Sustainable Tourism at Inland Water Destinations UNWTO Danube Floating Conference Creating partnerships for sustainable tourism development Daniela Schily GIZ project leader 27.05.2013 Seite 1 Page 1
BMZ GIZ Supporting the international economic cooperation and development Annual budget 6,296 billion euros 47,8% bilateral official development cooperation Implementing agency with mission to create sustainable partnerships Present in more than 130 countries worldwide with more than 17000 employees (70% national personnel) Fields of work: economic development and employment promotion, health, education, tourism, environmental protection, climate change mitigation etc. Page Seite 2
Best practice for regional cooperation supported by GIZ and BMZ - the Danube Competence Center (DCC)- Background of the project: Danube 2888km connecting 10 countries EUSDR covers 14 countries, includes 4 pillars and has 11 priority areas ( P3: Culture and Tourism, People to People) Development gap between upper and lower part Tourism potential sector for development of all Danube countries throughout development of different products: city breaks, nautical products, cycling Page Seite 3
Best practice for regional cooperation supported by GIZ and BMZ - the Danube Competence Center (DCC) - Since 2009 GIZ supports transnational and crossborder cooperation with aim to build up better framework conditions in tourism sector in 6 countries: Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine The innovative instrument establishment of a regional institution DCC Germany supports the project with 7mil euros till the end of 2015 with plan of prolongation till 2017 to guarantee the sustainability of it Page Seite 4
regional network of public, private and non-government organizations involved in tourism sector development along the Danube DCC was founded in early 2010 as the initiative of 22 organizations and is supported by the BMZ through its agency GIZ more than 60 members from 10 Danube countries strengthening visibility of the Danube region enhancing and promoting cross-border cooperation and sustainable tourism development. Page Seite 5
Promote tourist products of members on major tourism fairs or business forums and offer partners a platform for regional collaboration and marketing Combine know-how in Danube tourism sector Build up awareness of the Danube region and promote sustainable, cross border development of tourism in the region Profile and network projects and institutions under the aspect of EU compatibility Build up regional and international business networks Support development of regional tourist programs Design projects which connect and strengthen the Danube Region Page Seite 6
Promotion: Organising events (Danube Blue Week), fair participation, developing regional brochures, organising programs (Danube@ITB) Policy and tourism development organising conferences and workshops Danube Floating Conference 2011 Active projects: Cultural routs in Middle and lower Danube; Development of web portal danube.travel; 6 biodiversity calls Page Seite 7
Achieved results until now: Cooperation between 10 countries Cooperation between public, private and NGO sector Small, but competent organisational body Advisory comities vice versa: i.e. DCC in PA3 Successful implementation of projects Enlarged offer Enlarged visibility od Danube and DCC Page Seite 8
Challenges Investment needed Political framework unsecured Framework conditions are not developed (customs, visa, real estate, standards etc.) Page Seite 9
Conclusion The sustainable tourism development in a region like the Danube basin can only work by regional cooperation. Cooperation is needed on several levels: Political and public Private investment and product development NGO and civil society etc. Nothing better for political marketing than culture and tourism. Susane Kastner, MdB Page Seite 10
Thank you! daniela.schily@giz.de Page Seite 11