sustainable tourism development and recreational use in...

Sustainable Tourism Development and Recreational Use

in the Wadden Sea Region

by NetForum

Final ReportApril 2000

Published by The Inter-regional Wadden Sea Cooperation, May 2000

Lay-out Sønderjyllands County, Denmark

Printing Ribe County, Denmark

Drawings Lene DauckeSimon DijkstraBo Böjesen

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Table of Contents

GENERAL INFORMATION 4

0. SUMMARY 6

1. INTRODUCTION 181.1 The Wadden Sea Region in a European Context 181.2 Cross-border Co-operation 181.3 Trilateral Acknowledgement - and Involvement 201.4 Development of a Common Tourism Policy -also an EU Project 201.5 Organisation of the Wadden Sea Tourism Project 22

2. GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN THE WADDEN SEA REGION 24

2.1. Status on Tourism and Recreation 242.2 Tourism Value Chain of Tourist Products 272.3 The Region must define the Future Development 272.4 Expected Trends 272.5 A Vision and Guiding Principles for Sustainable Tourism 282.6 Strategic Goals and Tools 292.7 Integrated Coastal Zone Management is Essential 31

3. NATURE AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES 323.1 Without Nature - no Outdoor Recreation 323.2 Selected Recreational Activities – and their Conflict Potential 333.3 Selected Recreational Facilities – and their Conflict Potential 343.4 Better Information and Increased Communication 353.5 Legislation and Administrative Structures – Similarities and Differences 363.6 Illustrative Examples 373.7 Recommendations for Common Policies - and their Implementation 383.8 Proposal of Projects 41

4. CULTURE AND CULTURAL TOURISM 424.1 What is Cultural Tourism? 424.2 Common Wadden Sea Heritage 424.3 Wadden Sea Heritage and Local Characteristics 434.4 Local Identity and Awareness 444.5 Cultural Tourism as a Development Potential 454.6 The Role of Public Authorities and Organisations 464.7 Illustrative Examples 474.8 Recommendation for Common Policies - and their Implementation 494.9 Proposal of Projects 51

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5. ACCOMMODATION 525.1 Introduction 525.2 Diversified Accommodation Facilities are a Strength 525.3 Accommodation Aspects and Planning Examples 535.4 Quality of Accommodation Facilities 545.5 Qualitative Development of Tourism must be Economically Sustainable 565.6 Illustrative Examples 585.7 Recommendation for Common Policies - and their Implementation 605.8 Proposal for Projects 61

6. ACCESSIBILITY AND TRANSPORT 626.1 Introduction 626.2 Private and Public Transport 626.3 Future Trends 646.4 Public Transport and Charter Tourism must be Improved 656.5 Illustrative Examples 666.6 Recommendation for Common Policies - and their Implementation 676.7 Proposal for Projects 70

7. FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES 72

APPENDIXES:

A) PRIORITY PROJECTS 74B) MEMBERS OF NETFORUM 79

General information

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This report presents the results of four workshopsheld by NetForum, an ”expert laymen’s” group. NetForum consisted of representatives from thetourism sector, environmental and recreationalinterest organisations, the municipalities, coun-ties, and from the trilateral governmental level. NetForum was an independent forum establishedon the initiative of the Inter-regional Wadden SeaCooperation in consultation with stakeholderorganisations, with the goal of developing policiesfor sustainable tourism in the Wadden SeaRegion.

The report is divided thematically into the follow-ing sections: Section 1 gives IRWC information on cross-bor-dering co-operations in the Wadden Sea Region,the principles of Integrated Coastal ZoneManagement (ICZM) and the background forNetForum. The “Guiding Principles” and “Strategic Goalsand Tools”, which are the frameworks upon whichthe proposed policies have been built, aredescribed in section 2: Guiding Principles forSustainable Tourism.The sections 3-7 are divided thematically intoNature and Recreational Activities, Culture andCultural Tourism, Accommodation Facilities,Accessibility and Transport and Follow-upActivities.Each section is further subdivided into a descrip-tion, including explanations of NetForum’s opin-ions, illustrative examples, proposals for policies,and proposals for projects.

NetForum has aimed at reaching consensus onmost proposals. Where this has not been possible,it is marked with a ~

The Political Context

In 1994-95 the Danish Counties of Ribe andSouthern Jutland, the Dutch Provinces of

Groningen, Friesland and Noord-Holland and theGerman State of Schleswig-Holstein establishedthe Inter-regional Wadden Sea Cooperation.At their 3rd Inter-regional Conference in 1997,they agreed upon joint visions for the sustainabledevelopment of tourism and recreational use inthe entire Wadden Sea Region for the next 20years, i.e. the Wadden Sea, the Wadden Seaislands and the adjacent mainland areas. In addition, they decided on the development ofproposals for common policies for sustainabletourism development to be done with as muchlocal involvement as possible.

The Report was the subject of an extensive con-sultation round in August/September 1999 invol-ving relevant stakeholder organisations in theWadden Sea Region of Denmark, Germany andthe Netherlands, before the submission to theTourism Conference in November 1999 in Stadewith the expectation that the Conference wouldgive further input to the finalisation of the Report.

Follow-up by the Inter-Regional Wadden Sea Cooperation

The IRWC will deal with the contents of theReport and ensure that the proposals are dealtwith as part of the regional political considera-tions, to the 9th Trilateral GovernmentalConference in 2001.

IRWC presents the results to the EuropeanCommission as part of the reporting of the EUdemonstration projects on Integrated CoastalZone Management.

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0. Summary

Section 1: Introduction

Cross-border co-operation concerning the WaddenSea Region has a long tradition. At the end of the1970s national and international co-operative ini-tiatives on the protection of the Wadden Sea werelaunched, in which governmental authorities atdifferent levels together with various interestgroups played a substantial role.

Today the main cross-border co-operations are:

• the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation (gov-ernmental level)

• the Inter-regional Wadden Sea Cooperation(regional level)

• the EUregio the Wadden (municipal level)

• the environmental organisations the DutchWadden Society and the German and DanishWorld Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) launchedthe oldest cross-border co-operation. It startedsome years before the Trilateral Wadden SeaCooperation was initiated.

The Tourism project of which the work ofNetForum is an essential part is also one of 35EU-demonstration projects, which theCommission launched in 1996 on IntegratedCoastal Zone Management (ICZM). ICZM isdefined by the European Commission as a dynam-ic, continuous and iterative process designed topromote sustainable management of coastalzones, in the member states.

Section 2: Guiding Principles

8-10 million tourists visit the Wadden Sea Regionannually, the main reason is the unique nature.They are primarily families, but there is also asignificant number of ”senior citizens”. Most ofthem come from the Wadden Sea countries them-selves. In almost every part of the Region, tourism is animportant economic activity in terms of bothincome and employment. On most of the islandsand at some of the mainland locations it is themost important economic activity.

The direct benefit to the local municipalitiesderived from tourism differs in the three coun-tries:• in Denmark a complex system of calculation of

all the municipalities’ needs means that theincome from tourism goes to the state and isthen divided among all Danish municipalitiesaccording to estimations of general needs offunding for all the municipal activities;

• in Germany the ”kurtax” system in ”kurorte”gives those locations a direct benefit, which theyare obliged to use in improving and maintainingthe tourism infrastructure;

• in the Netherlands municipalities can demandtax from the tourists in forms of an extra fee onovernight stays, ferry tickets, etc. The tax goesto the municipal treasury and can be used forgeneral purposes.

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Opportunities from tourism• maintains and creates income• supports the maintenance of viable communities• supports the maintenance of the natural and

cultural heritage

Challenges from tourism• prospects of jobs all year round• dependency on it as the main source of income

and job creation demands a continuous develop-ment of the tourism product

• the seasonal variations in employment shouldnot hinder the maintenance and creation of acontinuous development of jobs

• limiting the negative impact on the social life inlocal communities and characteristic naturaland cultural aspects as much as possible

• ensuring the local population’s influence ondevelopment and management of tourism

• ensuring continuous evaluation of the tourismdevelopment to avoid irreparable damage tonature

The expected global trends that will influence thedevelopment of sustainable tourism in theWadden Sea Region include the following:• a general growth in the tourism sector world-

wide• competition will be global• the tourist season will extend over the whole

year• tourists will be more active and demand better

information• tourists will demand customer oriented solu-

tions• tourists will be concerned about development

and demand sustainable solutions on all levels.

The expected Wadden Sea trends that will influ-ence the development include the following:• the Region will be used more actively, which

might result in a higher burden on nature

• new technologies in the field of information willattract more tourists

• the increasing economic volume will attractmore external investors

• marketing will highlight special qualities and betargeted at specific groups

• the Region will have to adapt to tourism all yearround by attracting new target groups

• accommodation facilities will have to specialiseto suit certain target groups

• sailing with deplacement (slow motor) boats willremain an important activity, especially in theDutch and German parts of the Region.

Vision and Guiding Principles forsustainable Tourism

NetForum proposes the following vision for sus-tainable tourism in the Wadden Sea Region:

“To enhance the reputation of the Wadden

Sea Region as a high quality tourist desti-

nation, by building on its internationally

important coastal environment, history, cul-

ture and the hospitality of its people”.

Sustainable tourism is defined as ecologicallypreservable, economically viable and sociallyacceptable.

Summary

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NetForum has identified two guiding principleswhich express the long-term aims:

A joint understanding on implementation of

sustainable tourism

A continuous process of weighing recreational,economic, social and associated interests againstgeneral and specific protection aims in a waysuitable for maintaining natural and culturalassets for future generations. Unreasonableimpairments of the interests of the local popula-tion and its traditional uses in the Wadden SeaArea have to be avoided.

The main basis for the development of sus-

tainable tourism is the uniqueness of the

nature, landscape, culture and the local

communities

• The Wadden Sea Region should be maintainedas a unique coastal landscape and natural area.

• It is essential that the local communities and thelocal population benefit from tourism to thefullest extent possible.

• In agreement with the local population, theWadden Sea Region should aim atdeveloping high quality tourism atall levels.

• The Wadden Sea Region shouldachieve a unique selling positionthrough its combination of unique nat-ural assets and cultural attractions.

The strategic goals and tools to fulfil theguiding principles are:

• safeguarding natural assets• emphasising cultural and historical assets• developing partnerships• improving the tourism opportunities in terms of

local welfare• improving the information available to tourists• encouraging the use of best available knowledge• improving sustainable transport to and within

the Region

Furthermore, NetForum finds it useful to applythe principles of Integrated Coastal ZoneManagement (ICZM) in cross-border co-opera-tions.

Summary

Section 3: Nature and RecreationalActivities

Tourism in coastal areas such as that of theWadden Sea is based on intact nature and therecreational activities are related both to the landand the water. The Region is also a place wherepeople live, work and spend their leisure time. Iffuture generations are to enjoy the qualities of theRegion it is essential that a long-term strategy isimplemented. Without natural assets there can beno outdoor recreation.The best available knowledge should be used as astarting point with regard to the carrying capaci-ty. Area, species and time limit the carryingcapacity of nature for recreational activities.There is no general carrying capacity level for theRegion as a whole.

Future management of natural assets must bebased upon a more precise balance of exploitationand conservation than has hitherto existed.Zoning in time and space and concentration ofactivities should be better applied both to pre-serve natural assets and meet the demands oftourism

NetForum is of the opinion that:

aa the existing system of regulations and zoning

tends to be inflexible. Where possible, regula-

tions should be replaced by information.aa the information concerning nature cur-

rently provided to tourists is, however, ofan uneven quality as no common conceptfor the whole Region exists.

aa it is important to maintain the variety ofrecreational activities. Avoidance of activi-ties, which have an undesirable impact onnature and/or other interests, should beensured by providing information and byflexible zoning. Prohibition should only beused if there are no other possibilities.

aa seen from an environmental point of viewsome recreational facilities are problemat-ic because of their consumption of energy,space, water and fertiliser.

aa building of such facilities should, in theopinion of some members of NetForum, beavoided, while other members are of theopinion that careful examination is suffi-cient. ~

Some illustrative examples are:• in the Netherlands a ”Code of Behaviour” has

been implemented with the aim of presentingshort and understandable guidelines for visitorbehaviour. The Code has been developed by agroup of stakeholders in collaboration with theauthorities.

• in the district of Nordfriesland in Germany, thestakeholders within tourism have been involvedfrom the beginning in the development of a jointlocal concept of tourism.

• in Denmark special areas for certain recreation-al activities have been designated in order toprevent conflicts between different types ofrecreational use.

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Summary

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NetForum recommends the followingcommon policies:

1 support the trilateral protection aims

for the Wadden Sea on all levels, also

with respect to protection against pol-

lution

2 apply the principles of precaution and

careful decision-making in situations

where there is a risk that natural assets

or ecological processes can be perma-

nently damaged

3 start communication among residents,

users, interest groups and the authori-

ties as early in the decision-making

process as possible

4 replace regulations by information

whenever possible

5 only use further regulations for precau-

tionary protection of nature or where

and if absolutely necessary on the basis

of monitoring results

6 improve monitoring of the impact of

recreational activities on nature

7 improve flexibility within the existing

zoning system in time and space in

designated nature reserves and

National Parks ~8 develop user-friendly information

material through close co-operation

and co-ordination among the stake-

holders

9 make the trilateral dimension more vis-

ible in information material than it is

today

10 build recreational facilities in accor-

dance with the natural and cultural

values, and building should meet sus-

tainable standards

11 restrict recreational activities with an

undesirable impact on nature to suit-

able areas or prohibit them entirely

12 establish reception facilities for oil and

other types of waste as well as other

necessary facilities at all harbours.

Additional suggestions for projects to support therealisation of the policies are: to develop a (trans-national) digital information system which inte-grates information about nature and cultural andhistorical information; an information packagewhich integrates information about sustainablevisitor behaviour; activities for joint marketingand establishment of joint criteria for and moni-toring of tourism.

Summary

Section 4: Culture and Cultural Tourism

Culture can be viewed as comprising what people:• think (attitudes, ideas, values)• do (ways of life, behaviour patterns) and• make (architecture, crafts and artwork)Culture is composed of processes as well as theproducts of these processes.

The tangible elements linked to cultural tourismare buildings, historical towns and villages,archaeological monuments, museums and techni-cal structures and installations such as wind-mills. The intangible elements are events (e.g.music festivals, church concerts), traditions andcustoms, history, language and food cover both“heritage tourism”, related to artefacts of the past,and “art tourism”, related to the contemporarycultural production.

There are few ”pure” cultural tourists in theRegion, because the majority of the tourists per-ceive the culture as part of their overall experi-ence.Common culture developed due to intensive trade.The old sea-traffic routes along the Wadden SeaCoast were important in the creation of certaincustoms. Apart from trade, whaling has also beenan important common feature, especially on theislands.

An example of the common cultural elements ofrecent times is the traces of man’s interaction with,and use of, the natural resources, which has giventhe entire Region a landscape formed by agricul-ture, where windmills and the modern ways ofwater-management are prominent features.

The special natural conditions under which theculture has developed allow the Region to offer thetourist an insight into a special area of Europeanhistory, in which man has had a distinct role notonly in the creation of the culture itself, but also inthe development of a unique landscape.

The continued, living existence of the traditional“Wadden Sea Culture” is essential for sustainabletourism development in the entire Region and thesurvival of many small communities, especially onthe mainland. Here, heightened public awareness of, and pridein, the common cultural heritage and its uniquecharacteristics, are one of the preconditions forsuccess.

NetForum finds that cultural tourism should bedeveloped in such a way that it, amongst otherthings:

a first and foremost benefits the local

population

a contributes to lengthening the sea-son (provided it does not lead to anegative impact on the cultural,social and natural assets)

a combines existing cultural and natu-ral attractions

a creates synergy between nature and

culture related tourism which could

lead to more tourists in areas not often

visited today

In all three countries cultural tourism is a fieldwhere the responsibility and power to exerciseinfluence on the development are, to a greatextent, in the hands of the local municipalities.However, not all municipalities and counties cur-rently demonstrate an awareness of this in their

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Summary

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day-to-day policies, nor of the fact that local ini-tiatives in the field of culture can create new joband income opportunities.

