before their arrival at the destination Malta The Local Council Association (LCA) represents all the 68 local authorities and the 5 regions in Malta. Apart from involving the local authorities in the project, LCA established a good cooperation with the main stakeholders from the tourism and the mobility sectors. LCA organised seminars and training sessions to increase the knowledge about sustainable mobility options among tourism staff. One of the most successful SEEMORE actions is the elaboration and dissemination of the sustainable mobility information to tourists, as it is the first of its kind booklet/ package in Malta. 4,000 printed copies were distributed, while another 19,000 electronic versions were downloaded. The Travel Smart section on the www. visitmalta.com portal, dedicated to the Article published in Air Malta in-flight magazine SEEMORE project, is another of the main achievements. Visit Malta is the official 28 tourism portal that now provides informa- targets around 150, ,000 passengers, which had the opportunity to read the SEEMORE Distribution of dissemination material, Malta 29 tion on sustainable mobility. Furthermore, SEEMORE materials have been disseminated at all tourist information offices in Malta, airport, cruise port, a number of hotels and even hand to hand during local events. The SEEMORE photo competition was promoted via social media and printed post cards. A large SEEMORE billboard promoted sustainable mobility during the summer seasons of 2013 and Air Malta, the national airline carrier, has published SEEMORE articles on its in-flight magazine and Virtu Ferries, the company connecting Malta and Sicily, has disseminated the SEEMORE materials. The project team produced strategic documents on bicycle sharing system, bicycle in PT and new bicycle lanes. These documents were presented to the national government of Malta that plans to implement a bicycle strategy in the near future. The estimated number of people reached by the combined promotion and awareness actions is 573,000. The 2014 tourist survey shows that 64% of respondents was aware of the available sustainable mobility options. The number of public transport tickets sold increased from 10,310,083 in 2013 to 11,500,000 in The Local Councils Association (LCA) established good cooperation with Maltese stakeholders from both transport and tourism sectors, including the national airline company Air Malta and Virtu Ferries that connect Malta to Sicily. As a result, LCA was able to publish articles about the project in the Air Malta in-flight magazine and disseminate information material on board of Virtu Ferries. Often tourists decide about their mobility choices only when arriving at their destination. To influence them in favour of soft mobility options, an article was published in Air Malta flight magazine during the month of August The Air Malta magazine, Il-Bizilla, is placed at each seat and article during this month. A second article, outlining 5 popular destinations and how to reach them by public transport, was published in the same magazine in September Virtu Ferries, on the other hand, disseminated about 650 SEEMORE postcards on board of their ferries, as well as copies of the sustainable mobility tourist information package. The materials were available during summer 2013 and summer Furthermore, LCA has disseminated a package consisting of useful information related to cycling in Malta on board of the ferries. Overall the promotion reached well over 300,000 passengers before their arrival in Malta. Publishing articles on sustainable mobility options in in-flight magazines and disseminating relevant materials has proven to be a win-win concept. The transport company is increasing its service level to its passengers and tourists are pleased to find useful information on board.

16 Madeira, Portugal CASE STUDY Audio-guides for public transport routes Funchal, Madeira, Portugal The public transport operator Horarios do Funchal (HF) implemented the SEEMO- RE project in close cooperation with local stakeholders from the tourism and transport sector. A total of 628 tourism and transport professionals received training about the new tools developed in the SEE- MORE project. The Madeira mobility guide offers information about the main tourist attractions and how to access them with public transport. Several sub-products were produced, such Coast of Madeira as brochures for cruise liner tourists. 400 printed copies were distributed and 3,594 electronic copies of the guide were downloaded. The SEEMORE message is further promoted with a professionally produced video. Protocols with local stores and museums were signed and a promotional campaign was launched to provide incentives to the use of PT and to make local commerce more vibrant at the same time. A new audio trip App offers tourist information when travelling on a public transport line. A TV system was deployed on 9 strategic spots that welcome daily a lot of citizens and tourists to provide real time information on the bus departure times at nearby stops. A calendar of events 30 in the wider region was produced and HF started to sell urban and interurban destinations at 31 once, with a single product. Whenever there is an important event, the PT operators, Police and local governments design a mobility plan. Founded on the pillars of the CIVITAS MIMOSA tourist kit, four additional hotels have signed the Tourist Kit protocol and have started to sell PT tickets at their hotels. These hotels sold in total 1,217 tourist kit tickets during the project. Bicycle transport is now allowed on 3 interurban bus routes. Overall about 1 million tourists could be reached by the promotion and awareness