This document discusses the importance of international cooperation for the protection of nature through protected areas. It summarizes the mission of EUROPARC, the leading European organization for protected areas, as bringing together professionals and decision-makers to increase effectiveness in conserving natural and cultural heritage for future generations. The key principles of EUROPARC are international cooperation, personal contact between professionals, which fosters mutual understanding and innovation, and ensures future protection of nature as nature knows no boundaries.

2. Snowdonia Wales
Kemeri , Latvia
Jostedalsbreen Norway
Skaftafell Iceland
Variety of landscapes, embedded in
cultural identity. Often sculpted by
nature and shaped by people.
Influenced course of history, inspired
artists and thinkers and enriched lives.
They are our natural life support system.
Ferto hansag Hungary
These protected areas represent the
land that is our inheritance , - we hold it
in trust for those who come after us.
Cevennes, France
La Albufera Spain
Goreme Turkey
Triglav Slovenia
Piatra Ciaiului Romania

3. EUROPARC is the leading European organisation for
protected areas bringing together dedicated
professionals, agencies, academics and decision makers.
Our mission is…..to increase
effectiveness in conserving and
enhancing natural and cultural
heritage, for the well-being and
benefit of future generations

4. Nature knows no boundaries.....so
EUROPARC
is founded on the principle that the future
protection and conservation of nature is
achieved through
INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION.
International cooperation works best through
PERSONAL CONTACT.
That through personal contact comes
MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, SHARED
EXPERIENCES , KNOWLEDGE AND
INNOVATION.
This delivers better support and management
of protected areas which ensures the
FUTURE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF
NATURE . ..
because Nature knows no boundaries.........

7. • Stockholm Conference on the Human
Environment 1972
•IUCN World Conservation Strategy 1980
•Bruntland Commission. 1984
•Our Common Future
•"Sustainable development
•is development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own
needs".
•Earth Summit 1992, Local Agenda 21, CBD

8. EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020

10. 1991
1993
Working Group on Sustainable Tourism EUROPARC
“Loving them to death – Sustainable Tourism in Europe's
Nature and National Parks”
1995
Development of the Charter methodology (LIFE project with
the French Federation of RNP)
2001
First 7 Protected Areas achieve the Charter for Sustainable
Tourism in Protected Areas
2008/9
2013
Methodology developed and the first Charter Business
Partners
Methodology for Tour operators in development

11. The European Charter for Sustainable
Tourism in Protected Areas
The central element of the Charter is a multi - stakeholder process to involve
all those affected by tourism in its development and management.
All actors work together in a permanent forum.
This means involving local communities and businesses in the planning of
the tourism .

12. The European Charter for Sustainable
Tourism in Protected Areas
Charter Parks in numbers
First 6 parks awarded in 2001
Today 119 Charter Parks in 13 countries
38 Spain
26 France
20 Italy
13 UK
6 Portugal
4 Germany
3 Finland
3 Netherlands
2 Lithuania
1 Latvia
1 Denmark
1 Norway
1 Slovakia

13. The Key Fundamentals of the Charter for Sustainable
Tourism in Protected Areas are
The 4 P’s
•Protection of the Natural and Cultural
Heritage
•Participation by ALL Actors
•Partnership with shared goals and
vision
•Planning................

14. Partnership

15. Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa - Spain
What were the challenges?
• lack of co-ordination in the tourism sector of the area;
• rather bad and conflicting relationship between tourism;
businesses and public administrations
• low level of professionalism in many of the tourism businesses.
Spain’s coastal tourism development, in some areas,
shows how UNSUSTAINABLE tourism development can be
and the dangers and damages it can produce.

16. The Charter for Sustainable Tourism in
Protected Areas
......... NOW
More then 80% of tourism businesses in La
Garrotxa involved in the process
all the town councils,
the park
administrative bodies:
Turisme Garrotxa, a private association, was
created:
• to promote a sustainable tourism model of
development based on a quality offer and
emphasising respect for nature and
environment.
• all partners pay fees !!!

17. The incentive of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, which:
giving a framework of reference
demanding co-operative work
providing a connection with others European parks
With many actions for excellence in sustainable tourism development
a 5 years lasting program in co-operation with all the tourism stakeholders
The Charter gave us a common vision -To establish a bridge linking protected areas with
local populations, increasing local welfare and involving at the same time local tourism
businesses, in conservation aims and activities
Economic
Social
Environmental

18. 99Million of public and private
investment was made in the area
over the 10 year period
13million through the Charter
alone
The money supply generated by tourism
in the municipalities of Garrotxa during
the period between 2001-2010 was 700
million euros.
In terms of employment were generated,
the sum of the period between 2001 and
2010, a total of 8,500 jobs, 70% of them
by the direct effect of tourism, 22 % for
the indirect effect of tourism and 8% due
to the effect of tourism
Investment in the tourism industry and
the subsequent economic benefit
derived, in La Garrotxa would not have
happened were it not for the fact of the
Charter.

19. Main achievments of Charter
• Successful implementation of the 10 principles of the
Charter for over ten years
• Involvement of over 3.200 private and public
businesses and organizations in 107 Sustainable
Tourism Forums
• Recognition of the Charter Partner Status to more
than 400 tourism business actively involved in
Charter protected areas in Sp, Fr and UK
• Charter Network and joint international project
activities
• External verifiers and an independent Charter
Evaluation Committee

20. 2008-682M tourist visits globally
European holidays destinations Spain (12%), Italy (8%) and France (7%) are still the most
preferred destinations, and 51% of Europeans plan to take a holiday in their own country.
Natural features such as the landscape and weather (44%) are most likely to make
Europeans consider returning to the same place for a holiday.
Europeans are most likely to be satisfied with the natural features (95%) and the quality of
the accommodation (92%) on their main holiday of at least four nights in 2012.

21. One Degree of Difference