Some illustrative examples of sustainable tourismare:• in the Netherlands historic sailing ships are

used for tours on the Wadden Sea• in the district of Dithmarschen in Germany a

guide to all the natural and cultural attractionshas been developed

• in Denmark tours to visit the bunkers fromWorld War II are offered at several locationsalong the coast


1 increase the awareness of the values of

cultural identity of the Region among the

local residents and raise the level of con-

sciousness of the values of the Region

among the visitors

2 strengthen the efforts to preserve the com-

mon cultural heritage and use it as a

tourist selling point

3 consider the use of the site for cultural

tourism when deciding on preservation

(“Schützen durch Nützen”)

4 raise the economic standard of the

Region by creating better assets in cul-

tural tourism

5 strengthen the framework in the

tourism sector

Proposals for projects to support the realisation ofthe policies are for example: the development ofjoint marketing of cultural activities; a gastrono-my award and an educational package on region-al history.

Section 5: Accommodation

The type, standard and price level of accommoda-tion facilities are essential aspects for the tourists’experience of the Wadden Sea Region and togeth-er they constitute one of the most important fac-tors in determining whether to go to and where tostay in the Region.

The accommodation facilities are also a dominantfactor in terms of job-creation.

Summary

Local planning in the coastal zone of the wholeRegion is to a large extent related to the locationand visibility of the accommodation facilities andencompasses fresh-water supply, waste handling,infrastructure etc.

Lodging Capacity and Overnight StaysIn Denmark the lodging capacity has almostdoubled since the mid-seventies; in Germany ithas increased by approximately 11 %, whereas inthe Netherlands there has been no increase. Thetotal lodging capacity in the Region is approxi-mately 295,000 beds.

The accommodation facilities in all three coun-tries are concentrated on the islands and in cer-tain areas on the mainland. The legacy of recentdecades in the form of buildings which do not fitin with the environment is evident throughout theRegion.

The dominant accommodation facilities inDenmark are summer cottages and to someextent, campsites, whereas the picture in the twoother countries is more differentiated. Holidayapartments and hotels play a considerable role, asdo overnight stays in boats in the Netherlands.

The number of overnight stays in the wholeRegion has increased by almost 40% in the last 20years. Today the total number of overnight staysis approximately 53 mill. per year.There are few “luxury” facilities in the Region.

The diverse structure of accommodationfacilities should be ensuredNetForum finds it essential that the diversestructure of the accommodation facilities isensured and that development of new facilities inthe rural and inland areas should be encouraged,provided that traffic problems are solved before-hand and the individual, regional character is notlost.Furthermore, it is the opinion of NetForum thatthe refurbishment and renovation of existingfacilities should be given priority over the build-ing of new facilities.The quality of the facilities should correspond tothe customers’ requirements, including the needsof senior citizens and the disabled.

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Summary

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The accommodation facilities have to develop in a sustainable waySustainable solutions and behaviour in the field ofaccommodation form an essential part of anincreased quality-price awareness. They have tobe introduced as a second step in the developmentof a transparent and comparable classificationsystem throughout the Region. The introductionwill be a long-term process, which has to beadjusted by the tourist operators through motiva-tion and advice.

Qualitative Development of Tourism must be Economically Sustainable In many remote areas tourism is in fact the onlycommercial activity. There is a risk that thisdependency can threaten the survival of these“isolated” communities. Entering agreements(partnerships) with the remaining local farmersfor the supply of products to hotels is one way tocounter or avoid this development.

The ownership structure in the tourism sector hastraditionally consisted of many small and medi-um-sized enterprises. Owners of these enterprisesoften fight hard to survive and lack time (but notthe will) to deal with qualitative improvements,such as use of new technology, sustainable opera-tion, better promotion, etc. The local authoritiescould support improvement of the quality by, forexample, initiating seminars and courses devel-oped in co-operation with local and nationaltourism organisations.Also, To compete in the future a digitalised book-ing system should cover the local, regional andnational market.

It is also essential that the jobs related to tourismare made attractive for qualified people. A rise inyear-round tourism is one of the preconditions forsuch a development.

The improvement of existing offers and the devel-opment of new offers for new target groups areessential to fulfil this.

Some illustrative examples are:• in the Netherlands the organisation for opera-

tors in the field of campsites and summer cot-tages has introduced an “EnvironmentalBarometer”

• in Germany the organisation of hotels andrestaurants has established a competition for”Environmentally Friendly Hotels andRestaurants”

• in Denmark the “Green Key,” a certification sys-tem for sustainable running of accommodationfacilities has been working for several years andis well-known and accepted.


1 maintain the diversification of accom-

modation facilities

2 avoid extending the accommodation

facilities, use the existing capacity

more efficiently

3 encourage the development of accom-

modation facilities in the inland munic-

ipalities, provided that traffic problems

are solved beforehand and the individ-

ual, regional character is not lost

4 ensure that the accommodation and

recreational facilities meet the require-

ments of sustainability in terms of loca-

tion, architecture and technical

requirements

5 renovate old facilities and develop new

ones based on local/regional character-

istics

6 develop common criteria for sustain-

able accommodation, environmentally

friendly restaurants and other recre-

ational facilities

Summary

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7 make the systems of quality of accommoda-

tion (star classification) comparable

8 initiate local partnerships between the

tourism industry and primary production

industries to help ensure a sustainable

development in local communities

9 extend the marketing of the Wadden Sea

Region as a destination for which the

“green profile” of each of the various

regions is defined and promoted

Additional suggestions for projects to support therealisation of the policies are for example: thepromotion of “Sustainable Standards” for accom-modation in combination with a Code-of-conduct;a backpack of sustainable holiday arrangementsand facilities for the less mobile and disabled.

Section 6: Accessibility and Transport

Access to the coastal zone is, except for the mainroads to the larger sea-side towns in the threecountries, composed of a network of small roadswhich become congested in the peak season(s)with consequent local problems and long travel-ling times. These problems are worst in the vicin-ity of the seaside towns with ferry connections tothe islands and other tourism hot-spots such asbeaches, attractive sightseeingpoints and in the villages. Thedays on which accommodationperiods change, also createproblems such as traffic jams.

The smaller towns in theGerman part of the Region inparticular have no bypassesaround the town-centres.Construction of too many newroads may have an undesirable

impact upon the landscape, but is probably a nec-essary solution for some towns.

Driving and parking cars on beaches is allowed inDenmark. In Sct. Peter Ording in Schleswig-Holstein parking on beaches in certain areas ispermitted.

There are railways from the main cities to themain tourism centres along the coast. The numberof actual train fares is often limited and travellingby train into the Wadden Sea Region requires se-veral changes.

Busses are mainly used for local transport withinthe Region and the density of the bus-networkvaries. Busses are also chartered for day trips.Aeroplanes are mostly used for private or char-tered transport.The need of disabled tourists for adequate publictransport facilities and help with luggage etc. isonly taken into account at a small number of loca-tions in the Wadden Sea Region.

The public transport facilities are thus, generallyspeaking, poorly developed into and within theWadden Sea Region and cannot currently beregarded as a viable alternative to the use of pri-vate cars.

Summary

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High-speed ferries are to a limited extent used inthe Dutch and German parts of the Region.Normally, they do not pose a problem if they stayin the main waterways, but in places where thewaterways are shared by water sport activities,the ferries can cause additional inconvenience.There are no high-speed ferries in the Danish partof the Wadden Sea. It is expected that the tourists’ demand for fastertransport to their destinations due to the increasein shorter and more frequent holidays willincrease. Therefore it is essential to ensure thatthe use of high-speed ferries does not conflict withthe overall goal of sustainable development.

NetForum does not find it acceptable to imple-ment traditional solutions to traffic problems, i.e.making better and wider highways and roads andincreasing the number of parking places.

Some illustrative examples are:• in the Netherlands “Park and Ride Systems”

have been used for many years;• the municipality of Schiermonikoog is paying to

maintain cheap and secure parking on themainland to avoid cars on the island;

• in Lower Saxony in Germany, car traffic is pro-hibited on almost all the Wadden Sea islands;

• in Bad Reichenhall in Bavaria a project during aten year period has contributed to the reductionof car-traffic in the town centre;

• the “BodenseeClick” is an Internet based com-puter system, which facilitates the use of publictransportation in the Bodensee Area;

• in Denmark flexible arrival and departure dayshave been introduced at several of the touristhot-spots.

NetForum recommends the following common policies:

1 ensure that all policies on minimisation

of car traffic are sustainable

2 improve public transport connections

(trains, busses) into and within the

Wadden Sea Region

3 avoid fragmentation of the landscape

4 improve the infrastructure by taxation

parking fee etc. ~5 make different arrival and departure

days for tourists in the different areas

6 introduce convenient luggage transporta-

tion to holiday destinations

7 make the use of public transportation

economically competitive with the use of

private cars

8 promote and provide information con-

cerning public transport facilities

9 minimise environmental problems and

disturbance to tourists caused by air traf-

fic

10 no new airfields should be built in the

Wadden Sea Region ~11 minimum flight altitude should be 2000

feet ~12 avoid further high-speed ferries in the

Wadden Sea Region ~13 avoid negative environmental impacts

from high-speed ferries and other fast

vessels

14 extend the visitor information system to

all ferries

Summary

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Additional suggestions for projects to support therealisation of the policies are for example: theintroduction of Park and Ride systems at HotSpots and the establishment and promotion ofalternative transport-systems on islands withexcessive car traffic.

Section 7: Follow Up Activities

It is the task of the Inter-regional Wadden SeaCooperation, having commissioned the NetForumto develop proposals for a sustainable tourismdevelopment in the Wadden Sea Region, to initi-ate, co-ordinate and facilitate the follow-up activi-ties in a further participatory process with thestakeholders.

Furthermore, NetForum invites the Inter-region-al Wadden Sea Cooperation to share the valuableexperiences with the participatory approach witha larger community, in particular, the EuropeanUnion and the Trilateral Wadden SeaCooperation.

Finally NetForum emphasises that the occasion ofthe regularly held Trilateral GovernmentalConferences, of which the forthcoming one will beheld in Denmark in autumn 2001, should be usedas a focal point for future work on this issue andfor the presentation and evaluation of projects aswell as the creation of further common commit-ments.

Summary

1.1 The Wadden Sea Region in a European Context

For thousands of years man has lived, resided andworked in harmony with the natural rhythm oflife of the Wadden Sea. In the course of the lastcentury and especially from the middle of this cen-tury the influence of man has increased throughthe development of technical possibilities and eco-nomic opportunities, sometimes in disharmonywith nature.

There are few, if any, coastal zones in Europe withas many potential fields of conflict between natureand mankind as the Wadden Sea Region. One ofthe reasons is the fact that the InternationalWadden Sea Area is a natural area of world-wideimportance, but also has a vital commercial signi-ficance for large parts of Europe.

Some of Europe’s largest cities and industrialareas are situated in the catchment area of theWadden Sea. A large part of the pollution fromthis area is discharged, directly or indirectly, intothe Wadden Sea through the rivers Rhine, Ems,Weser and Elbe.The Wadden Sea borders the North Sea, one of theseas with the heaviest traffic in the world, and itis the only gateway to the rest of the world forlarge central and coastal zones of Europe. Theexploration for oil and gas both in the North Seaand the Wadden Sea has increased and strongnational interests are involved in this.

The Wadden Sea Region also holds a great fasci-nation for tourists, because of its scenery and dis-tinctive ecological and cultural character.

Millions of tourists visit the Region each year.Tourism creates a considerable benefit for localand regional economic and social development. Inmany areas it exceeds farming and fishery as themost important source of income for the inhabi-tants.

1.2 Cross-border Co-operation

In the beginning of the 1970s, national and inter-national co-operative initiatives on the protectionof the Wadden Sea were launched, in which go-vernmental authorities at different levels, togeth-er with various interest groups, played a substan-tial role. Cross-border co-operation with regard tothe Wadden Sea has thus a long tradition in thethree Wadden Sea Countries.

1.2.1 The Trilateral Wadden Sea CooperationDuring the last 20 years the decisions from theTrilateral Governmental Conferences have had anincreasing influence on the common developmentin the Wadden Sea Area. Through this and initia-tives at other levels, a common understanding ofthe Wadden Sea as an area with unique naturaland cultural assets, which has to be protectedboth for future generations and as the basis forthe livelihood of the current local inhabitants,through, for example, tourism, has been reached.

In 1978 the first Trilateral GovernmentalConference on the Protection of the Wadden Seawas held between the three governments. Since1978 Wadden Sea Conferences of the relevantministers have been held regularly. In October 1997 the 8th Wadden Sea Conferencewas held in Stade, Germany. Here a TrilateralWadden Sea Plan was adopted, constituting theoverall framework for the future management ofthe Wadden Sea Area.

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1. Introduction

In the Wadden Sea Plan, the three countriesagreed upon a shared vision, which encompassesthe countries’ aspirations:

• “a healthy environment which maintains thediversity of habitats and species, its ecologicalintegrity and resilience as a global responsibility

• sustainable use

• maintenance and enhancement of values of eco-logical, economical, historical, cultural, socialand coastal protection nature meeting the aspi-rations of and providing enjoyment for theinhabitants and users;

• integrated management of human activitieswhich takes into account the socio-economic andecological relationship between the Wadden SeaArea and adjacent areas;

• an informed, involved and committed community”.

1.2.2 The Inter-regional Wadden SeaCooperation

In 1994 the Inter-regional Wadden SeaCooperation (IRWC) was established. Today itconsists of the three Dutch Provinces of Nord-Holland, Fryslân and Groningen, the German dis-tricts of Dithmarschen and Nordfriesland inSchleswig-Holstein and the two Danish Countiesof Southern Jutland and Ribe.

In 1995, at the 2nd Inter-regional Conference, theregions agreed to co-operate more closely with theaim of the conservation and sustainable use of thewhole International Wadden Sea Region. At their3rd Inter-regional Conference in 1997 (Husum),the regions also decided to base their co-operationon the principles of “subsidiarity” and “integra-tion”.

Furthermore, they agreed upon joint visions of thesustainable development of tourism and recre-ational use in the entire Wadden Sea Region forthe next 20 years, taking into account local con-cepts and the following items:

• “assessment of the current tourism developmentand recreational activities in relation to theimpact on nature and environment as well as thesocio-economic climate in the Region. This willinclude putting forward common criteria forwhich types of activities do not seem to accordwith the preservation of the Wadden Sea envi-ronment;

• proposal as to how sustainable tourism can bedeveloped (qualitatively and quantitatively)without long term impact on the environment;

• proposal for which areas within the Region thathave a development potential ecologically andsocio-economically;

• proposal as to how cross-border management,built on joint principles, can be incorporated intothe existing national and EU-related provisionsand regulations.”

The Husum Report on sustainable tourism andother material concerning tourism developmentin the Wadden Sea Region have provided the basisfor the work carried out in NetForum.

1.2.3 Other Cross-border Co-operations inthe Wadden Sea Region

The Dutch, German and Danish Wadden Seaislands have co-operated since the 80s. In spring1999 the “EUregio the Wadden” was established,in order to enable better co-operation on commonissues and activities and to attract funding foractivities and projects.

19

Introduction

The co-operation with regard to the Wadden Seabetween the environmental organisations of thethree countries almost certainly has the longesttradition of any of the co-operative ventures men-tioned. It started some years before the TrilateralWadden Sea Cooperation at the governmentallevel was established.The initiators were the Dutch Wadden Societytogether with the German and Danish WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF). This co-operationhas been essential in promoting the joint efforts toprotect, conserve and wisely manage the WaddenSea as an ecological entity.

1.3 Trilateral Acknowledgement - andInvolvement

The following agreements on tourism were theoutcome of the 8th Governmental Wadden SeaConference in Stade, Germany in 1997:

• “The Ministers ACKNOWLEDGE the work car-ried out by the Inter-regional Wadden Sea Co-operation regarding the analysis and visions ofsustainable tourism development and recreation-al use in the Wadden Sea Region.

• The Ministers AGREE to initiate inter-regionalcooperation to develop and implement policies onsustainable tourism, together with relevantstakeholders1, as well as local and other relevantauthorities. They INVITE the Inter-regionalWadden Sea Cooperation to carry out this task.”(§36).

The political discussions and decision-makingresulting from the above agreements are plannedto take place at the Inter-regional andGovernmental Wadden Sea Conferences in theyear 2001.

1.4 Development of a CommonTourism Policy – also an EUProject

For the period 1997-2000, the EU Commissionhas subsidised the development of a commontourism policy for the Wadden Sea Region accor-ding to the EU Demonstration Programme“Integrated Coastal Zone Management” (ICZM).

The Wadden Sea Tourism Project is one of the 35demonstration projects in coastal zones all overEurope which have the aim of providing the EUCommission with information about, and experi-ence of, spatial planning aspects within the mem-ber states. It focuses on how co-operation andinvolvement with the local and national authori-ties as well as the various commercial and otherinterest groups within the Region can be devel-oped and promoted.