raising actions. In 2014, 54% of the interviewed tourists were aware of the sustainable mobility options and 48% had bought a public transport ticket. In Madeira, there is a new and straightforward way to promote the public transport service with a higher level of information. The public transport company, Horarios do Funchal, has prepared a free audio-guide for smartphones. Passengers of a selected public transport line can now enjoy touristic information via their headset while travelling on a regular bus line on the island. The audio guide for Curral das Freiras, works on a free application, called Audiotrip, for smartphones, created by AudioTrip Ltd. The users only have to download the application and the trip, then put the headphones and enjoy. The trip A journey to the heart of the Island has 10 milestone points that are combined with interesting stories about the island. The application automatically starts describing the specific place when the user is about to reach it. The application also shows the visiting points and the location of the user in the map, giving him a professional guide as a friend. Between April 2014 and December 2014, the audio trip journey was downloaded 273 times. The English version of the trip to Curral das Freiras is ranked with 5 stars. The app supports the so-called Do It Yourself tourist that likes his/her autonomy to discover the destination. Audio-guides for public transport route, Madeira

17 Impacts of the SEEMORE project. Achievement on IEE common performance indicators. A cause-and-effect chain evaluation approach, based on: Impact Evaluation: monitoring of outputs Process Evaluation: rationale behind the achievement of results Context Evaluation: supports the interpretation of the measured impacts, considering the economic, political and legal framework Main project outputs and results: Increased awareness among visitors about sustainable mobility options in tourist regions: 324,718 mobility guides downloaded and 22,450 printed and distributed 95,474 uses of the emission calculation tool 60% of the targeted visitors to SEE- Es Trenc - Mallorca. Climent Picornell Achievement of Common Performance Indicators Savings in SEEMORE regions until 2015: Nearly 8,000,000 km could be saved Energy savings: 129 toe/year Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions: 351 t CO2-equivalent/year Savings in SEEMORE regions until 2020: Nearly 55,000,000 km could be saved Energy savings: 888 toe/year Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions: 2,406 t CO2-equivalent/year Savings in SEEMORE take-up regions until 2020: 100 take-up regions considered Energy savings: 8,811 toe/year Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions: 24,028 t CO2-equivalent/year Total savings achieved by SEEMORE until 2020: Energy savings: 9,699 toe/year Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions: 26,434 t CO2-equivalent/year Conclusion SEEMORE was successful in implementing measures and in organising the process of using the outputs produced in a manner that they lead to the actual achievement of impacts on project level. Viable and new information tools for mobility and tourism were elaborated and often for the very first time in the respective region. The high level of cross-sectoral cooperation and the awareness on sustainable mobility options achieved, the increased knowledge of tourism staff and planners, the increased exchange of knowledge as well as the introduction of new services and finally the achieved impact of plus 1,500,000 PT ticket sales, lay a good foundation for the future. MORE regions are aware of the sustainable mobility options that are promoted by the project 32 Increased cooperation between the sectors of tourism and mobility: The great success of transfer activities and follower regions already taking-up or planning to 33 More than 60,000 public transport tickets with new mobility options were sold take-up SEEMORE like actions shows that SEEMORE came at the right time and with the results Regional workshops aiming at increasing knowledge and improved cooperation on data achieved can feed several new initiatives in tourism and sustainable mobility across Europe. exchange between the tourism and mobility sector: more than 80% of trainees state that their skills have increased Shift of travel behavior of visitors in tourist regions towards more sustainable transport modes: Increase of more than 1,500,000 public transport tickets sold within the SEEMORE regions Widely dissemination of the outputs, knowledge and experience gained in SEEMORE: 107 external transfer regions involved in international and national transfer seminars, informed about the outputs of SEEMORE 32 transfer regions have already started developing SEEMORE like actions 1,300 people reached by dissemination activities on project and EU-level More than 300,000 visits to the regional project websites Visitors reached by promotion/awareness actions: More than 7,800,000 visitors could be reached with awareness actions

