The document outlines the significance of the Wadden Sea as a UNESCO World Heritage site shared by Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands, highlighting its ecological importance and tourism impact with approximately 50 million overnight stays annually. It emphasizes the need for sustainable tourism practices, cooperation among regions, and the establishment of a strong brand for the Wadden Sea to enhance its global visibility and conservation efforts. Key strategies include improving public awareness, fostering international collaboration, and integrating nature-driven sustainable growth initiatives.

1. Protect & Prosper: World Heritage and
Tourism in the Wadden Sea
• Anja Domnick - Project Officer,
Sustainable Tourism Strategy
• Common Wadden Sea
Secretariat

2. • 11,400 km² conversation area
• 500 km coastline
• 3 states
Wadden Sea
World Heritage
Denmark
Germany
Schleswig-Holstein
Lower Saxony
Netherlands
Hamburg
• the largest unbroken stretch
of sand & mudflats
worldwide, undisturbed,
• a highly productive
ecosystem,
• a migratory bird hotspot,
• shared by three countries,
• UNESCO World Heritage

3. Per Year
• ca. 50 million overnight stays
• ca. 10 million visitors
• 30 - 40 million day trippers
EUR 2.8 – 5.3 billion turnover
Tourism in the
Wadden Sea area

4. • Tourism Operations & Nature Conservation
A Wadden Sea Cooperative
• The Unique Selling Point
One World Heritage Destination
• Transport, Accommodation & Gastronomy
Key Ingredients for Tourism
• Environmental Education & Interpretation
Bringing the Destination to Life
• Capacity Building & Raising Standards
Creating a High Quality Destination
KEY WORK FIELDS
The Road to
Sustainable Tourism

5. Participation &
Network
• Strategic Framework for cooperation between
sectors & regions
• Shared Approach – Shared Responsibility
• Moving Forward Together

6. • The brand aims to increase the attractiveness of the
whole place – regardless of the country or region.
• It declares our purpose as a World Heritage Site and
serves as the standard against which we weigh our
actions and decisions.
• The brand helps to build our global reputation,
enhance our collective visibility and encourage
greater collaboration and investment.
BRANDING

7. Communication
• To increase public awareness &
knowledge about the Wadden Sea World
Heritage.
• To safeguard consistent & high quality
communications across the entire
property.
• To support everyone to communicate
World Heritage in a way that is both
consistent across the whole property &
relevant to the tourism and business
needs.

8. • Continue to work for conservation & international
cooperation
• Establish, extend & manage the World Heritage brand
• Educate & inform
• Develop & advance sustainable tourism
• Contribute to regional sustainable development
• Promote science & monitoring
Outlook

9. • Stabilize, develop & enlarge multinational partnership
• Identify, pool, develop & implement participative approaches
that integrate SME in a true “Nature-Business-Benefit-
Cycle”
• Support, guide & transnationally connect the creation of
concrete products & services applying the NBBC concept
Approach
Using nature as driver for
sustainable growth

10. Thank You!