The gathering of experience from the 35 projectsin EU has shown that most of the problems rela-ted to spatial planning and to the development ofIntegrated Coastal Zone Management, are due toa lack of political planning, and a lack of func-tioning procedures for communication across thedifferent sectors and across the different interestswithin the coastal zone. It has also shown that alack of sufficient information and knowledgeabout the dynamics of the coastal zone regardingboth the natural environment and the socio-eco-nomic development is another common problem.Most of the projects put heavy emphasis upon theaspect of local involvement and commitment as abasis for solving the problems in coastal areas.

20

Introduction

1Stakeholders are to be understood as: any person, institution, organisation, agency, department, authority, club, association etc., which has inthe broadest sense and interest in, or association with, a particular issue.

The Wadden Sea Tourism Project is thus an inte-grated part of the realisation of the political deci-sions taken by the Inter-Regional Wadden SeaCooperation and also part of EU activities con-cerning the development of Integrated CoastalZone Management.

1.4.1 What is Integrated Coastal ZoneManagement?

The European Commission defines ICZM as adynamic, continuous and iterative processdesigned to promote sustainable management ofcoastal zones.

Within the limits set by natural dynamics andcarrying capacity, ICZM seeks, over the long-term, to balance the benefits from:• economic development and human uses of the

coastal zone,• protecting, preserving, and restoring coastal

zones, • minimising loss of human life and property, • public access to and enjoyment of the coastal

zone.

Although ICZM refers to “management”, theICZM process in fact covers the full cycle of infor-mation collection, planning, decision making,management and monitoring of implementation. “Planning” is thus intended in its broadest sense,to mean strategic policy development, rather thanonly land use planning or other sector planning.

1.4.2 General principles and dimensions forICZM

The European Commission has put forward aseries of general principles on which sustainablemanagement of the coastal zones should be based:

• take a wide-ranging perspective• build on an understanding of specific conditions

in the area of interest• work with natural processes

• ensure that decisions taken today do not fore-close options for the future

• use participatory planning to develop consensus• ensure the support and involvement of all rele-

vant administrative bodies• use a combination of instruments

These principles can be divided into four dimen-sions:territorial integration taking into account theinterrelations and interdependencies between theterrestrial, estuarine, littoral and offshore compo-nents of the coastal zone;

horizontal integration of policies, managementarrangements and development plans amongstdifferent sectors, services and agencies at a givenlevel of government;

vertical integration of policies, managementarrangements and development plans fromnational through to local levels of government;

consistent integration of sustainable developmentobjectives, policies, plans and managementstrategies through time.

The implementation will need to consider variouslegal, economic and policy instruments that couldbe put to the service of ICZM, and the conditions

21

Introduction

under which each instrument might be appropri-ate. It will also need to consider the responsibili-ties of the various administrative levels (in theapplication of the principle of subsidiarity), andthe information basis needed at each of these le-vels in order for them to meet their responsibili-ties.

1.5 Organisation of the Wadden SeaTourism Project

The tourism project has consisted of the followingthree key units:

NetForum NetForum was an independent forum establishedon the initiative of the IRWC in consultation withstakeholder organisations.

NetForum consisted of key persons from environ-mental and tourist organisations and publicauthorities on all levels within the Region, apartfrom Lower Saxony. Here the representation wasto be maintained by the administration from theNational Park authorities in Wilhelmshaven.

To ensure close contact from the regional level tothe national level the Trilateral Wadden SeaCooperation was represented in NetForum, andthe chairman of NetForum was the executive sec-retary of the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat(CWSS).

The task of NetForum was to develop proposalsfor joint policies on sustainable tourism and forways of implementing these policies. This alsoincluded proposals and initiatives for follow upprojects. NetForum discussed and agreed upon the issues“from scratch” and the Report was developed dur-ing four theme workshops and three meetingsheld by NetForum in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Names and addresses of the members are listed inAppendix B.

Regional Boards In the Netherlands, a regional tourism board hasbeen established. It maintains communicationamong the various stakeholders and provincialauthorities dealing with tourism and recreation inthe Dutch Wadden Sea Region.In Schleswig-Holstein communication to and fromNetForum primarily took place within the tworegional councils in Dithmarschen andNordfriesland.In Denmark information about the work under-taken by the NetForum was disseminatedthrough the Danish Advisory Council for theWadden Sea.

NetForum SecretariatThe Secretariat took care of all tasks related toNetForum, the workshops and the TourismConference, such as planning, the collection andcreation of background material etc. It also editeda newsletter on “Tourism In the Wadden SeaRegion” issued in Danish, Dutch and Germanthree to four times a year.

The Secretariat will continue the work until theresults from the project are presented to the EU.

The links among the different units in theTourism Project are shown in the following dia-gram.

22

Introduction

23

Introduction

24

2.1 Status of Tourism and Recreation

Annually 8-10 million tourists visit the WaddenSea Region, this being the Wadden Sea, theWadden Sea islands and the adjacent mainlandareas, mainly because of its unique nature. Theintact nature2 of the area, its remarkable land-scape, a healthy climate, the hospitality of thepeople and the cultural heritage continuously givethe Region a high recreational value and make itexceptionally attractive for tourists.

In large parts of the Wadden Sea Region tourismis an important economic activity in terms ofincome and employment. According to estimates, the turnover in theDanish Wadden Sea Region is approximately 267mill. Euro in the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden SeaRegion approximately 688 mill. Euro and in theDutch Wadden Sea Region 586 mill. Euro.

In 1996 in the Schleswig-Holstein Region, app.286 mill. Euro (42%) was direct profit to the own-ers of the facilities and salaries to those employedin the tourism sector. It is estimated that 20% ofthe employment in the SH-Region derives fromtourism. This corresponds to about 9,000 jobs andone third of the inhabitants depend on turnoveroriginating from tourism activities. This clearlyunderlines tourism as a vital local source ofincome and job creation.

Information indicates that income and employ-ment in the tourism sector in the Danish andDutch Wadden Sea regions are comparable tothose in Schleswig-Holstein. On the majority ofthe islands and some mainland locations in theGerman Wadden Sea Region tourism is the mostimportant economic activity.

2. Guiding Principles

2 Should be interpreted according to the overall protection goal:

The overall framework on protection of the Wadden Sea Area hasbeen stated in the Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan, decided on the 8thTrilateral Governmental Wadden Sea Conference, Stade 1997:“The guiding principle of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Policy is, as faras possible, to achieve a natural and sustainable ecosystem in whichnatural processes proceed in an undisturbed way. The principle aimsat:• maintaining the water movements and the attendant geomor-

phological and pedological processes;• improving the quality of water, sediment and air to levels that are

not harmful for the ecosystem;• safeguarding and optimising the conditions for flora and faunaincluding:

- preservation of the Wadden Sea as a nursery area for North Seafish;- conservation of the feeding, breeding, moulting and roostingareas of birds- conservation of the breeding and resting areas of seals as well

as the prevention of disturbance in these areas.• maintaining the scenic qualities of the landscape, in particular the

variety of types of landscape and the specific features of the wide,open scenery including the perception of nature and landscapes”.

2.1.1 Opportunities• Tourism maintains and creates income and jobs

in the Wadden Sea Region, which has encoun-tered structural changes and decline in the agri-cultural and associated sectors.

• Tourism supports the maintenance of viablecommunities.

• Tourism can support the maintenance of the nat-ural and cultural heritage.

2.1.2 Challenges• Prospects of jobs all year round.• The dependency on tourism in large parts of the

Wadden Sea Region in terms of income and jobsdemands a continuous development of thetourism product to meet competition and sea-sonal variations.

• Seasonal variation in employment should nothinder the maintenance and creation of continu-ous structural employment in the Wadden SeaRegion, i.e. a development that strengthens theresidents’ possibilities for permanent jobs.

• The negative impact of tourism on the social lifein local communities and characteristic culturalaspects should be limited as much as possible.

• Tourism can in some cases be a danger to theregional identity and it is therefore importantthat a maximum of influence is given to the localpopulation on the development and the manage-ment of tourism.

• Tourism developments must on a continuedbasis be evaluated to avoid irreparable damageto natural assets.

NetForum is of the opinion that no matter whatchoices are made it is essential that:

the economic benefit from tourism should be

gained as much as possible by the local com-

munities and local population.

2.1.3 Who are the Tourists?Most of the tourists who visit the Region are fami-lies and, to a lesser extent, “senior citizens”. Mostof the tourists come from the Wadden Sea coun-tries and very few are from other parts of Europe.

2.1.4 Where do they go?The distribution pattern of tourism can be dividedinto two main destinations regarding the numberof tourists and the facilities offered:

• the islands attract most tourists, primarilybecause of the beaches, landscape, the opportu-nities in the field of health tourism and the cul-tural features;

• mainland locations which have turned them-selves into significant tourist centres, eitherbecause of ferry connections to the islands, goodtransport/road connections to and from inland,the scenic landscape or because of their distinc-tive historical character.

25

Guiding principles

Furthermore, in the Netherlands a considerablenumber of tourists spend their leisure time on thewater.

2.1.5 What are they offered?The Wadden Sea Region presents a great varietyof attractions to tourists from natural assets andthe recreational activities to fascinating culturalattractions.

Nature The Wadden Sea Region offers unprecedentednatural qualities. Tourists are attracted to theislands, mainland coast and the seaside for itspure vastness and the peaceful, relatively undis-turbed landscape. Furthermore visitors areattracted by the “living” nature of the Wadden SeaRegion (birds, seals, salt marshes in bloom, etc.).

CultureThe activities of man have created a common“Wadden Sea Culture” with important elementssuch as fertile land, wealth, and a magnificentcultural landscape. The building and maintenance of dikes hasalways been an important part of human activityand this has had a considerable impact on the cul-tural landscape as well as upon the developmentof local involvement. Agricultural activities have formed the culturallandscape and distinctive building traditions canbe seen in the farming lands of the Region. Trade and fishery have been the basis for thedevelopment of wealthy towns and cities.

Accommodation FacilitiesThe main types of accommodation offered to thetourist in Denmark are summer cottages. In theNetherlands the accommodation facilities aremore diverse. Here, tourists, to a large extent, canchoose between hotels, boarding houses, camp-sites and summer cottages. Overnight stays onboats also play a considerable role. In Germanyhotels and apartments together with boarding

houses are the main types.

In Germany many of the accommodation facilitiesare located in appointed “Kur-towns”, whichreceive a direct benefit from tourism. The raising of ”kurtax” is only allowed here, inthese specially qualified and officially designatedtourism communities. Each tourist in these vil-lages has to pay a certain amount per overnightstay, which varies between 1 Euro and 2.80 Euroin the peak season. The money goes to the com-munity and has to be used for tourism infrastruc-ture (e.g. cleaning of beaches, beach guards,swimming pools, special events etc.).In addition the community can raise a special taxfrom all companies gaining a profit from tourism(accommodation, restaurants, shops, doctors etc.) The total amount of ”kurtax” in Schleswig-Holstein is approximately 36 mill. Euro per yearand the amount of the special tax is 5.1 mill. Europer year.

In the Netherlands municipalities can impose taxon the tourists when they spend the night oncampsites, at apartments or holiday-centres or,for example, take a ferry. This tax goes to themunicipality treasury and can be used for generalpurposes. The amount per person differs withineach of the municipalities.

In Denmark there is no specific tourism tax.Under the Danish tax system municipal and coun-ty tax income from, for example, tourism is firstcollected by the national authorities and thenagain distributed by the state among the munici-palities and counties according to a complex sy-stem of calculation of needs.

26

Guiding principles

Accessibility and Transport The roads of the Region are mainly minor, andthere are very few highways. The tourists’ mainmeans of transportation to and within the Regionare cars, which can result in serious seasonal traf-fic problems and air pollution. Public transporta-tion to and within the Region is poorly developed.

2.2 Tourism Value Chain of TouristProducts

Tourism can contribute to the fulfilment majorobjectives of the European Union, namely the pro-motion of the European citizen´s interest, growthand employment, regional development, the ma-nagement of cultural and natural heritage and astrengthening of European identity. However,tourism can only contribute to achieving theseactivities in the long term if it is based on theprinciples of sustainable development.

The Tourism Value Chain must be respected inthe development of sustainable tourism in theWadden Sea Region. When those elements arerespected/used, tourism will be based on sustain-ability.

The elements of the Tourism Value Chain are:• journey to and from the destination• information at destinations• appropriate booking systems• accommodation• food and catering• attractions and amenities• quality of life at destination• environment• farewell and return journey• after sales, contact and memories

2.3 The Region must define theFuture Development

The high number of tourists attracted by theWadden Sea Region underlines how important itis for the Region to define the future developmentof tourism. Sustainable tourism can ensure thecontinued attraction to the Region and thusensure economic stability, while the natural andcultural assets can be preserved in accordancewith the Region’s international status.

It is important to be informed about the expecteddevelopment of tourism, irrespective of theRegion’s initiatives, so that also in the future theright choices can be made.

2.4 Expected Trends

2.4.1 Global TrendsIn the industrialised countries there are a numberof trends which will influence the development oftourism both outside and within the Wadden SeaRegion:

• a general growth in the tourism sector is expect-ed world-wide. In the Wadden Sea Region someareas have, however, experienced stagnationand even decline in recent years;

• competition will be globally intensified. Thequality of the destination and the unspoiled nat-ural assets may play a major role in the futuredevelopment of prices;

• tourists will be able to take their vacations atany time of the year, resulting in a tourist sea-son all year round;

• tourists will be more active and demand betterinformation. Multimedia information will beavailable;

• already today tourists critically assess the rela-tionship between price and quality and demandcustomer oriented solutions. This will apply toan even greater extent in the future;

27

Guiding principles

28

• tourists will be concerned about the environmentand demand sustainable solutions at all levels.

2.4.2 Wadden Sea Trends• the Region will be used more actively which

might result in a higher burden on nature;• new technologies in the field of information will

attract more tourists;• an increasing economic volume of tourism will

attract more external investors;• marketing will highlight special qualities and be

targeted at specific groups;• accommodation facilities will have to specialise

to suit certain groups of customers;• the Region will have to adapt to tourism all year

round by attracting new target groups;• sailing with deplacement boats will remain an

important activity, especially in the Dutch andGerman part of the Wadden Sea Region.

2.5 Vision and Guiding Principles forSustainable Tourism

NetForum proposes the following vision of afuture and sustainable tourism in the WaddenSea Region:

to enhance the reputation of the Wadden Sea

Region as a high quality tourist destination,

by building on its internationally important

coastal environment, history, culture and

the hospitality of its people.

Sustainability is defined as ecologically preserv-able, economically viable and socially acceptable.

NetForum has identified two guiding principlesfor the development of sustainable tourism. Theseprinciples express the long-term aims, which arethe basis of the proposed strategic goals, tools andpolicies:

I) A joint understanding on implementationof sustainable tourism:

NetForum finds that :

sustainable tourism in the Wadden Sea

Region is to be understoodas as a continuous

process of weighing recreational, economic,

social, cultural and associated interests

against general and specific protection aims

in a way suitable for maintaining natural

and cultural assets for future generations.

Unreasonable impairments of the interests

of the local population and its traditional

uses in the Wadden Sea Area have to be

avoided.

II) A unique landscape, nature, culture andthe local communities are the main basisfor the development of sustainabletourism:

Together, the stakeholders should developtourism which is environmentally friendly andsocially appropriate, and where tourist facilitiesare of high quality at all levels.

Guiding principles

29

NetForum finds that:

a the Wadden Sea Region should be main-

tained as a unique coastal landscape and

natural area

a it is essential that the local communities

and the local population benefit as much

as possible from tourism

a in agreement with the local population,

the Wadden Sea Region should aim at a

development of tourism with high quality

in all aspects

a the Wadden Sea Region should achieve a

unique selling position through the com-

bination of the unique nature and the

cultural opportunities

2.6 Strategic Goals and Tools

To fulfil the two guiding principles NetForum hasdeveloped the following strategic goals and tools:

- Safeguarding of Natural AssetsRecreational developments and activities must beevaluated on a continuous basis to avoid damageto natural assets. The pollution of the North Sea and the WaddenSea has to be reduced.

a tourism depends on intact nature - and

must play its part in safeguarding its very

basis. Careful decision-making, under-

standing and respect for conservation

regulations as early as the pre-planning

stage and clear opposition to pollution

are necessary

- Emphasis of Cultural and HistoricalAssets

Improvement of cultural tourism should conse-quently be a qualitative development of small-scale tourism, with small-scale attractions. It isthe combination of those attractions within a cer-tain area which is essential.

a within the Wadden Sea Region there are

common as well as regional/local cultural

and historical characteristics and values.