18 Lessons and recommendations for local authorities Lessons and recommendations for mobility providers Sustainable mobility of tourists is of strategic importance for tourist destinations because: Sustainable mobility adds value to the local tourist product, by enhancing the holiday experience. Tourist travel habits can act as example to the local population and support local sustainable mobility policies, especially regarding cycling and public transport. Setting up the cross-sectorial co-operation between local tourist and mobility stakeholders Mallorca map takes time and effort but is essen- The SEEMORE partners recommend public tial for reaching the desired impacts. A transport operators to make the public regional or local authority is the most suitable transport service and information easily organisation to initiate this process of accessible to visitors. Already well before cooperation. In those regions where a close their arrival, tourists should be confident co-operation could be established, more that the public transport services meet successful measures were implemented. It their mobility requirements and it is not is important to focus on concrete measures necessary to rent a car. Public transport and quick wins to maintain the momentum Mobility guides in Madeira operators can provide multi-lingual information 34 of the co-operation framework. through their own web portals 35 Travelling on the ferry by bike General lessons from the local communication actions are: Integrated tourism and mobility information is in high demand. The printed versions of the sustainable mobility packages ran out fast. Online versions provide the possibility to include real time updates of public transport timetables. The front-desk staff of hotels and tourist offices is essential for providing information about sustainable mobility. It is therefore important to continue providing training courses to these professionals and maintain them informed about changes in the mobility offer. Press articles and collaboration with long distance operators are of strategic importance to reinforce the SEEMORE message. Publishing articles at in-flight magazines and dissemination relevant materials is a proven win-win. The transport company is providing an additional service to its passengers and tourists will be pleased to find useful information on board. The mobility needs of visitors have to be included in the local sustainable mobility policy processes, especially at tourist destinations. The mobility of visitors and leisure transport in general should be an integral part of each Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. The public transport operators are the most important mobility providers at holiday destinations. However, visitors also use other sustainable mobility services like public bike systems and bicycle rental. The high demand peak of tourists during the summer season can be used to cover (part of) the costs of the less profitable lines that serve local population. The trends towards more individualized and sustainable holiday experiences are likely to lead to an even higher public transport demand in the near future. and Apps but SEEMORE also recommends including the schedules in Google Transit and making them openly available so third Training Calvià tourist information staff on sustainable mobility party developers can use it for their apps. Local ticketing rules are often confusing. SEEMORE recommends developing specific tickets that are easily understandable for tourists. Public transport should be marketed as an integral part of the holiday experience. The SEE- MORE local videos transmit the positive feeling connected to using public transport during your holidays. The SEEMORE sustainable mobility guides combine tourist information with the public transport routes to reach them and have proven to be highly popular among the visitors. An audio application for smartphones can turn a public transport trip into a guided visit. Mallorca offers 50 attractive thematic routes that can be enjoyed using public transport. Cooperation with the tourism sector can lead to win-win situations. The SEEMORE regions have trained front desk staff from the tourism sector to increase their knowledge about the local sustainable mobility offer. Public transport operators reached agreements with hotels to sell bus tickets to their guests. Combined offers for public transport and tourist attractions were developed. In Limassol, the local tourism board decided to fund the refurbishment of bus stops in the hotel area to increase the overall attractiveness of the destination.

19 Lessons and recommendations for the tourism sector SEEMORE actions replicated in other tourism regions The number of tourists looking for a sustainable holiday destination is growing. There is no sustainable destination without sustainable mobility. Congestion and air pollution caused by road traffic severely damage the holiday experience and image of a destination. At the same time, the trend towards more individualized and unique holiday experiences leads to an increased interest in cycling and public transport. The SEEMORE project shows that a close cooperation between local actors from the mobility and tourism sectors can create more attractive destinations. Bike Friday in Limassol During the SEEMORE project, the partners have shared their experiences in small-scale interactive seminars with other tourist regions. After a presentation of the SEE- MORE actions, the participants discussed the possibilities of transferring the experience to other regions. Representatives from in total 107 regions participated in SEEMORE transfer seminars. Most of the seminars were held on a national level to 1st Central European Transfer Seminar - Trieste group practitioners that share a similar local context as well as the same language. Two Central European Transfer Seminars provided the opportunity to open up the exchange to a wider group of countries. In the SEEMORE regions, hotel and tourism As part of the SEEMORE evaluation, the participants were contacted several months after the information staff was trained to increase seminars to find out whether they had considered replicating SEEMORE type actions in their their knowledge about the local pu- own regions. 