Tourism

1
Tourism European Funding 2000 - 2006

• 20th February 2006
• Cultural Explosion
• Stephanie Wait
• Senior European Programme Development Executive
• Wales Tourist Board

2
WTB Analysis 2000-2006

• WTB has completed an analysis in order to
  estimate the contribution of current structural
  fund programmes in Wales to tourism up to
  November 2005.
• This analysis is based on a previous legacy
  report by the Objective 1 Regional Tourism
  Partnership for WEFO summarising the position
  with respect to progress on implementing the
  Objective 1 regional tourism strategy up to 31
  October 2003.
• This analysis is now being updated and extended
  to other structural fund programmes. (Interreg
  III)
• This analysis has been used in the updating of
  key WTB strategies, notably Achieving our
  Potential and the new A Winning Wales.
• It will provide the key strategic context for the
  next programme of structural funds post 2006
  and might inform future EU programmes and the
  structural funds working group established by
  WAG, WEFO etc this summer.

3
Background

• No distinct focus for tourism in current
  Structural Funds Programme
• WTB had originally argued for there to be a
  distinct focus for tourism projects i.e. a
  tourism measure or priority
• Objective 1 Regional Tourism Partnership
  established
• The Objective 1 regional action plan for tourism
  - this differs from all other regional
  strategies in that its scope potentially covers
  all measures of the Objective 1 SPD

4
Analysis

• How we analysed the impact of structural funds
  on the tourism sector
• Analysis based on Objective 1, 2 and 3 as well as
  the INTERREG IIIa (Wales-Ireland) programme.
• Classified these programmes according to which of
  the 4 strategic objectives of AOP they most
  closely fit.

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Results

• To date the analysis suggests that nearly 306
  tourism-related projects have been approved,
  totaling c 150m of EU assistance towards a total
  investment in the tourism sector of c 400m
• Analysing these EU approvals according to which
  of the 4 AOP objectives to which they align most
  closely indicates the following

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Strategic Objectives -AOP

• Objective 1 - To promote the region more
  effectively as an attractive, all year round
  tourism destination
• Objective 2 - To improve the quality of the
  tourism product to meet the changing needs of the
  visitor
• Objective 3 - To improve professionalism and
  innovation by raising the profile of the industry
  and by enhancing skills, training and motivation
  within the industry
• Objective 4 - To embrace a sustainable approach
  to tourism development which benefits society,
  involves local communities and enhances the
  regions unique environmental and cultural assets.
  

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Tourism EU Funding in Wales
8
Tourism EU Funding in Wales 2

• The current round of Structural Fund Programmes
  in Wales provide c 1,400m of EU assistance (from
  ERDF, ESF, EAGGF and FIFG). Thus to date the
  analysis suggests that tourism related projects
  have already received c 10.5 of available funds
• WTB has not yet been able to finalise the
  forecast outputs for all these approved tourism
  projects e.g. in terms of job creation, visitor
  spending, private sector leverage etc or in terms
  of their spatial distribution
• Analysis of target outputs of the WTB projects
  included in the analysis, however, indicates that
  tourism is making a significant contribution to
  the targets of both the major Structural Fund
  Programmes and A Winning Wales WAVE

9
Tourism EU Funding in Wales 3

• WTB and tourism projects have been quite
  successful in securing EU funding, despite the
  structure of the Programmes and the absence of a
  distinct tourism-friendly priority or measure
• Difficulties in accessing EU funding for tourism
  related projects have been in the context of
  major tourism public sector infrastructure
  projects and urban regeneration
• The EU funding for tourism is already estimated
  at c 10.5 of all structural funding available.
  This figure will increase as new tourism projects
  are approved up to 31 December 2006. The
  proportion compares favorably with the 7 of all
  Welsh workforce jobs or 5.5 of all Welsh FTEs.
  (WERU)

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Tourism and INTERREG projects 2000- 2006

• Objective
• to strengthen economic and social cohesion in
  the Community by promoting cross-border,
  transnational and inter-regional co-operation and
  balanced development of territory
• One of 4 CIs URBAN, LEADER, INTERREG and EQUAL
  5.35 of SF
• ERDF Funded
• 4 875 million 2000-2006