The local awareness of the Region’s cul-

tural heritage should be strengthened.

Improvement of the development of cul-

tural tourism can help to reinforce cul-

tural identity

- Development of PartnershipsOnly through joint and co-ordinated procedureswill it be possible to establish a corporate identityof the Wadden Sea Region with a broad spectrumof different attractions both for tourists andinhabitants.

a to obtain the commitment of the inhabi-

tants to a sustainable tourism develop-

ment and to keep them informed, com-

munication must be improved and has to

become a permanent process, which

needs to be co-ordinated by the parties

involved. Successful development de-

pends on the best possible co-operation

among those parties, f.ex. the tourist sec-

tor, the cultural sector and conservation

groups

- Improvement of Tourism OpportunitiesSustainable tourism can contribute to a continu-ously high level of economic and social welfare inthe local communities. This requires an early and

Guiding principles

30

appropriate reaction to visible trends in demo-graphic and social developments. It also includesenvironmentally friendly accommodation andpublic transportation and more ecologically ori-ented products. Also, the (further) development ofnature-oriented activities and other activitiessuitable for the Wadden Sea Region will con-tribute to sustainable tourism.

a sustainable tourism can be economically

profitable. Accommodation facilities and

products which comply fully with envi-

ronmental standards can be designed so

attractively that tourists prefer them

a laws and regulations should support

investments in qualitative improvements

rather than new quantitative develop-

ments

- Improvement of InformationInformation is a key element in reaching a com-promise between the aspirations of tourists andinhabitants and the requirements of nature.Information on the cultural elements is alsoessential as a means of strengthening the local,regional cultural identity; as well as a means ofdrawing tourists’ attention towards the culturalcharacteristics of Wadden Sea Region.

a tourists should be convinced of the need

to achieve the protection goals and must

be well informed about the cultural ele-

ments too. This requires a good visitor

information system, preferably har-

monised between the Wadden Sea coun-

tries. It is also the aim that a well-pro-

tected Wadden Sea can be experienced,

and act as a “nature school” for other

regions in Europe

- Encouraging the Use of Best AvailableKnowledge

It is essential that data on tourism and natureshould be directly comparable within the wholeRegion. This information should be available tothe public as well as to decision-makers in anappropriate and understandable form and alsoinclude local and regional expert knowledge.

a decisions must always be taken on the

basis of the best available knowledge.

To encourage this it is necessary to have

trilaterally harmonised data collections

and also a transfer of information to

tourists and all stakeholders

- Improvement of Sustainable Transportand Accessibility to and within the Region

The large amount of individual car traffic resultsin disadvantages for the inhabitants and tourists,mainly in the holiday season. In addition it raisesair-pollution.It is important to ensure that concepts of trans-port of tourists are valid from the home area oftourists and include transportation facilities fordisabled persons as well as accompanying solu-tions for inhabitants. Local initiatives which onlycover the Wadden Sea Region, are not sufficient.

a traffic into and within the Wadden Sea

Region should be as friendly to the envi-

ronment and as comfortable for the users

as possible

Guiding principles

31

2.7 Integrated Coastal ZoneManagement is Essential

In the Wadden Sea Region the “territorial inte-gration” between land and sea and offshore com-ponents is only to a limited extent taken intoaccount.

The existing legal instruments dealing with “hori-zontal integration” in all three countries aim atfulfilling this through balancing the interests ofdifferent sectors (tourism, farming, industry,nature protection etc.) in the policies, manage-ment arrangements and development plans.

”Vertical integration” of plans and managementstrategies from national to local level does exist inthe Netherlands in particular, and in Germany,whereas this is not the situation in the DanishWadden Sea Region.

The NetForum report aims at contributing to thefulfilment of ICZM, in cross border activities aswell, including principles mentioned in Section

1.4.2 and the above dimensions, althoughNetForum is aware of the fact that tourism is onlyone of the sectors relevant for ICZM in theWadden Sea Region.


a the Wadden Sea Region should aim at

using the principles and dimensions of

Integrated Coastal Zone Management

also in cross-border co-operation in the

process of implementation of the policies

for sustainable tourism

Guiding principles

3.1 Without Nature - no OutdoorRecreation

“The Wadden Sea Area is an area of outstandingnatural value. It is characterised by a highbiological productivity and high natural dynam-ics. The Wadden Sea is the largest European wet-land area and its tidal flats form the largestunbroken stretch of mudflats world-wide3.“

Tourism in coastal areas like the Wadden SeaArea and the nature-protected areas in the adja-cent areas on the mainland is based on an intactnature. Tourism also contributes to the awarenessof nature conservation by spreading knowledgeand generating money. On the other hand,tourism development can damage the natural sur-roundings and thus cause conflicts. Outdoor tourism activities in the Wadden SeaRegion are land or water-based. Spending time inthe dunes, along the beaches, in the woods, walk-ing, biking or horseback riding are typical landactivities. Recreation linked to the sea includes of(sun) bathing at the beaches and the dikes, mud-flat-walking, angling, sailing and windsurfing.

The natural surroundings of the Wadden SeaRegion available to tourists are indeed distinctivenatural assets. The flora and fauna is unique, asare the dynamics in a geographical perspective(the tide, the development of dunes) and the largeopen spaces. When tourists are asked for theirmotives when visiting the countryside in theWadden Sea Region, answers are not exclusivelylinked to the biotic components. The simple pres-ence of unspoiled scenery and absence of humaninfluence also play a major role.

The Wadden Sea Region is also a place where peo-ple live, work and spend their leisure time. Iffuture generations are to enjoy the qualities of thearea it is essential that a long-term strategy isimplemented with the objective of protectingthese natural assets and the biological diversity.

Without nature, there can be no outdoor recre-ation.

The majority of tourists and other visitors come tothe Wadden Sea Region to enjoy the countryside.This large interest can however, conflict with thefact that many come to enjoy “unspoiled nature”.The more people who visit the area, the greaterthe risk that nature is adversely affected.

Tourism development has both directly and indi-rectly contributed to the reduction of the diversityof the flora and fauna. This can be seen most obvi-ously in the areas around tourist attractions.Areas of conflict, which are places where theinterests of nature conservation run up againstthe most damaging recreational use of the land,are especially prominent around accommodationand other recreational facilities.

The carrying capacity of nature for recreationalactivities is limited by area, species and time.There are no general carrying capacity levels forthe Region as a whole. The best available know-ledge with regard to carrying capacity of an areashould therefore be used as a starting point.

Future nature management must, to a higherdegree than now, be based upon a more precisebalance of exploitation and conservation.

There are nevertheless many ways of enjoying thenatural areas and the cultural landscape of theWadden Sea Region. Many of the areas of natural

32

3. Nature and Recrational Activities

3 Quotation from The Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan, page 15

33

interest can still be regarded as “wilderness”. Butit is essential that the national, regional and localplanning authorities and tourism organisationsare aware of the fact that an intensification oftourism can cause irreversible changes to the verybasis of nature itself. If not, “wilderness” will be ascarce resource.

To protect this basis it is important that planningis always based upon the principle of “BestAvailable Information” and to apply the“Precautionary Principle”.

Tourism and other use of the natural resources inthe Wadden Sea Region should be based on guide-lines which in the opinion of NetForum first andforemost must respect that:

a the natural assets of the Region are main-

tained and improved, and

a the countryside is used with respect for

its scenic, biological, cultural and histori-

cal assets

a zoning in time and space and concentra-

tion of activities should be better applied

to preserve natural values and tourism

requirements

3.2 Selected Recreational Activities –and their Conflict Potential

Bathing tourism is common throughout the entireRegion and the beaches are normally able to sus-tain the visitors. It usually creates no major con-flicts with nature and the local residents.However, on some occasions traditional bathingtourism creates conflicts by disturbing endan-gered species of nesting birds.Use of the dunes may also result in deteriorationof the dunes themselves or of their vulnerable veg-etation as well as disturbance of species in thesehabitats.

The Region attracts a number of visitors who pre-fer to be active during their vacation. They areoffered different types of guided tours such asmudflat walking, bird watching or charter sailing.Participation in guided tours gives the visitor anopportunity of a well-qualified introduction to theWadden Sea Region.

Visitors also like to experience nature on theirown. This may result in activities which disturbbirds in breeding and migration periods or, to alesser degree, disturb sensitive species throughoutthe year. Mountain biking in the dunes and hikingin areas where there are no paths are examples ofsuch activities. Windsurfing, sailing with multi-hulls and flat-bottom ships and canoeing areexamples of activities that can create disturbanceto seals and birds in the sea territory. These activ-ities are difficult to control as they can easilyintrude on vulnerable nature areas.

Some of the activities may also result in conflictsbetween the different activities undertaken. Jet-skiing is an example of an activity that conflictswith other recreational activities and the overallprotection aims of the Wadden Sea Area.4

Nature and recrational activities

4In the Wadden Sea Plan (§4.1.21) it is amongst other things stated that:“ …the use of jet skis, water skis and similar motorised equipment has been or will be prohibited or limited to small designated areas.”

34


a the variety of recreational activities

should be maintained to the greatest pos-

sible extent

a activities with an undesirable impact on

nature and/ or other interests should be

managed by a continuous process of com-

munication, by providing information, by

flexible zoning in time and space and if

there is no alternative, by prohibition

3.3 Selected Recreational Facilities –and their Conflict Potential

3.3.1 Harbour FacilitiesIt is important to ensure sustainable waste-han-dling of oil and other types of waste from shipsand yachts, and also to have sufficient harbourreception facilities for tourists who travel by

yachts. In the Danish and Dutch parts of theRegion these facilities exist in most yacht har-bours and sometimes their use is included in theharbour fee. They are not yet established in allyacht harbours in Germany and where estab-lished the visitors have to pay separately.Many of the existing harbour facilities in all partsof the Region need to be improved. The publicauthorities are aware of this but lack financialmeans, as both the repairs and the necessaryimprovements to ensure sustainable waste hand-ling are expensive.

3.3.2 Golf CoursesGolf courses are popular recreational facilities.Local communities aim at attracting wealthytourists and the number of golf courses in theRegion has increased considerably in recentyears. They require a lot of space and are oftensituated in areas of high recreational value forother people than golfers. Furthermore, mainte-nance of golf courses requires a great deal ofwater and fertiliser.


3.3.3 Indoor Waterparks Indoor waterparks, aquaparks, and similar facili-ties are problematic from an environmental pointof view because of their consumption of energy,space and water.


a all harbours should offer reception facili-

ties for oil and other types of waste from

yachts and ships, as well as other neces-

sary facilities (toilets and showers)

a improvement of harbour facilities as well

as their maintenance should be support-

ed financially by the European Union and

the National Governments

a the building of golf courses, on the

islands in particular, should be assessed

very carefully beforehand and any such

building should be according to “Best

Environmental Practice”

a building of recreational facilities such as

large indoor waterparks with an undesirable

impact on nature should be avoided 5 ~

a building of recreational facilities such as

large indoor waterparks should only be

started after careful examination

because of their negative impact on

nature and environment 5 ~

3.4 Better Information and IncreasedCommunication

Information about the specific natural features ofthe Wadden Sea Region is, in all three countries,provided to tourists. Information centres in the

Region are not just offices where folders, exhibi-tions and information are offered. They are alsopart of the leisure opportunities for tourists aswell as for the local population.

The overall strategy is to make the visitor awareof the global importance of the Wadden Sea and tocommunicate the problems and any regulations,whether in force or envisaged.

The experience of National Parks in USA and tosome extent also in Germany has shown that itcan be economically profitable to offer attractiveinformation material at a reasonable price. Thishas been supported by a recent German studydone by WWF, where tourists stated their willing-ness to pay a certain amount for this information.

Co-ordinated and organised information systems,as for example those offered by the GermanNational Park authorities and the Dutch visitor-centres, aim at ensuring an acceptable behaviourby the visitor in terms of preserving vulnerablenature.


a information to the tourists is of an

uneven quality, especially with regard to

user information

a tourist publications contain little or no

information about nature or sustainable

visitor behaviour

a there is no common concept for visitor

information in the Region

a the co-operation between different ac-

tors, especially trilaterally, is not visible

to visitors and local residents

35


5 Some members of NetForum are of the opinion that certain facilities have to be avoided, whereas others disagree and have proposed thesecond formulation.

a information should be developed through

close co-operation and co-ordination

between stakeholders

a information should either be freely

obtainable or paid for voluntarily by visi-

tors

a the tourism sector, the cultural sector

and other stakeholders should contribute

financially to the information material

about nature to a greater extent than

they do currently

A specific problem is the communication betweenthe authorities and the interest and user groups.Mutual understanding and acceptance of opinionsas well as responsibilities are often lacking. Thediscussions are quite often destructive, especiallyin debates concerning regulation.


a through joint public participation, as

early as possible, in the decision-making

processes on new policies, user conflicts

can be perceptibly reduced

3.5 Legislation and AdministrativeStructures – Similarities andDifferences

The administrative structures in Denmark and inthe Netherlands show a considerable degree ofsimilarity. The planning system and division oftasks and responsibilities among the three levelsof authorities in these countries are comparablefor the land territory, whereas they differ for thesea territory.The administrative structure in the FederalRepublic of Germany shows differences in several

aspects, regarding levels of authorities, their com-petencies and enforcement powers of the NationalPark authorities within these.

The strategic instruments also show similarities.As an example zoning of the Wadden Sea/WaddenSea Area is based on the same principles in regardto ecological vulnerability and human use:• areas where most recreational activities are

permitted all year round• areas with restricted recreational use, gradu-

ated in defined periods• areas where recreational activities are either

prohibited or strictly limited

Comparable regulations are applied differently.For example, in Denmark and Schleswig-Holsteinthe islands are excluded from the zoning princip-les of the Wadden Sea Protection Area. In theNetherlands and especially in Lower Saxony,most areas of the islands are part of the zoningsystem in the Wadden Sea Area.


a the existing systems of regulations and

zoning tend to be inflexible in the short

term if the dynamics of nature require

changes

a where possible, regulations should be

replaced by information

36


3.6 Illustrative Examples

NetForum has identified some illustrative examp-les of sustainable tourism in the Region rooted inthe regional nature and culture and/or historyand generating economic benefit for the localpopulation without having negative impacts onnature.

The Netherlands• In 1998 a “Code of Behaviour” was drawn up by

a group of stakeholders together with theauthorities with the aim of presenting short andunderstandable directions for how visitorsshould behave when visiting the Dutch part ofthe Wadden Sea Region.

• Information through personal communicationwith visitors: professional rangers, guided walksand organised sailing tours (charter).

Germany• Involvement of stakeholders as early in the deci-

sion making process as possible: inNordfriesland a joint concept of tourism develop-ment has been discussed and formulated “fromscratch” by local residents, user groups andauthorities.

• The National Park authorities in Schleswig-Holstein have, together with the local authori-ties along the coast, developed a comprehensivevisitor information system for the NationalPark. This includes, among other things, spe-cially designed information boards and speciallyeducated rangers.

• In order to balance the natural interests andrecreational activities at very popular andcrowded tourist resorts, main parts of allWadden Sea islands in Lower Saxony, as part ofthe National Park, are encompassed by a com-mon zoning system.

Denmark• In the nature reserve special areas have been

designated for exceptional activities (“recre-ational zoning”), such as windsurfing, buggy-kite driving and beach sailing. In the stateforests special areas have been designatedwhere dogs are allowed without a leash. Alsospecial marked routes for horse trekking on theislands have been established.

• Employment of a seasonal beach ranger on theisland of Rømø. The rangers will provide thetourists with information on special conditionsrelating to safety, e.g. the daily tide and currentsituation, and opportunities concerning recre-ational activities on the beach and in the dunes.