50 regions responded that they had already started implementing these types of blic transport offer and other available measures. Out of the 66 respondents, 62 regions indicated that they would take up further SEEsustainable mobility options. Hotels and MORE type measures until Tourist fair EESTUR in Mallorca accommodations have several ways to increase the service level to their guests and The top five of already implemented measures in other regions: promote sustainable mobility at the same time: Sustainable Mobility Info Package for tourists 36 Provide information about public transport and cycling routes at the hotel reception. Mutual links between transport and destination websites 37 Sell public transport tickets at the hotel reception. Include information on the hotel website on how the reach the hotel with public transport and on a bicycle. Offer services for cycling, including rental, parking and maintenance. Use certification schemes, like Bike & Bed in Pomerania, to communicate the efforts to potential guests. Within SEEMORE, public transport operators and tourist attractions jointly developed new tourist products such as public transport + reduced entry fee packages. Changes in the public transport service can also make local shops more accessible to a wider target groups. Promotional awareness campaigns for sustainable mobility among tourists Bike rental at hotels Training on sustainable mobility/public transport for tourism staff The five most popular measures for replication until 2020 are: Sustainable Mobility Info package for tourists Training on sustainable mobility/public transport for tourism staff New bus routes/lines Mutual links between transport and destination websites Promotional videos: sustainable mobility is part of the holiday experience A close cooperation between public transport operators and the organizers of large events can make the transport to these events more efficient, avoid congestion and attract new target groups. The overall conclusion is that the SEEMORE measures are of high interest to other tourist regions and it is relatively easy to adapt the concepts to the local context of other destinations. The example of the Limassol Tourism Board shows that an integral approach for sustainable mobility, promoting public transport, cycling and walking can increase the attractiveness and quality of the destination. Events like Bike Fridays can be used to promote cycling among tourists and residents alike.

20 Find out more about sustainable mobility for tourists SEEMORE website This report presents a summary of the experiences of a three-year project of 14 partners, implemented at 8 tourist destinations. A lot of more detailed information can be found in a range of reports. If you want to find out more about SEEMORE we welcome you to visit our project website: www. seemore-project.eu SEEMORE Synthesis Reports The SEEMORE synthesis reports present the experiences with implementation and evaluation of the SEEMORE actions in an integrated manner. We recommend: The SEEMORE measure catalogue provides a selection of 16 detailed case studies that explain the implementation process including the barriers encountered and information on the costs of the actions. The SEEMORE strategy handbook is the result of a strategic discussion among the project partners about the process of setting up the local cooperation frameworks and implementing the measures. The SEEMORE evaluation report is an extensive document that describes the evaluation approach and presents the results from the impact and process evaluation of the SEEMORE project. Separate analysis were done for the implementation process on the one hand and the transfer of knowledge process on the other. SEEMORE Thematic reports The SEEMORE thematic reports group the experiences of the local implementations and can serve as a first entry point into the topic of sustainable mobility at tourist destinations from different perspectives. SEEMORE project website. The STARTER project In parallel to the SEEMORE project, the Intelligent Energy Europe programme also co-financed the STARTER project on tourism mobility. The projects have cooperated closely during the last three years. STARTER implemented Travel Plan Networks (LTPNs) of local stakeholders in mobility and tourism as the basis to develop sustainable mobility actions. The tourist destinations, involved in STARTER were the Balaton region, Hungary; Fuerteventura, Spain; Kos, Greece; Noordwijk, The Netherlands and Werfenweng, Austria. Find out more about STARTER at: First key steps towards sustainable mobility in tourist areas describes the SEEMORE approach 38 for baseline data collection and establishing local working groups with professionals from the Contact us tourism and transport sectors. If you want to find out more about the SEEMORE project, please contact the coordinator: 39 Promoting cycling in tourist areas describes local measures to promote cycling including lowcost bicycle rental at hotels, public-bike schemes, guided cycling tours and bicycle transport on public buses and trains. Public transport promotion among tourists presents the SEEMORE sustainable mobility guides, the travel planning and audio guide Apps as well as the combined transport and leisure offers. Maarten van Bemmelen CINESI Transport Consultants mvanbemmelen@cinesi.es tel Hotels and tourist attractions promoting sustainable transport provides examples of the role of the tourism sector in promoting sustainable mobility options. Tourists, a new target group for digital travel planners?, explores the ITS tools for tourism and mobility. Parking management in tourist areas: Describes the experiences of the SEEMORE regions with developing and implementing parking regulations at tourist resorts and fragile beach areas.