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INTERREG 3 Strands for Co-operation

• Strand A Cross border co-operation 3.2bn
• Strand B Trans-national co-operation 1.3bn
• Strand C Interregional co-operation 0.3bn

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INTERREG IIIAIreland/Wales

• Total Programme 48m ERDF
• Priority 1 Economic, Social and technical
  development
• Priority 2 Sustainable Growth 18m
• 2.1 Marine Coastal Environment
• 2.2 Culture, Heritage Tourism
• Tourism Projects - 26
• Total Project Costs - 6,004,557
• ERDF - 4,374,841

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INTERREG IIIAIreland/Wales

• The Celtic Countryside Partnership
• Celtic Rivers Trust Partnership
• Sustainable Management of Near Shore Water
  Quality
• Clean Coast
• CZMnet Coastal Zone Management Network
• Coastal Communities Network
• Celtic Railways
• Celtic Gardens
• Maritime Heritage Programme

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INTERREG III Strand BTransnational Co-operation

• Atlantic Area - 122m
• North West Europe - 330m
• North Sea - 133m
• Northern Periphery - 30m

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Strand B Atlantic AreaAchievements so far

• 74 projects approved
• 13 led from UK 38 more with UK partners
• 92 m ERDF committed (UK)

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Approved Projects (IIIBAA)

• Watersports development NEA (WTB)
• How culture influences the development of cities
• Public access to lighthouses and multi-use
• Medieval culture
• Conversion of small fishing ports as tourist
  attractions
• Combating sea damage to built environment

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Approved Projects 2

• Marketing distinctive town centre management
• Authentic visitor experiences and equitable
  community benefit
• Trading local foods
• Promoting and marketing traditional crafts

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Objective Improve effectiveness of regional
development strategies instruments through
large scale exchange of experience across all EU
neighbouring countries

• INTERREG IIIC

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INTERREG IIIC

• 4 Programme Zones
• 4 Secretariats North, West, South East
• UK regions are in the West Zone but can work with
  partners in all zones
• Operations topics not priorities measures

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Wales in IIIC

• Partners from Wales are in 16 approved operations
  including an RFO (Forestry Commission Wales)
• As of Dec 05 Wales top in ranking of UK regions
  on ERDF approved in IIIC
• Main topics environment (e.g water, wind,
  energy, sustainable forestry)
• Competitiveness/IT/Business Development and Rural
  Development

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IIIC Projects on Tourism Culture (UK)

• Centurio World Heritage sites
• Cultmark Heritage, Local Identity and place
  marketing
• Cultured Regional Development of Heritage
• Eurosat- Salmon tour Network
• Intelligent Cities Sustainable Development of
  Competitive Cities (Wales)
• TouriSME (RFO) Tourism SME sector support
• COR Planning management of rivers
• ECTN European Cultural Tourism Network (WTB)

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• European Cultural Tourism Network
• ECTN

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European Cultural Tourism Network

• ECTN is the only network which brings the tourism
  and cultural industry professionals working in
  different regions of Europe together to exchange
  experience and information on best practice.

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ECTN - RAISON DÊTRE

• Arose from conference held in Brussels February
  2003 with aim of bringing together cultural and
  tourism professionals to

• Exchange experience and best practice in
  development of cultural tourism
• Enable sharing of research
• Facilitate transnational working
• Improve co-operation and integration between the
  tourism and cultural sectors
• Develop common positions to EU consultations
• Link with other networks

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ECTN progress to date

• ECTN Barcelona Conference August 2004
• Contribution to DG Enterprise Tourism unit
  networking study
• ECTN INTERREG IIIC project January 2005
• Luxembourg Presidency Cultural Tourism Conference
  21-22 April 2005, to establish links with ECTN
  conference and UK Presidency of EU

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ECTN progress to date cont..