37


38

3.7 Recommendations for CommonPolicies

1 Support the trilateral protection aimsfor the Wadden Sea on all levels, alsowith respect to protection againstpollution

2 Apply the principles of precautionand careful decision-making in situa-tions where there is a risk that natu-ral assets or ecological processes canbe permanently damaged

3 Start communication among resi-dents, users and interest groups andthe authorities as early in the deci-sion-making process as possible

4 Replace regulations by informationwhenever possible

5 only use further regulations for pre-cautionary protection of nature orwhere and if absolutely necessary onthe basis of monitoring results

6 Improve monitoring of the impact ofrecreational activities on nature

Active participation and support of the trilateralpolicies as formulated in the Wadden Sea Plan

Take decisions on the basis of the best availableinformation, to ensure the implementation of sus-tainability

If residents, user and interest groups becomeinvolved in the development of new policies etc.,before the authorities present final suggestions,the chance of finding a solution acceptable to allparties is considerably improved

The responsible authorities should introduce asfew regulations as possible

Trilateral monitoring of parameters on tourismand recreation should be presented at the nextGovernmental Conference. All the results shouldbe available to the public


Remarks

39

7 Improve the flexibility within theexisting zoning system in time andspace in designated nature reservesand National Parks 6 ~

8 Develop user-friendly informationmaterial through close co-operationand co-ordination among the stake-holders

9 Make the trilateral dimension morevisible in information material thanit is today

10 Build recreational facilities in accor-dance with the natural and culturalvalues, and building should meetsustainable standards

In a flexible zoning system protection measureswill only be used in periods when they are neces-sary and only in areas where needed

Areas which have been closed for the public toprevent disturbance of certain species such asseals or birds, should be re-opened to the public onthe basis of the results of monitoring 7 ~

Revision of the zoning should be carried out inconsultation with stakeholders.

Stakeholders have knowledge of how to presentinformation to their user groups. This knowledgeshould always be used when developing publicinformation. Assignment of areas for specialactivities should be developed through co-opera-tion between the authorities and the relevant usergroups.

The fact that a geographical entity is also treatedas a trilateral entity by the authorities should bemore visible than it is today. It could, for example,be included in the text on information signs andboards, etc.

Establishment of joint criteria in the entireRegion on principles for new developments.


Proposed Policies Remarks

6 The members of NetForum disagree on the degree of flexibility.

7 There are different opinions in NetForum on how to deal with the improvement of nature, especially concerning howand when results of the monitoring should be applied with regard to flexible zoning.

40


11 Restrict recreational activities withan undisirable impact on nature tosuitable areas or prohibit thementirely

12 Establish reception facilities for oiland other types of waste as well asother necessary facilities in all har-bours

NetForum finds that jet-skiing for example is anactivity that conflicts with the overall protectionaims of the Wadden Sea because of its disturbanceto the environment and other recreational users.

NetForum supports the ongoing initiatives toendorse an EU-directive demanding this.


41


3.8 Proposal of Projects

3.8.1 Priority Projects

• Development of a transnational, digital da-tabase, integrating information on natureand cultural-history

On the basis of the experience in Schleswig-Holstein it should be considered how to developa joint visitor information system for the wholeRegion with the aim of ensuring that informa-tion is of the same high standard. The trilateraldimension should be more visible.

• Development of a Wadden Sea informationsystem combining information about sus-tainable visitor behaviour and generaltourism information

Information on sustainable visitor behaviouralready exists but is seldom presented in thetourist publications (brochures). Integration ofinformation into existing media could ensurethat visitors are informed about the values ofthe Region and the need for their consideratebehaviour.

• Development of a (standard) Tourism mon-itoring in the Wadden Sea Region

The existing data on tourism is incomplete andlacks comparability. Moreover the criteria ofwhat to observe are not the same in all threeWadden Sea Countries. There is no standardprogramme determining which or how data is tobe collected. In all European countries there aresimilar problems with data on tourism.

• Development of a thematic marketingstrategy for the Wadden Sea Region

Joint marketing of the whole Region wouldenhance the possibilities of promoting theRegion on the bigger European and/or world-wide market. Promotion could, for example, bebased on the development of a joint theme forthe Region each year. The theme could be a gen-eral one for the entire area and then developedfurther in the individual regions and reflect localhistory.

3.8.2 Tentative and Preliminary Projects

• Development of a field-guide arrangement

An arrangement to employ field-guides duringthe high season in order to provide informationto visitors. This can contribute to minimising theconflicts both between groups of tourists andbetween recreational activities and nature val-ues. An arrangement with personal and goal-directed information can furthermore contributeto a reduction in zoning, sign-posting and fenc-ing.

4.1 What is Cultural Tourism?

Culture can be viewed as comprising what people:• think (attitudes, ideas, values)• do (ways of life, behaviour patterns) and• make (architecture, crafts and artwork)Culture is composed of processes as well as theproducts of these processes.

The tangible elements linked to cultural tourismare buildings, historical towns and villages,archaeological monuments, museums and techni-cal structures and installations such as wind-mills. The intangible elements are events (e.g.music festivals, church concerts), traditions andcustoms, history, language, and food cover both“heritage tourism”, related to artefacts of the past,and “art tourism”, related to the contemporarycultural production.

Rural areas have a strong attraction because theystill contain a “living culture”. Especially attrac-tive are high quality experiences and activitiesrooted in the cultural heritage of the Region.

4.2 Common Wadden Sea Heritage

The Wadden Sea Region is a geographical entityand as such has many cultural and historical ele-ments in common.

Man’s ability to adapt to the dynamic naturalenvironment of the Region is visible in the cultur-al traits in all three Wadden Sea countries.

The special natural conditions, under which theculture has developed, allow the Region to offerthe tourist an insight into a special area ofEuropean history, in which man has played a dis-tinct role not only in the creation of the cultureitself, but also in the development of a uniquelandscape. In Friesland they say that “God creat-ed the sea but the Friesians created the land”.The dikes, the mounds and the structure of thevillages built upon the dikes, as well as those builtupon the mounds are excellent examples of this.The tide and storm-surges have limited the loca-tions where settlements could be placed in thelandscape, but have also created fertile ground forfarming and trade. The building of dikes from early human settle-ments until today has also been the basis of demo-cratic traditions. Through the organisation of“Dikers’ Associations” to ensure the maintenanceof the dikes, some of the earliest democratic struc-tures in Europe were founded in the Wadden SeaRegion.

Common culture developed due to intensive trade.The old sea-traffic routes along the Wadden SeaCoast were important in the creation of certaincustoms. Apart from trade, whaling has also beenan important common feature, especially on someislands.

Cultural tourism is difficult to define.Visitors who travel specifically with the intentionof experiencing culture should be considered as“cultural tourists”. They are generally highly edu-

42

4. Culture and Cultural Tourism

cated with a more than average income. In theWadden Sea Region there are few “pure” culturaltourists because the majority of the tourist per-ceive regional culture through their overall expe-rience.

An example of the common cultural elements ofrecent time is the traces of man’s interaction with,and use of, the natural resources, which havegiven the entire Region a landscape formed byagriculture, where windmills and the ways ofwater-management also are prominent features.

The fact that the Friesian language is still “alive”in the Dutch and German parts of the Region, aswell as the traditional songs and shanties, arealso examples of the common culture of theRegion.

4.3 Wadden Sea Heritage and LocalCharacteristics

Although the Region has a common history andheritage, each local area has developed its owncharacteristic features. Until 17th-18th centuries, the historical develop-ment within the Region followed the same track,whereas the industrialisation and agriculturaldevelopment from the 17th century onwards

resulted in cultural developments which tend tohave more in common with the national charac-teristics of each of the three Wadden Sea coun-tries.This mixture of cultural elements specific to theWadden Sea Region itself and cultural elementsspecific to each of the three countries have creat-ed a cultural heritage which is unique in Europe.

The islands and especially the Halligen inSchleswig-Holsten have their own characteristicsbased upon proximity to the Sea and the sailingand trade traditions. Whaling features are, forexample, dominant elements on the islands ofRømø, Föhr, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog. The mainland is dominated by traditions connect-ed to farming where the regional differences canbe seen in the farm buildings, for example. Thebuilding traditions are based on the landscapecharacteristics and the specific opportunities forfarming created by the natural surroundings. Thetypical huge farmhouses (“Haubargen”) in Noord-Holland and in Eiderstedt in Germany are exam-ples of this.Many of the small towns in the Region are oftenplaced the same way in the landscape, based onthe same structure, but the building styles differconsiderably in the three countries. (The olderchurches are, however, often alike!).

43

Culture and cultural tourism

4.4 Local Identity and Awareness

Traditionally the Wadden Sea Region receivedand absorbed elements and traditions from for-eign cultures through sea-trading. Today however, multinational companies oftendominate. On the one hand this gives opportuni-ties for socio-economic lifts to the Region. On theother hand market mechanisms, and the fact thatmultilateral elements and habits are introduced,diminish the possibilities of maintaining the qual-ity of the local culture in the short run and maycontribute to its disappearance in the long run. Examples are the decreased number of restau-rants where local gastronomy is still the trade-mark of quality, and the continued struggle tokeep the Friesian language alive and to preserveits usage in the public sphere.

Individuals, organisations and authorities havebeen seeking to conduct and turn this develop-ment to preserve the traditional cultural heritageof an area or region. Their efforts have been cen-tred on initiatives to preserve and save specificparts or sights. Local economy may be enhanced by restoring andreusing of historic buildings and sites, establish-ment of visitor centres and culturally orientedcycle routes, etc.

A special expression of the regional culture is the“regional languages.” Friesian, for example, isclosely connected to the landscape and so is thelink between the population and the culturallandscape. Therefore it is essential to stimulatethe use of these languages.

The continued, living existence of the traditional“Wadden Sea Culture” is essential for a sustain-able tourism development in the entire Regionand the survival of many small communities,especially on the mainland. Here, heightenedpublic awareness of and pride in the common cul-tural heritage and its unique characteristics is

one of the preconditions of success.The central paradox of cultural tourism: localidentity hinges on the creation of local culture,intelligible to insiders and indecipherable to out-siders. However, it is that very local identity thatthe tourists seek, and which must be made under-standable to them. It is the process of “opening”the local culture to the gaze of the outsider, whichmany fear will lead to loss of the local identity. Inthis situation, local cultures cease to be producedfor locals, but are reproduced for the consumptionof tourists. (Greg Richards, 1999)

Seen in the light of sustainable tourism develop-ment, there is no doubt about the importance ofthe continued existence of the “Wadden SeaCulture” alongside all the new cultural inspira-tions.


a preservation and awareness of the cul-

tural heritage, including stimulation of

the different languages in the Wadden

Sea Region is the most important precon-

dition of cultural tourism and the devel-

opment of its potential

a mobilisation of the local awareness of the

Region’s common cultural identity is

essential

a ensuring a living culture in the Region

which respects the cultural heritage and

yet allows room for a population with a

modern lifestyle

44


4.5 Cultural Tourism as aDevelopment Potential

As stated earlier, cultural tourism is not the mainpull-factor for tourists to visit the Wadden SeaRegion. Nonetheless, the tourists of today look forexperiences that are authentic and special to thelocalities they visit.

The importance of authenticity in tourism can bedemonstrated by the EUROTEX project, whichresearched tourists’ decisions to purchase craftproducts. Almost 80% of purchasers indicatedthat authenticity was either “very important” or“important” in their decision to buy. Authenticitywas significantly more important for elder visitorsand for those with a professional occupation andleast important for those in lower occupationalgroups. Authenticity was also more important tothose who had already made previous visits to thesurvey region. In the Wadden Sea Region thereare existing projects aimed at determining theimportance of authenticity.

Tourism also provides an essential boost to craftindustries. However, many of the goods and servi-ces which tourists consume are often “imported”from other regions, causing high economic leak-age and loss of employment opportunities in dis-advantaged regions. Unless local production canbe stimulated, tourism development is often eco-nomically and culturally unsustainable.

Cultural tourism also holds a potential for adevelopment outside the “traditional” tourismareas, which can also help to reduce the pressureon some of the designated nature reserves. Theintegration of information on nature and culturalhistory is a prerequisite for developing this fur-ther.Cultural tourism can also develop synergybetween tourism on the islands, the water-boundtourism and tourism in the inland.

To reach the mainland coast and the islands thetourists drive through a number of inland munici-palities. Naturally, these municipalities wouldderive greater economic benefits if the touristscould be convinced that they should stop there fora couple of days. Many museums of the local his-tory of the localities can be found, as well as muse-ums dedicated to the history of art in the Region.Local museums are often based on enthusiasticcontributions from volunteers in the municipali-ties.

Many small harbours along the Wadden Sea coastare also of cultural value, therefore the mainte-nance of these sites is essential so that they do notlose their cultural character.

The cultural attractions of the Wadden SeaRegion are typically isolated or clearly delineatedelements of the landscape. They are scattered andseldom joined to one tourism product. An exampleof an isolated element is an art museum in a his-torical building in which a local artist has lived.The tourists are informed about the museum, butthey are not informed about other cultural ele-ments related to the issue, such as where to go ifthey want to see the motifs which inspired theartist.

It is important that the local municipality sup-ports and stimulates the development of theabove mentioned issues to ensure that the localpopulation profits from this.

45


46

In order to attract younger target groups thereshould be special cultural events and activities aswell as the sporting activities linked to the Region(e.g. rock concerts, discotheques and other eventswith “acceptable prices”).

NetForum finds that the existing potentialfor development should be used in such away that:

a the development of cultural attractions

benefits first and foremost the local pop-

ulation

a cultural tourism contributes to socio-eco-

nomic development

a it improves the development of tourism

synergy can be created by combining

nature-based tourism with cultural

tourism, which may lead to more tourists

in areas that are currently not often vis-

ited

a it combines existing cultural attractions

to motivate the tourists to prolong their

visits

a it contributes to a lengthening of the sea-

son, if it does not lead to negative impact

on of cultural, social and/or natural val-

ues

4.6 The Role of Public Authoritiesand Organisations

The public authorities and policy makers at localand regional level are able to exercise their influ-

ence in the field of culture and cultural tourism inmany ways. For all three countries, culture is afield where the responsibility and powers to agreat extent are in the hands of the local munici-pality.The awareness of this and of the fact that localinitiatives in the field of culture can result in newemployment and income opportunities for thepopulation are, however, still not reflected in theday-to-day policy of all municipalities and coun-ties. Spatial planning on all levels includesaspects of relevance for cultural tourism, such asimprovement and re-use of existing buildings forcultural purposes, protection of historic monu-ments etc. The authorities should create the basicconditions for the development of cultural tourismby offering room for local initiatives. Therefore,public authorities must be aware of their role asprotectors of the cultural heritage, as well as theirrole as supporters in the development of culturaltourism through spatial planning.

The contact should be intensified between the“cultural sector” and the “tourism sector”. Thelocal and regional authorities play an importantrole as facilitators of increased contact betweenthe two sectors. For example it is important that when new cul-tural initiatives are developed which have thepotential of attracting more tourists, they are co-ordinated with the “tourism sector”. These issues often involve aspects where themunicipal authorities have to develop local plansor make judgements such as, whether suitableaccommodation facilities for the type of touriststhese new cultural initiatives attract, or not.On other hand it is also essential that the“tourism sector” and the “cultural sector” co-oper-ate directly with each other when promoting theRegion.


NetForum states that:

a the regional and local public authorities

(as well as the national authorities)

should improve the awareness of spatial

planning as a means of protecting cultur-

al values as well as a means of strength-

ening the development of cultural

tourism

a the regional and local public authorities

should facilitate and improve the contact

and co-operation between the tourism

and the “cultural sector”

a it is essential that local and regional pol-

icy-makers support local cultural initia-

tives morally and financially


The Netherlands• The municipality of Het Bildt has restored an

old church and uses it as an information centre.

• The Wadden Product Line, a range of productsmade by local manufacturers, is promoted asbeing from the Wadden Sea Region.

• The commercial use of historic sailing ships fortours on the Wadden Sea.

• “Pronkkamers Project”: accommodation isoffered in old estates and farmhouses, where theselling point is the “pronkkamer”. This is a liv-ing room with the best furniture and other valu-able items. The room was only used for specialoccasions.

Germany• Dithmarschen has started the creation of a

guide to all the natural and cultural attractionsin the Region, with the aim of making the touriststay longer in the area.

• The small town of Albersdorf in Dithmarschen isestablishing an ‘experience’ in the whole village,which combines the local cultural history withthe modern way of living.

• The initiative “Kultursommer Nordfriesland”has increased the knowledge on cultural attrac-tions in Nordfriesland. At the same time themarketing has been improved.

• The Marine Museum in Wilhelmshaven, wherethe exhibition is placed inside an old submarine.

• In Nordfriesland signs for cycle paths are insome cases both in German and Friesian.Furthermore, a concept for ensuring the existingvariety of languages is being developed.

• Windmill climbing is one of the newer culturalattractions.

47


48

Denmark• The County of Ribe has set aside funds to

finance translation of texts into German andfolders in the museums in the county.

• Tours to visit the bunkers from World War II areoffered at several places along the coast.

• The nature rangers combine their nature tourswith information about the history of theWadden Sea Region.

• The Fishery and Maritime Museum in Esbjerghas introduced an exhibition based on old sea-farers and modern industrial culture named”Wadden Sea – World Sea”.

