European Forum for Soft Mobility in Tourism
1. Traffic caused by leisure and tourist activities: an under-estimated
problem 2. Objectives and strategies 3. Measures for sustainable tourist traffic 4. Fields of action 3+1: Destinations, journey, source areas 5. Trigger innovations 6. Focus on benefits 7. Information and PR 8. Focus on implementation and conclusion of strategic partnerships
Innovative Models and Pilot Projects - Elements for a sustainable Quality-Tourism
A conference within the Austrian presidency of the European Union
9 - 11 December 1998, in Bad Hofgastein, Province of Salzburg, Austria
Conclusions
DI. Robert Thaler
BMUJF, Austrian Ministry for Environment, Youth and Familiy Affaires
About 40 to 50 % of mobility is caused by people on leisure and tourist trips;
cars are used by about 60 to 80 %, one fifth travel by plane.
Forecasts
predict that trips will be shorter but tourists will travel even longer distances.
A strong increase of leisure and tourist traffic by car and plane is expected. Emissions
and spoilt landscapes reduce the attractiveness of tourism destinations. Therefore,
traffic solutions are an important prerequisite for sustainable development and
quality tourism.
Principles
of sustainable development implemented through traffic-, tourism- and environmental
policies. Fair financial conditions imposed on traffic (e.g. internalisation of
external costs). The basis for policies should be Kyoto-targets, "Klimabündnis",
EU-Environmental Action Programmes and Strategy of Integration, Convention of
the Alpes, National Environmental Plans, etc. Changing
to optimal traffic technologies and alternative means of transport (reduced emissions Increase
standard of quality: quality tourism, environmentally friendly mobility providing
high value to the destination, with regular quality checks.
Optimized
spacial and settlement planning Improved
cycle and walking paths, train, bus, taxis, and horse-drawn transport; traffic
calming measures, Support
for emission-free traffic technologies, mobility management, and environmentally
friendly passenger and freight transport.
Tourism
destinations: traffic-calming, car-free areas, optimal mobility for pedestrians
and cyclists, alternative means of transport Journey:
optimized travel and luggage logistics, information, comfortable house to hotel
door-to-door service Solution
of traffic problems already in source areas: marketing for Soft Mobility, optimal
service for travellers, better infrastructure of railway stations and trains Cooperation
of destinations, mobility service providers and source areas Positive
experiences when travelling by train (service, fun, etc.)
New
forms of transport, centers of transport information New
tourism offers: holiday-packages with sustainable mobility New
technologies for information New
technologies for reducing emissions
Stress
individual benefits: high quality of living, fun Economic
success by ecologically oriented offers and new quality products Raise
the standard of environmental quality, traffic security
Information
and communication to and within tourism regions and to decision makers Training
for information-staff; also for public transport staff Marketing
and PR for Sustainable Mobility in source areas Encompassing
travel information by linking information on mobility, tourism information and
booking facilities Market
research on Sustainable Mobility and car-free holiday packages
Cooperation
between tourism destinations, tourism enterprises, mobility service providers,
tour operators, tourism associations (local, regional, national, EU) Implementation
of pilot projects Strengthen
examples of best practice.
Overview
Conclusions
Conference Report
Organisation