• Thematic workshop Aosta 26-27 May 2005
  Language, transport and cultural tourism
• ECTN 2nd Annual Conference Cardiff 6-8 July 2005
• ECTN Cardiff conference declaration and position
  paper on cultural tourism
• Thematic workshop Industrial Heritage as catalyst
  for economic regeneration Oviedo 10-11 November
  2005

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ECTN Links with other networks

• European Routes of Industrial Heritage (ERIH)
• North Sea Commission Cultural Tourism Group
  February 2005
• EUFED
• European Institute of Industrial Routes
• ATLAS

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ECTN INTERREG IIIC Project

• INTERREG IIIC-
• is an EU-funded programme that helps Europes
  Regions form partnerships to work together on
  common projects
• projects enable Regions to share knowledge and
  experience that will help them develop new
  solutions to economic, social and environmental
  challenges
• projects are designed to reduce the development
  gap between rich and poor areas of Europe and
  help regions become more competitive.

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ECTN Interreg IIIC Project Covers all 4 corners
of Europe

• Lead Partner - Wales Tourist Board
• Number of partners 10
• 8 countries represented
• Spain Andalucia, Huelva Austurias Regions
• Italy Aosta Region,
• Ireland Midlands Region, Hungary, Finland,
  Latvia, Sweden, Wales
• End date 31 Jan 2007

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ECTN INTERREG IIICDefinition of Cultural Tourism

• Cultural tourism can briefly be defined as
  tourism based on local and regional cultural
  resources.
• These include cultural traditions, language,
  history, cultural landscapes, built environment,
  archaeological sites, museums and cultural
  activities such as festivals, galleries, arts
  attractions, theatres but also attractions
  related to primary production, crafts,
  manufacturing, social history and life.
• Cultural tourism is related to human activities
  and history in a broad sense.

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Aims of the ECTN INTERREG IIIC project

• Sharing experience and best practice in
  developing cultural tourism for regional economic
  development and job creation,
• Bringing together tourism and cultural industry
  professionals working in different regions of
  Europe
• Ensure ECTN is sustainable post Jan 2007

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Event Timetable Jan 2006 to Jan 2007
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Opportunities for Participation

• Register for participation in ECTN events
• Attend ECTN Annual Conference in Sweden 2006
• Thematic Workshop (next is in North Hungary April
  2006)
• Sharing research, knowledge and or experience

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ECTN Interreg IIIC Project Programme

• Supports network activities to January 2007
• 2 Annual conferences, 2 Focus working groups
• 4 Thematic workshops, sharing of knowledge,
  experience good practice
• 6 Staff Exchanges
• Website, database, newsletters
• Formation of 4 regional cultural tourism clusters
• Final report on best practice of developing
  European Cultural Tourism

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Contact details for further information

• stephanie.wait_at_tourism.wales.gov.uk
• ectn_at_tourism.wales.gov.uk
• www.cultural-tourism.net

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Lessons Learnt

• Know your partners and establish a working
  relationship before your application
• Realistic budget, timeframe and outputs
• Understand regional cultural differences
• Long term goals
• Use existing networks
• Identify gaps
• Dont reinvent the wheel!

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Structural Funds post 2006

• Themes for Cross Border
• Entrepreneurship, SMEs, tourism, culture trade
• Protection/Joint management of the environment
• Access to transport ICT
• Water, Waste, Energy systems
• Health, culture education infrastructures

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Themes for Trans-National

• Water and coastal management inc. river basins,
  marine resources, water services and wetlands
• Accessibility inc. trans-European networks, local
  and regional access to networks, ICT
• Risk Prevention inc. maritime security and
  flooding, marine/water pollution, erosion,
  earthquakes, avalanches
• RTD creation of scientific technological
  networks

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Inter-regional

• Research, technology, innovation,
  entrepreneurship
• Environment, risk prevention, energy efficiency
• Urban issues
• Studies, data collection, analysis of development
  trends

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Culture Tourism in Draft Regs?

• Not prominent!
• Has spatial economic dimensions
• Underpins European ideal
• Melts borders
• Economic driver
• Culture generates tourism
• Vehicle for social inclusion

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• End