Joint activities • In 1996 the museums “Ribes Vikinger”, “Fries

Museum” in Leeuwarden and “Museum fürNaturkunde und Vorgeschichte” in Oldenburgstaged an exhibition called “The Danes, theFriesians and the Saxons; Culture along theNorth Sea from 400 to 1000 A. C.” The exhibitionwas shown in each of the museums in turn.

• The “Wadden Sea Festival” based on traditionalmusic from the Region, is held every second yearon one of the Wadden Sea islands.


49

4.8 Recommendation for Common Policies

1 Increase the awareness of the valuesof cultural identity of the Regionamong the local residents and raisethe level of consciousness of the val-ues of the Region among the visitors

2 Strengthen the efforts to preserve thecultural heritage and use it as atourist selling point.

3 Consider the use of a site for culturaltourism when deciding on preserva-tion (“Schützen durch Nützen”)

NetForum supports the trilateral initiative onmapping and registration of the cultural heritageof the Wadden Sea Region. NetForum stresses that the results should be pub-lished in a way that makes them useful for thelocal population and local/regional organisationsand initiatives.

The “cultural sector” should produce material onthe common cultural heritage directly applicablefor the use in the media.

Development of educational material which con-sists of the Region’s cultural and natural history.

The education concerning one’s own region shouldbe intensified in the schools.

Visitor centres in all three countries should joint-ly provide information about the cultural heri-tage.

Apply appropriate regional and local planning.Provide funding or reduce taxes on historic pro-perties, especially when they are in public use.

Actions from individuals, NGO’s or public author-ities on preservation should have multiple pur-poses.


Remarks

50


4 Raise the economic standard of theRegion by creating better assets incultural tourism

5 Strengthen the framework in thetourism sector

The local culture should to a greater extent beincluded in municipal, regional and national plan-ning.

Give moral and financial support to developingtourism products such as events, travel routes,gastronomy and information as well as education

Stronger awareness of the local and regionalpolitical institutions role as moral and financialsupporters in the development of culturaltourism.

Support for relevant projects in the Region initi-ated by local residents.

Strengthen cross-sector and cross-border co-oper-ation: the tourism-sector and the “cultural sector”should be brought together at local as well ascross-border level.

The infrastructure to support cross-border activi-ties on cultural tourism should be created.

Joint activities with the involvement of relevantstakeholders to protect landscapes, sites andstructures


51

4.9 Proposal of Projects


• Establishment of a gastronomy award onWadden Sea menus

Granting a seasonal or yearly Wadden Sea gas-tronomy award for specific menus in combina-tion with an arrangement or local event. Thiscould promote local gastronomy as well as localproducts.

• Development of education-packages onregional history

Develop education packages (3 languages) onregional history for primary and secondaryschools, by use of multimedia and state-of-the-art communication-devices.


• Development of Joint Marketing ofCultural Activities

Promotion could be based on special eventsreflecting regional history and culture e.g. folk-festivals, language symposia etc.

• Supply Information to the Tourism Sectoron Cultural Items

The creation of better knowledge and under-standing in the tourism sector of the culturalvalues of the Wadden Sea Region, through thearrangement of seminars and excursions in theRegion.

• Integration of existing Visitor Information Systems

The combination of local and regional attrac-tions into one single guiding system through theproduction of a brochure containing informationon natural and cultural elements, and/or co-operation among all the attractions in one ormore Wadden Sea municipalities.


5.1 Introduction

The type, standard and price level of accommoda-tion facilities are essential aspects of the tourist’sexperience of the Wadden Sea Region, and togeth-er they constitute one of the most important fac-tors which determine the choice of whether to goand where to stay in the Region.

Local planning in the coastal zone in the wholeRegion is to a large extent related to the locationand visibility of the accommodation facilities andencompasses fresh-water supply, waste handling,infrastructure developments, etc.

The accommodation facilities are also a dominantfactor in terms of job-creation activities in manyparts of the Region.

5.1.1 Lodging CapacityThe lodging capacity calculated in average num-ber of beds has almost doubled in Denmark sincethe mid-seventies (summer cottages and camp-sites), but does not seem to have increased in theNetherlands. On some Dutch islands there haseven been a decrease.In Germany the average number of beds hasincreased by approximately 11% (apartments andhotels) although the lodging capacity in somemunicipalities along the coast of Schleswig-Holstein shows a decrease.Today the lodging capacity is 130,000 beds in theGerman part of the Region, 100,000 beds in theDutch part and 65,000 beds in the Danish part –in total 295,000 units.

5.1.2 Number of Overnight StaysSince the mid-seventies the increase in overnightstays has been almost 40% in the Region as such.This also means that there has been a relativelyhigher increase in the number of overnight stayscompared to the number of beds. The tendency tospread the tourism season, together with thetrend towards more frequent, shorter holidays,

and holidays in off-season periods too, partiallyexplains this development.

Although there are differences with regard to themethodology used when calculating overnightstays in the Wadden Sea Region, it can be esti-mated the current number of overnight staysincluding the official statistics from the statisticalbureau, as well as the additional information fromlocal tourism offices, is 53 mill. per year. The Lower Saxonian part of the Region has thelargest number of overnight stays; 20,500.000, theDutch part 11,000.000, the Schleswig-Holsteinpart 17,000.000 and the Danish part 4,700.000.The distribution of the categories of accommoda-tion differs substantially within the Region.

5.2 Diversified AccommodationFacilities are a Strength

The difference in types of accommodation facili-ties today is mainly the result of historical factors,national laws, policies and, nowadays, socio-eco-nomic aspects such as different taxation systems.

Each of the three Wadden Sea countries has itscharacteristic profile within the field of accommo-dation facilities:• In Denmark, summer cottages are the dominant

type, and in 1996 approximately 56% of allovernight stays took place in summer cottages.Furthermore, a considerable number ofovernight stays took place on campsites (26%).

• Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony are domi-nated by hotels, holiday-apartments and, to anextent, sanatoriums and campsites. In 1997,37% of all registered overnight stays inSchleswig-Holstein, were at holiday-apart-ments, 20% took place in hotels, 13% of theovernight stays took place at campsites and 10%in sanatoriums.

52

5. Accommodation

• In the Netherlands, campsites, hotels, holiday-apartments and youth hostels dominate.Approximately 70% of the overnight stays tookplace in hotels, holiday-apartments or youthhostels. It should be noted though, that in 1996approximately 11% of all overnight stays tookplace on yachts. On the Dutch islands campingat farming estates is also popular.

Accommodation facilities are concentrated on theislands and in certain areas on the mainland, (e.g.Den Helder and Harlingen in the Netherlands,the harbour towns in Lower Saxony, Büsum andSt. Peter Ording in Schleswig-Holstein andBlåvandshuk in Denmark). This has the advan-tage that the flow of tourists can be directed tothese main centres, and environmental impactson other areas can be diminished.On the other hand these centres are often over-burdened by tourism. For the rural and inlandareas it may be of considerable importance froman socio-economic perspective to encouragetourism, particularly with a view to securingemployment. This is also an opportunity to reducesome of the pressure on the tourism centres.

NetForum finds it essential that the diversestructure of the accommodation facilities isensured and that the development of new facili-ties in the rural and inland areas is encouraged,provided that the individual, regional character isnot lost and traffic problems are solved before-hand.


a the diversification of accommodation

facilities should be ensured, as it gives

added value to the Region.

a tourism in the rural and inland areas

should be encouraged provided that traf-

fic problems are solved beforehand and

this development should not imitate the

coastal tourism, but should harness

inherent strengths based on the regional

character.

5.3 Accommodation Aspects andPlanning Examples

The diversification means that the local commu-nities (planning authorities) have the possibilityof influencing which type of tourist comes to theRegion. The “choice” of different types of accom-modation on the two East Friesian islandsNorderney and Spiekeroog is an illustrativeexample.

Norderney is dominated by large sanatoriums;hotels and owner-occupied flats, which attractwealthy tourists, whereas Spiekeroog has smallfamily-owned boarding houses or hotels, whichattract families and tourists with less desire forluxury.

53

Accommodation

In Denmark vast amounts of space have beenused for summer cottages during the last 50-60years. This has resulted in a large impact onnature in extensive areas.

In some parts of the German Wadden Sea Regionaccommodation facilities are so high that theusers of the facility may have an excellent view ofthe Wadden Sea, but visitors coming to experience“unspoiled nature” will be disappointed.The only advantage of placing holiday centres inhigh-rise buildings is that they do not need asmuch space as summer cottages, which take up aconsiderable ground area per tourist.

In all three countries the legacy of recent decadesin the form of buildings which do not fit into theenvironment is evident.

Due to the occupation of existing facilities andcurrent regulations there is little space left forbuilding new facilities within a short distancefrom the beach on the islands and at locationsclose to the Wadden Sea on the mainland. Thereare, however, still possibilities for new and sus-tainable developments in inland areas, which canbe initiated if this is in accordance with the tradi-tion of local communities.

Since 1970, land use in Denmark has been regu-lated by a zoning system, which divides the landterritory into “urban zones”, “rural zones” and“summer cottage zones”. The “summer cottagezones” are designated for tourism and recreation-al purposes, including concentration of summer

cottages, in order to keep vulnerable coastalstretches free of accommodation facilities.Furthermore, a designated 3 km zone along theentire coastline aims at preserving the coastallandscape and scenery. Recreational facilities canonly be established when tourism plays a decisiverole and must be located near towns or landwardsof larger existing recreation areas.

5.4 Quality of AccommodationFacilities

The development of new accommodation facilitieshas slowed down in recent years. The emphasishas apparently been upon the renovation of exist-ing facilities.In all three countries policies concerning therebuilding and/or construction of new accommo-dation facilities have focused on quality and aes-thetic values as an important factor. The imple-mentation has, however, not been carried out toits full extent. In Denmark Southern Jutland forexample 75% of the hotels have not been renovat-ed within the last 14 years, and almost 25% havenot been renovated within the last 7 years.

The optimisation of existing facilities also includesthe upgrading of facilities, if needed, and makingthem sustainable. The starting point of the opti-misation should be based on local traditions (build-ing style, type of accommodation etc.). There are,however, no common criteria in the Region con-cerning indicators to guide either the renovation ofexisting buildings or any developments.

54

Accommodation

55

Accommodation and recreational facilities shouldfit into the landscape of the specific area in whichthey are located. Moreover, they should be adapt-ed to the (special) demands of the growing mar-ket-share of seniors, such as appropriate physicalinterior solutions, and should be located in such away that the use does not create extra needs fortransport.


a existing facilities must be sustainable in

the future

a the quality should correspond to the cus-

tomers’ demands (e.g. families with chil-

dren, senior citizens and the disabled)

a refurbishment and renovation of existing

facilities should be given priority over

building new

a accommodation facilities should be con-

structed or renovated in accordance with

the regional architecture and landscape

and be as environmentally friendly as

possible

5.4.1 Star ClassificationsOne way to evaluate the quality of accommoda-tion is the traditional star classification system,which provides a consistent standard seen fromthe user’s point of view, such as availability oftelevisions, en suite bathrooms, etc. However,there are national differences in the criteria. Thenumber of units (hotels, campsites, etc.) in theRegion which use the star classification systems islimited. Very few accommodation facilities, which

are certified, are ranked with four or five stars(highest ranking). Most of the certified facilitiesare ranked with three stars or less. A qualitativedevelopment could lead to more facilities beingcertified within the star classification systems.

The classification systems are not transparent. Asindicated above it is not possible to make a directcomparison across the borders. There is a need forclarification, in order for the customers to knowwhat they are being offered. This also implies thatmonitoring the changing demands of the touristsis necessary.

If possible common processes of development atthe international level should be adjusted, andespecially offer customers the service of a stan-dardised presentation (comparable classificationand compatible booking systems) of accommoda-tion facilities.


a the star classification systems in the

three countries should be comparable

a all accommodation facilities should be

classified as an instrument of customer

information

a the establishment of classification sys-

tems for special target groups such as

families and the disabled would be useful

a the qualitative development of facilities

must be carried out primarily through

the involvement of the tourism industry

Accommodation

56

5.4.2 Sustainability as CertificationParameter

It is important that there is a broad awareness oftrends and developments in the tourists’demands. It is essential that the politicians makedecisions concerning to what extent they want tosatisfy these demands. The balance betweenresponding to the tourists’ demands as well as tothe local population’s demands and the needs ofnature and the environment is a sensitive and dif-ficult matter.

Sustainability as a certification parameter aimsat measuring the sustainability of the operationand the running of the accommodation facility. Existing certification systems for sustainableaccommodation such as the “Green Key” inDenmark, the “Environmentally Friendly Hotelsand Restaurants” in Germany and the“Environmental Barometer” in the Netherlands,involve criteria for the use of water and electrici-ty, demands for sorting of waste and not usingpesticides on the outdoor facilities, etc.The members are continuously checked to ensurethe quality of the classification (See also“Illustrative Examples”).

Sustainable solutions in the field of accommoda-tion form an essential part of an increased quali-ty-price awareness. They have to be introduced asa second step in the development of a transparentand comparable classification system throughoutthe Region. The introduction will be a long-termprocess which has to be adjusted by the touristoperators through motivation and advice.


a common criteria for certification of sus-

tainable accommodation facilities,

restaurants and other recreational facili-

ties should be developed on the basis of

existing certification systems

a the development of such criteria must be

carried out through involvement of the

tourism industry

5.5 Qualitative Development ofTourism must also beEconomically Sustainable

The qualitative development of accommodationand recreational facilities is also economicallyessential.

NetForum finds that the following is impor-tant in ensuring a sustainable development:

a The maintenance of the diverse owner-

ship structures and the improvement of

quality

The Wadden Sea Region has traditionally hadmany small and medium-sized enterprises andthis pattern should be preserved. However, itcould also be a hindrance to higher quality in thefield of tourism. Small and medium-sized enter-prises often fight hard to survive and the ownerslack time (but not will) to deal with, for example,improvement of the booking-systems (e.g. throughthe Internet), use of new technology, introductionof sustainable operations, evaluation andimprovement of the quality in the promotion etc. Many owners who let summer cottages and who

Accommodation

do not have this as their main source of incomemay even lack the incentive to introduce suchimprovements.

Local authorities could act as initiators of shortseminars and courses, developed in co-operationwith local and nation-wide organisations foraccommodation facilities (for example Horesta inDenmark, the German Dehoga and the organisa-tions for rural tourism).

a Improve (private – private/public) part-

nerships

In many remote areas tourism is in fact the onlycommercial activity. There is a risk that thisdependency can threaten the survival of these“isolated” communities. Entering partnershipsbetween for example the remaining local farmersand hotels operators for the supply of products tohotels is one way to counter or avoid this develop-ment.

a An increase of permanent jobs is essen-

tial

Creation of permanent full-time jobs attracts peop-le who generally have higher formal qualificationsthan those who are seasonally employed.Permanent jobs are also an incentive for theemployed to settle in the Region and thus create amore balanced demographic pattern.The economic basis of permanent full-time jobs isspreading of the season.

a Make jobs in the tourism sector attrac-

tive for people with qualifications

The job structure in the tourism sector with manyemployees only seasonally occupied includes therisk that the jobs are occupied by people who lackqualifications.Lack of knowledge of and education in servicemay result in low quality of the product offered. The service-personnel at the accommodationfacilities often have little or no knowledge of thenatural, cultural and other aspects of the Region. In chapter 4 NetForum has stated that thestrengthening of cultural tourism in the Region isone factor with a potential for generating morejobs and income for the Region.

a Families and seniors are important tar-

get groups

Families and seniors are the two most importantgroups of visitors to the Region. They have a needfor door-to-door transport from their homes to theholiday destination. Moreover the need for specialfacilities for the disabled is relatively high in thegroup of senior tourists and those facilities are notavailable to any great extent in the Region.

a Promote and integrate “green aware-

ness” in marketing

The environment should be placed in the centrefor future tourism at all levels including both de-stinations and customers. Therefore a completeand effective strategy is required to influence cu-stomers through the in-co-operation of “greenmarketing” at the destinations which to a greatextent should meet the requirements for sustain-able operation.

57

Accommodation

a Improve a co-ordinated monitoring of the

internal and external environments on

the destinations

An improved and co-ordinated overview of boththe internal and external environments at desti-nations is an essential precondition in meetingthe requirements of the customers for opportuni-ties to choose and their demands for quality andsustainability. One way to achieve this is throughcollecting and storing a large variety of data.

NetForum states that:

a a qualitative development of tourism

requires sustainability

a a rise in all-year tourism gives a possibil-

ity for creating more permanent jobs

which is desirable for the Region

a owners of small and medium-sized enter-

prises in the tourism sector should have

possibilities of support for initiatives

that raise the quality of their facilities

a in order to compete in the future, a digi-

tal booking system should cover the local,

the regional and the national market

a creating jobs for qualified people is

important to attract and keep employees

in the Region. The qualifications of the

employees should also include knowledge

of sustainable behaviour and of the natu-

ral and cultural values in the Wadden Sea

Region

a various offers to the target groups, e.g.

families and senior citizens, should be

improved to keep them as important cus-

tomers in the future

a specific offers should be developed for

new target groups such as the disabled

and youngsters


The Netherlands• The organisation of companies in the field of

campsites and summerhouses (RECRON) hasintroduced the “Environment Barometer.”Certain requirements have to be met and thefacility then receives a qualification (bronze, sil-ver or gold.) Independent observers regularlycheck that the requirements are kept. Severaloperators in the Dutch part of the Wadden SeaRegion have obtained one of the qualificationlevels.

58

Accommodation

Germany• The “National Park Friendly Hotel” is an exam-

ple how to develop quality and a unique sellingposition by promoting the National Park inSchleswig-Holstein.

• The organisation of Hotels and Restaurants inSchleswig-Holstein has introduced“Environmentally Friendly Hotels andRestaurants”.

Denmark• The Green Key classification system has intro-

duced 54 criteria on how to make accommoda-tion facilities sustainable. The system has beenworking for several years and is well known andrespected.

• The island of Rømø has been appointed as one ofseven localities for development of “Destination21”, a pilot project to establish criteria on whatis needed for a whole destination to be regardedas sustainable. Danish tourism organisationsand recreational organisations have taken thisinitiative.

• The publication of a practical, economical anduser friendly environmental handbook for17,000 organisations in the tourist sector shouldpromote higher standards and awareness forboth the service providers and the customers.

59

Accommodation

60

5.7 Recommendation for CommonPolicies

1 Maintain the diversification of accommo-dation facilities

2 Avoid extending the accommodationfacilities, use the existing capacity moreefficiently

3 Encourage the development of accommo-dation facilities in the inland municipali-ties, provided that the individual, region-al character is not lost

4 Ensure that the accommodation andrecreational facilities meet the require-ments of sustainability in terms of loca-tion, architecture and technical require-ments

5 Renovate old facilities and develop newones based on local/regional characteris-tics

6 Develop common criteria for sustainableaccommodation, environmentally friend-ly restaurants and other recreationalfacilities

7 Make the systems of quality of accommo-dation (star classification) comparable

8 Initiate local partnerships between thetourism industry and primary produc-tion industries to help ensure a sustain-able development in local communities.

9 Extend the marketing of the Wadden SeaRegion as a destination for which the“green profile” of each of the variousregions is defined and promoted

Initiatives to lengthen the season and subsidy forinvestments in renovation of existing capacitiesshould be promoted

Through voluntary participation in existingorganisations such as the Dutch “ EnvironmentalBarometer” or the Danish Green Key

See 5.8

See 5.8

Examples from the German area of Röhn andfrom some Greek islands should be considered(TUI)

Accommodation

Remarks

61

5.8 Proposal for Projects


• Promotion of “Sustainability Standards”in the Wadden Sea Region

In the Danish and German parts of the WaddenSea, classification systems of sustainable accom-modation have been initiated. On the basis ofthese joint criteria covering the Wadden SeaRegion should be developed.

• Development of a sustainable package-hol-iday

The promotion of holiday-arrangements that areconsistently sustainable. This includes travel-ling by public transport (“Wadden Sea Ticket”) todestinations that meet sustainability criteria inaccommodation, offering of nature-experiences,cultural and historic events as well as other cureand fitness activities

• Enhancement of facilities for less mobileand disabled people

The enhancement of facilities both for natureexperiences, accommodation and other facilitiesfor less mobile and disabled people.


• Make the star classification systems comparable

The existing star classification system works inaccommodations in all three Wadden Sea coun-tries, but there are differences in the criteria.They should be harmonised and thereby mademore user-friendly.

• A Sustainable “Backpack” for practical Use

In all three countries different organisationshave developed and published books, folders, etcwith ideas and experience about how to makeaccommodation facilities, restaurants and otherrecreational facilities sustainable. The develop-ment of a ”sustainable backpack” is a good start-ing point for the development of sustainablerunning of accommodation facilities.

• Establish a sustainability award in theWadden Sea Region

An award each year to tourism operators toimprove sustainable tourism and, developmentin the Wadden Sea Region. This would be a goodway of continuous promotion and providinginformation about the issue.

• Establish comparable classification andcompatible booking systems

If possible common processes of development atthe international level should be adjusted, andespecially offer customers the service of a stan-dardised presentation of accommodation facili-ties.

Accommodation

6.1 Introduction

Transportation in the Wadden Sea Region can bedivided into two main means: • Transportation into, from and through the

Region• Transportation within the Region

Most of the tourists come to the Wadden SeaRegion by car, which creates considerable season-al traffic problems along large parts of theWadden Sea coast. It has been estimated thataround 85% of the tourists come by car and thatthe total use of public transport covers less than10% of the total transport average of people.

6.2 Private and Public Transport

6.2.1 Car Traffic and Roads Access to the coastal zone is, except for the mainroads to the larger seaside towns in the threecountries, composed of a network of minor roads,which become congested in the peak season withconsequent local problems and long journey time.The problems are worst in the vicinity of the sea-side towns with ferry connections to the islands,and at tourism hot-spots such as beaches, attrac-tive sight-seeing locations, in villages and townsand on days on which accommodation periodschange.

In the Aurich district in Lower Saxony recentresearch has clearly underlined the problemsrelated to car traffic. The findings of this researchinclude the following:

• approximately 88% of all tourists reach theirholiday destination by private car;

• private cars are also used intensively during theholiday. More than 60% of the tourists’ excur-sions within the area are by car which is proba-bly similar in the whole Wadden Sea Region;

• private cars are perceived as a more independ-

ent and cheaper means of transportation thanthe majority of public transport facilities;

• tourists’ use of cars contributes less than 50% tothe overall movements of cars in the area. Thismeans that the inhabitants’ own use of carsshould be regarded as an important factor whendeveloping alternative solutions to the use ofprivate cars.

In Germany many smaller towns and cities inparticular have no bypasses around the town-cen-tres. Construction of too many new roads has anundesirable impact upon the landscape, but isprobably a necessary solution for some towns.

In Denmark driving and parking cars on somebeaches is allowed. In Sct. Peter Ording inSchleswig-Holstein it is allowed to park on thebeach in certain areas.

The main problems with car traffic arising in thepeak season are:• many people leave their cars in parking places

close to the ferry departure points, or take theirvehicles to the islands if this is possible

• parking places are overfilled, searching for freeplaces causes additional traffic

• noise and air pollution affects inhabitants aswell as tourists

• bike riding and walking is affected or even dan-gerous due to cars

• most of the movement within the area is also bycar, e.g. excursions and shopping

6.2.2 Public transport and facilities Generally speaking, today the situation is thatadequate public transport connections to/fromand within the Wadden Sea Region are limitedand poor, and cannot currently be regarded as aviable alternative to private cars.

Public transport connections from the inland tothe coast are better in the Netherlands, and evenmore so in Germany, than in Denmark.

62

6. Accessibility and Transport

Public transportation (offered by public or privatecompanies) includes train, bus, ferry and planeconnections which are mainly organised as line-transport, i.e. forms of transport with regulardeparture and arrival times on defined routes. Chartered transport, for example by boat fromisland to island or by plane from the mainland tosome of the islands, is also regarded as publictransportation.

Trains and BusesTrains from the main cities in the inland canreach the main tourism centres along the coast. InSchleswig-Holstein the island of Sylt is also con-nected to the mainland by a train connection. Thenumber of actual train fares is, however, oftenlimited and travelling by train into the WaddenSea Region often involves many changes. Bussesare mainly used for local transportation and thedensity of the bus-network varies. Busses are fur-thermore used for charter excursions, where thedeparture and the destination point is outside theRegion.

Disabled tourists have a special need for trans-port. Their demand for adequate public transportfacilities and help with luggage, etc. is only takeninto account at very few locations in the WaddenSea Region. Access to the countryside in theWadden Sea Region also includes the possibilitiesof access for the disabled.

Other mean of private transport into the Regionsuch as boats, planes and bikes are of less impor-tance. 8

Ferries and BoatsThe ferries primarily connect the mainland to theislands, but there are regular line-ferries amongsome of the islands in all three countries.Chartered boats are widely used for one-dayexcursions9 and also for trips from island to island(island hopping).

63

Accessibility and Transport

8 Boats and bikes are also discussed in the section on “Nature and Recreational Activities” as they are also seenas a recreational activity and not as a mean of transport.

9 See section on “Nature and Recreational activities”.

64

A fairly new development in the Wadden SeaRegion is high-speed ferries alongside the tradi-tional ferry connections. They are currently usedin the German and Dutch parts of the WaddenSea Area.

In Schleswig-Holstein a route connects theislands of Nordstrand, Amrum, Sylt and HalligHooge. Companies are planning high-speed ferryconnections from Hamburg and/or Cuxhaven viaHelgoland to Sylt and other German Islands.Vlieland and Terschelling are connected to themainland and to each other by high-speed fer-ries.

The use of this means of transport is regarded bysome in Schleswig-Holstein as a problem. It hasbeen found that it causes problems in the form ofdisturbance to seals and birds and tranquillityand that it causes socio-economic problems due tothe increasing number of very short-time touristson the islands.

In the Dutch part of the Region high-speed con-nections can cause additional inconvenience tothe water-sport activities, in the waterways.

Air TrafficMany islands have small airfields. Most of themare located in Germany, where the islands of Syltand Juist have most landings and take-offs(16,000 and 33,600 in 1996). “Public” transport byplane to the Wadden Sea Islands is possible inGermany, especially in Lower Saxony. Only a fewislands are connected to the mainland by regular(line-traffic) airlines.Plane and helicopter connections are used fortransportation of persons and goods in emergencysituations as well as for recreational flights andother tourism activities.Some tourists can reach their holiday destinationby chartered or private planes to make shortweekend, daily trips to islands or for sightseeing.

6.3 Future Trends

The trend with regard to the tourists having morefrequent and shorter vacations combined with theuse of traditional solutions to traffic problems,namely:

• enhancing the quality of road access by betterand wider highways and roads to and inside theRegion

• increasing the number of parking places

may result in the following:

• the volume of cars will stay high or evenincrease

• air pollution will continue• the quality of the destination will decrease • the landscape will be even more fragmented by

infrastructure elements

and these solutions will be expensive, non-prof-itable and non-sustainable.

Furthermore, an increased growth in road trafficis expected along the Schleswig-Holstein andDanish Wadden Sea coast if and when theplanned road extensions are completed inNorthern Germany (plans for an additional West-Crossing of the Elbe river and extension of thecurrent tunnel, village detours of the main road inNordfriesland, improvement of the coast-road inDenmark). This work will make the “Wadden SeaRoute” i.e. the roads through Northern Germany


65

towards Denmark more attractive than it is cur-rently.Some expect that the Region will experience aslow but steady growth of charter tourism, i.e.transport of large groups of tourists from a depar-ture-point outside the Region to an arrival pointinside the Region. This may result in an increaseddemand for and use of aeroplanes and high-speedferries. On the other hand, charter tourism in theRegion today is done through busses and normalferries.

6.4 Public Transport and CharterTourism must be Improved

To reduce the number of cars in the Wadden SeaRegion and to avoid traffic jams on the way toholiday destinations, tourists should be offeredattractive solutions for alternative transportationstarting from their home areas. This means thatpublic transport has to be improved and possibili-ties of combination with charter travelling have tobe explored. If the tourists are adequately informed about theexisting possibilities for public transport and ifmore bus stops are placed close to accommodationfacilities and other recreational facilities, the useof public transport will be more attractive fortourists. The improvement of public transportfacilities should also result in improvements forthe local inhabitants.

Better connections, qualitatively better trans-portation and an intensified transport system forluggage are preconditions for sustainable tourismat the Wadden Sea coast.


a solutions to ensure accessibility and to

aim at minimisation of use of private cars

and development of alternatives to car

traffic must respect the interests of the

population and the tourists to ensure the

possibilities in the future

a solutions must be carefully evaluated to

ensure that they are indeed sustainable

alternatives

a solutions taking into account the

tourists’ use of transport right from their

homes to the final holiday destination in

the Wadden Sea Region are needed.

These solutions must be combined with

measures in the Region

a air traffic and high-speed ferries cause

environmental problems: i.e. noise and

disturbance to nature and also to local

residents and to those tourists who come

to enjoy peace and tranquillity 10 ~

a aircraft transportation of tourists should

be minimised 11 ~

a ferry routes and time-schedules should

respect, for example, moulting periods of

sea birds as well as the requirements of

seals and harbour porpoises

a timetables for ferries supplying the

islands and Halligen, must suit the needs

of the inhabitants at the locations.

Nature should also be considered when

doing this


10 Some members of NetForum found that an increase in the use of high-speed ferries and aeroplanes could not be considereddisturbing because the alternative to the use of those means of transport might be even worse

11 Some members of NetForum found that aircraft transportation in some cases could be seen as a sustainable mean of transport.

66

a high-speed ferries are not considered to

be a sustainable mean of transport in the

Wadden Sea Area, due to fuel consump-

tion, noise, disturbance to animals, etc

a high-speed ferries do not, on the other

hand, pose a problem in main waterways

connecting harbours with the North Sea

unless the waterways are also used for

water-sports 12 ~

a transportation of tourists by ferries start-

ing at large cities such as Hamburg could

relieve traffic on the roads to the holiday

destinations. This may however, cause

problems for marine nature

a all ferries should inform about the natu-

ral assets of the Wadden Sea on board


Germany• The pilot project in the district of Aurich con-

cerning minimisation of the tourists’ use of pri-vate cars. Achievements include the following:- Analysis of existing patterns of mobility with

the aim of finding sustainable solutions.- Involvement of the local stakeholders, especial-

ly the public authorities and the companiesresponsible for transport of people.

- Introduction of special low-price tickets fortourists.

• Car traffic is prohibited on almost all theWadden Sea Islands in Lower Saxony.

• In the community of Sct Peter Ording touristscan use the buses free of charge if they showtheir ”kurkarte” (which they have to buy in anycase).

• Tourists who come by train to their holiday des-tination can buy ‘holiday tickets’ together whenbooking their accommodation for a reducedprice. The use of public transport within certainregions (Schleswig-Holstein for example) forone, two or three weeks is also free of charge.

• Bad Reichenhall in Bavaria has almost elimi-nated car-traffic in the town centre through freeparking lots in the outer parts of the town inclose vicinity of major roads and by high costs ofparking in the town centre, organised publictransportation from the parking lots to the towncentre.

• The Bodensee Click is an Internet based systemwhich facilitates the use of public transportationin the Bodensee Area. The project makes it pos-sible to connect different national traffic-sys-tems into a single system integrated with a“tourism database”.

The Netherlands• Park and Ride systems have been used for many

years in the Netherlands.

• Car traffic is prohibited on the islands ofVlieland and Schiermonnikoog.

• High-speed ferries are used in the IJsselmeerand in the Delta Area around Rotterdam torelieve traffic on the roads.

• The municipality of Schiermonikoog is paying tomaintain cheap and secure parking facilities onthe mainland in order to avoid cars on theisland.

Denmark• Flexible arrival and departure days have been

introduced at several of the tourism hot spots.


12 Some members of NetForum found that the use of high-speed ferries in the Wadden Sea Region in any case cause problems.

67

6.6 Recommendation for CommonPolicies

1 Ensure that all policies on minimisa-tion of car traffic are sustainable

2 Improve public transport connec-tions (trains, busses) into and withinthe Wadden Sea Region

3 Avoid fragmentation of the landscape

4 Improve the infrastructure by taxa-tion, parking fees, etc 13 ~

5 Make different arrival and departuredays for tourists in the differentareas

Make a specific evaluation in each case.

Reduction of the need for (car) transport bytourists and local inhabitants should be includedin integrated spatial planning

Re-opening of the cross-border train connectionsbetween Denmark and Germany, better andfaster links to existing main train routes (e.g.Bremen–Groningen)

Expand the car train facilities within the Regionand combine user friendly systemsExtend existing networks (e.g. to and from Milan-Munich-Frankfurt-Hamburg ) to the Wadden SeaCoast such as Niebüll-Sylt

Construction of detours to solve local traffic prob-lems should only take place when absolutely nec-essary

Introduction of parking fees at the beaches andthe raising of parking fees at existing parkingplaces in places where this has not yet been done

Regional tourism organisations should enter intoagreement with travel agencies and rentalbureaus to use weekdays instead of Saturdays orSundays


Remarks

13 Some members of NetForum disagree with the use of parking fees and taxation.

68

6 Introduce convenient luggage trans-portation to holiday destinations

7 Make the use of public transporta-tion economically competitive withthe use of private cars

8 Promote and promote informationconcerning public transport facili-ties

9 Minimise environmental problemsand disturbance to tourists causedby air traffic

10 No new airfields should be built inthe Wadden Sea Region15 ~

Travel companies should strengthen the workwith the “Combi Wadden Sea Ticket” which startsin the home areas of tourists and includes all pub-lic transport structures and transport of luggageas well. More connections and accommodationfacilities should be incorporated in this type oforganisation

Increased subsidies for public transport 14 ~

Increased promotion of and information on publictransport facilities through, for example, produc-tion of an information network on public trans-port facilities, as well as through information atthe booking offices for accommodation

NetForum supports the trilateral policy not toconstruct new airports on the Wadden Seaislands, establishing minimum flight altitudes inthe Wadden Sea Area and aiming at a prohibitionof advertisement flights

Existing initiatives in some parts of the Region toreduce the noise from air-traffic should also beintroduced in the rest of the Region

Through national legislation and spatial planning



14 The regional authorities in all three countries are to a great extent responsible for the subsidies for public transport. Inmany cases they have very limited financial means and it was as a result of this that some members of NetForum foundthe proposal unrealistic.

15 Some members of NetForum were of the opinion that future needs for an establishment of airfields could occur andcould be sustainable.

11 Minimum flight altitude should be2000 feet 16 ~

12 Avoid further high-speed ferries inthe Wadden Sea Region17 ~

13 Avoid negative environmental im-pacts from high-speed ferries andother fast vessels

14 Extend the visitor information sys-tem to all ferries



NetForum supports the trilateral policy of intro-ducing speed limits for high-speed ferries insidethe Wadden Sea Area

Shipping companies should respect the demandsof nature and users in the Wadden Sea Area andin the surrounding North Sea

Ensure that information on nature is given onboard

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16 Some members of NetForum were against the 2000 feet because there might be cases where the planes had togo lower. Flying at higher altitudes also requires more fuel.

17 Some members of NetForum were of the opinion that high-speed ferries in some cases could be useful and did notsupport future avoidance.

6.7 Proposal for Projects


• Creation of Park and Ride-facilities at HotSpots throughout the Wadden Sea Region

In the vicinity of tourist hot spots “Park andRide Systems” should be introduced, using exist-ing parking facilities. A “Park and Ride System”means that people can leave their cars at theparking place and then use bus/train or continuetheir journey together with others in one car.

• Establishment and promotion of alterna-tive transport-systems on islands withexcessive car traffic

Island communities with car traffic should usethe experience of islands with no car traffic orwith strict regulations on this. The projectshould also cover initiatives to ensure trans-portation from and to accommodation as well astransportation of luggage, bike-hire etc.


• Issuing a Catalogue of Traffic MinimisationIdeas and Measures

Collection of information and assessment ofexisting measures regarding minimising indi-vidual traffic outside the Wadden Sea Regiontoo, in order to transfer knowledge, ideas andexisting solutions.

• The introduction of a Wadden Sea CyclePath (part of the North Sea Cycle Route)

The introduction of the North Sea Cycle Routeshould be covered by a special section signed“Wadden Sea”. This should include visitor infor-mation on nature and culture along the route as

well as bike-hire stations, luggage transporta-tion along the route and possibilities of cheapaccess to intermediate bus and train connec-tions.

• The establishment and Promotion of theexisting “Combi Wadden Sea Ticket”

A Wadden Sea Ticket that combines all kinds ofpublic transport (for people and luggage) fromhome to the holiday destination. The ticket couldbe combined when booking accommodation at alow price (now done in Germany). Special atten-tion needs to be given to the disabled.

• Least cost planning in mobility

Every project for implementing alternatives toindividual car traffic should be accompanied bya “Least Cost Assessment” in order to prove thelong-term profitability of such an alternative atall relevant levels. This necessitates an assess-ment of the financial, environmental and socialimpact of a given solution and its alternatives.

• The development of a Wadden bike-hiresystem

The development of a system for hire of special“Wadden Bikes” covering the whole Regionwhich must include possibilities for transport ofluggage for bikers. This would attract bikingtourists especially to mainland locations.

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• The improvement of the information onPublic Transport Opportunities

Information on public transport in the brochuresfrom the hotels, restaurants as part of the gen-eral regional information. This informationshould be given on the Internet (e.g. throughlocal and regional tourism organisations).

• The improvement of service at railwaystations

More customer friendly opening hours and pro-viding functioning ticket machines.

A corresponding number of free parking spacesat the railway station for people with tickets.Gastronomic offers at the railway stations. Alsogeneral conditions of the station should also betaken into consideration (e.g. facilities, accessfor disabled etc.).


NetForum has developed proposals for principles,policies and projects for the Inter-regionalWadden Sea Cooperation. It is of the opinion thatthese suggestions constitute an essential input tosustainable tourism in the Wadden Sea Region onwhich there is a broad consensus among the rele-vant stakeholders. But these suggestions must befollowed-up by initiatives and activities to contin-uously support sustainability.

It is the task of the Inter-regional Wadden SeaCooperation, having commissioned NetForum todevelop proposals for a sustainable tourism devel-opment in the Wadden Sea Region, to initiate, co-ordinate and facilitate the follow-up activities in afurther participatory process with the stakehold-ers. The NetForum suggests that the Inter-region-al Wadden Sea Cooperation, as a first step, adoptan action plan which should entail the followingelements:

a Implementation of the suggested policies:

how, by whom and when

a Implementation of the priority projects

including their funding and the setting

up of an adequate organisation for the

implementation and co-ordination of the

projects

a Monitoring of the activities

The implementation of the action plan needs to beco-ordinated by the secretariat of the Inter-regional Wadden Sea Cooperation or a unit desig-nated for the purpose equipped with appropriateresources to facilitate the implementation.

The action plan should take into account cross-thematic activities and should therefore embodyapproaches such as the following:

• The tourism development should be more orient-ed towards target groups

• Support should be given in establishing a com-munication and co-operation strategy for thelocal level

• The establishment of a network designed for thetechnical support and counselling of the part-ners in the Wadden Sea Region with regard tothe implementation of environmental measuresin the tourism sector (”practitioners supportpractitioners”) should be designed

• The development of demand oriented and com-petitive solutions

• Making use of public-private-partnership (PPP).

NetForum concludes that the current monitoringsystems are inadequate in terms of providingappropriate information for managers and stake-holders. The Inter-regional Wadden Sea Cooperationshould initiate and support the establishment ofan adequate monitoring system for tourism andrecreation in the Wadden Sea Region to enabledecision-making for sustainability.

Furthermore, NetForum invites the Inter-region-al Wadden Sea Cooperation to share the valuableexperiences with the participatory approach witha larger community, in particular, the EuropeanUnion and the trilateral Wadden SeaCooperation. NetForum would finally like to emphasise thatthe occasion of the regularly held TrilateralGovernmental Conferences of which the next willbe held in Denmark in autumn 2001, should beused as a focal point for future work on this issueand for the presentation and evaluation of pro-jects as well as the creation of further commoncommitments ”.

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7. Follow up Activities

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Prioritised Projects

Proposal no. 1

Development of a transnational, digital database, integrating information on nature and cultural-history.

Project description

• Development of a joint visitorinformation sys-tem within the whole region on the basis of theexperience of the core-centres (Multimar S-H,Ecomare NL, Fiskeri and Søfartsmuseet DK)Development of German and Danish ‘frontdoors’ to InterWad (NL).

• Developing links between nature, cultural histo-ry and tourism information.

• The combination of local and regional attrac-tions into one single guiding system throughmultimedia and production state-of-the-art com-munication devices. New creative products give information to the(young) visitors

Proposal no. 2

Appendix A

Development of an information system combining information about sustainablevisitor behaviour and general tourism information

Project description

• Information on sustainable visitor behaviourand nature already exists but it is seldom pre-sented in the tourist publications (brochures).The integration of this information by way ofstate-of-the-art innovative psychologicalapproaches into existing tourism-mediaensures that visitors are informed about thevalues of the Region and the need for consider-ate behaviour. This can consequently be used asa ’selling-point’. Angle: “Tempting notPreaching”.

• Package should contain a ‘dry’ and a ‘wet’ mo-dule.

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Proposal no. 3

Development of (standard) Tourism Monitoring in the Wadden Sea Region

Project description

• The existing data on tourism is incomplete, lackscomparability and the criteria about what toobserve are not the same in the three WaddenSea countries. In all European countries thereare similar problems with gathering tourismdata.

• A standard programme should be developed thatdirects which data to collect, how often, and inwhat way in all three countries. Followed in itswake by a module of what management tools areavailable to deal in a visitor-friendly way with agrowing number of tourists.

• In co-operation/participation with local entrepre-neurs

Proposal no. 4

Appendix A

Development of a thematic marketing strategy for the Wadden Sea Region

Project description

• The development and execution of a (bi)annualpromotion program aimed at joint marketing ofthe selling points of the Wadden Sea Region as awhole and thus reaching a bigger market(European, world-wide). Suggested themes:• Man and Water Management• New and Old Technical Installations• History of Windmills • Lighthouses in the Wadden Sea Region• Whale-fisheries• Historical sailing-ships (in use)• International Wadden Arts Route• Sandcastles

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Proposal no. 4continued

Project description

• Local tourism offices and entrepreneurs adoptthe theme, material is provided, and they give ittheir angle after a start-up campaign.

• Launching a campaign to promote a commonunderstanding among entrepreneurs within thetourism sector about the values in the WaddenSea Region by organising seminars and excur-sions in the Region. This project can be used asa kick-off.

Proposal no. 5

Appendix A

Establishment of a gastronomy award on Wadden Sea menus

Project description

• Promoting local gastronomy by organising anaward on (authentic) Wadden Sea-menus. A jurydecides on specific menus. In combination with alocal event or arrangement.

• Possibly together with the promotion of region-grown (eco-) products (e.g. StichtingWaddenproducten/Wattendelikatessen).

Proposal no. 6

Development of education-packages on regional history

Project description

• Develop education packages (3 languages) onregional history for primary and secondaryschools, by use of multimedia and state-of-the-art communication devices

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Appendix A

Proposal no. 7

Promotion of “Sustainability Standards” in the Wadden Sea Region

Project description

• In all three countries certification systems onsustainable accommodation facilities have beeninitiated. The projects consist of the promotionof these standards in the Wadden Sea Region(and extension to charter-sailing boats). The aimis to develop joint criteria for the Region on thebase of these past experiences.

• In all three countries different organisationshave published books, folders and so on withpractical ideas on how to make accommodationfacilities, restaurants and other recreationalfacilities sustainable. The development of a jointcode-of-conduct with suggestions and ideas forpractical use concerning sustainability fortourism-sector (based on Dutch Code of Conductaiming at Wadden Sea visitors).

Proposal no. 8

Development of a sustainable package-holiday

Project description

• The promotion of holiday arrangements that areconsistently sustainable. This includes travel-ling by public transport (‘Wadden Sea Ticket”) todestinations that meet sustainability criteria inaccommodation, offering of nature-experiences,cultural and historic events as well as other cureand fitness activities

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Proposal no. 11

Establishment and promotion of alternative transport-systems on islands with excessive car traffic

Project description

• Islands with car traffic should make use ofexperiences from islands with no car traffic orwith strict regulations to reduce car traffic. Theproject consists of the organisation and promo-tion of new and high quality transportation toand from the accommodation as well as trans-portation of luggage, bike renting etc. Usingavailable knowledge collected over the past 2-3years.

Proposal no. 9

Appendix A

Enhancement of facilities for less mobile and disabled people

Project description

• The enhancement of facilities both for natureenjoyment, accommodation and other facilitiesfor less mobile and disabled visitors of theWadden Sea Region.

• Based on the report Encounter Nature:Seashore for all! (by Lebenshilfe Wittmund e.V.and National Park N.S.-Wattenmeer.

• Facilities for disabled people should be explicit-ly included.

Proposal no. 10

Creation of Park and Ride facilities at Hot Spotsthroughout the Wadden Sea Region

Project description

• The introduction of “Park and Ride Systems” inthe vicinity of tourist hot spots, such as attrac-tions and ferry harbours, using existing parkingfacilities. This will be a place where people canleave their car and then use (free?) bus/train orcontinue their journey. Aimed at a reduction ofprivate car-use near beaches and other resorts,in cities and villages.

Members of NetForum

Chairman: Jens Enemark, Executive Secretary,Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS),Virchowstraße 1, D-26382 Wilhelmshaven, Tel:+49 44219108-12, Fax: +49 44219108-30, e-mail:[email protected]

Denmark

John Frederiksen, Executive Secretary, The Inter-regional Wadden Sea Cooperation, Sorsigvej 35,DK-6760 Ribe, Tel: +45 75420000, Fax: +4575424795, e-mail: [email protected]

Jane Lund Henriksen, Vice-Chairman, The OpenAir Council, Ribevej 85, Gabøl, DK-6500 Vojens, Tel: +45 74871787, Fax: + 45 74871677

Poul Nystrup Christensen, Municipality Director,Fanø, Skolevej 5-7, DK-6720 Nordby, Tel: +45 75163100, Fax: +45 75612981, e-mail:[email protected]

Steen Salomonsen, Director of Technology and theEnvironment, Ribe Amt, Sorsigvej 35, DK-6760Ribe, Tel: +45 75424200, Fax: +45 75424795, e-mail: [email protected]

Germany

Rainer Helle, Director of Tourism, Ministry forLand and Tourism, Düsternbrooker Weg 104, D-24100 Kiel, Tel: +49 431 988 4544, Fax: +49 431988 5073 e-mail: [email protected]

Klaus Koehn, Wattweg 20, D-25999 Kampen/Sylt, Tel: +49 465141069, Fax: +49 4651 446083, e-mail: [email protected]

Friederike Liebmann, WWF Wadden Sea Project,Norderstraße 3, D-25813 Husum, Tel: +49 484162073, Fax: +49 48414736, e-mail: [email protected]

Hans-Martin Slopianka, District of Nordfriesland,co-ordination for the Tourism Concept, Markt-straße 6, D-25813 Husum, Tel: +49 4841 67 466,Fax: +49 4841 67 423, e-mail: [email protected]

Reinhard Zander, National Park Administration,Wadden Sea, Virchowsstraße 1, D-26382Wilhelmshaven, Tel: +49 4421 911 281, Fax: +494421 911 280

The Netherlands

Simon Dijkstra, Province of Noord-Holland,Postbus 3007, NL-2001 DA Haarlem, Tel: +31 23 514 3299, Fax: +31 23 514 3030, e-mail: [email protected]

Els Knol-Licht, L.v.d. Veenstraat 2, NL-9798 PLGarmerwolde, Tel: +31 505411149, e-mail: [email protected]

Martin Loos, Director, The Dutch WatersportOrganisation, Noordergat 3, NL-9976 WMLauwersoog, Tel: +31 519 349 248, Fax: +31 519 349 248, e-mail: [email protected]

Willem Meerdink, Wadden Project BureauLauwersland, Strandweg 1, NL-9976 VS Lauwersoog, Tel: +31 519 349 090, Fax: +31 519 349 095, e-mail: [email protected]

Liesbeth Meijer, Dutch Wadden Society, Postbus90, NL-8860 AB Harlingen, Tel: +31 517 415 541, Fax: +31 517 417 977, e-mail: [email protected]

Klasina I. v.d Schaaf, / Oene Krist, Gemeente HetBildt, Postbus 34, NL-9076 ZN St. Annaparochie, Tel: +31 518 4092 78/32, Fax: +31 518 409 250, e-mail: [email protected]

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Appendix B

Others

Peter Ilsøe, Forester, The Trilateral Wadden SeaCooperation, Lindet Statsskovs distrikt,Skovridervej 1, DK-6510 Gram, Tel: +4574826105, Fax: + 45 74 82 6122, e-mail: [email protected]

Mandy Postma, and Jim Le Roux, The DutchWadden Sea Islands, Sekretariaat OOW, Postbus200, NL-1790 AE den Burg Texel, Tel: +31 0222362121, Fax: +31 0222 310024, e-mail: [email protected]

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Appendix B

sustainable tourism development and recreational use in...

Documents