Turismo Rural

The essence of ecolabeling • Ecolabeling – type of industry self-regulation to ensure environmental and sociocultural responsibility into tourism business • The primary objective of ecolabels and other recognition shemes is to stimulate environmental concern both from perspective of the producer as well as the consumer, by providing reliable environmental information to the consumer and thereby influencing his/her preference and choise of goods or services • Indirectly, ecolabels may have an innovative effect, by stumulating the development of new products and practices in the industry RT 2015/16

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The history of ecolabeling • The first ecolabels originated in Europe and appeared in the travel and tourism industry in the mid – 1980s. • Number and diversity has significantly increased during the 1990s. • Currently over 100 ecolabelling and certification shemes are available for tourism and hospitality industry worldwide • Almost 50 labelling shemes in Europe

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The focus of certification • The focus of different certification shemes may be regional, national or international , and ecolabels may be awarded for a single product, service, or a group of services • Despite of exsisting differences, certification shemes have many common components, incl. o voluntary enrolment, o utilization of easily recognizable logos, o reguired certification criteria (some of them can be more strictly than exsisting regulations), o documented commitment by auditing bodies, o as well as membership and fees.

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Samples of Ecolabels (1) Worldwide Blue flag - programme for beaches and marinas • Started in France 1985 • Operating in Europe since 1987 and in areas outside of Europe since 2001, when South Africa joined

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Samples of Ecolabels (2) Worldwide Green key - an eco-label awarded

6 hotels in Latvia

to over 2100 establishments in 41 countries worldwide. Green Key aims to • raise the awareness of leisure establishment staff and clients, • increase the use of sustainable methods of operation and technology, • run ecologically sound and responsible businesses, and thereby • reduce resource, energy usage RT 2015/16

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Samples of ecolabels also in RT EU EU Flower • Adopted by environmental ministers in 1991, came in force 1992. • In April 2003, directives for label for tourist accommodation were established and a criteria document was published

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National ecolabels Germany Used for goods and services In RT - ?

France

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National ecolabels National level • Nordic Swan – for goods and services

Scandinavia • Green Leaf ( Thailand) etc. • Green Certificate for RT accomodation in Latvia

Green certificate • Awarded 73 RT enterprises till 2013. • Awarded by Ministry of Environmetal Protection and Regional Development • Supported by Latvian Environmental Protection Fund

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Green certificate (Latvia) • The Green Certificate is an eco-label affirming environmental quality in vacation properties which save natural resources and use them rationally, offer environment friendly tourist activities, healthy, locally produced food and extensive information on the local natural, cultural and historical attractions. • The Green Certificate was developed and implemented by the Latvian Country Tourism association „Lauku ceļotās” within an EC LIFE and Latvian Environmental Protection Fund co-financed project in co-operation with the Ministry of Environment of the republic of Latvia (2001-2004). RT 2015/16

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The main goals of the certification The project was iniciated in order to: • encourage rural tourism providers to reconstruct, build and furnish vacation properties following local traditions, preserving landscape and using environment friendly building materials of local origin; • direct the development of rural tourism to ensure preservation of biological diversity; • convince rural tourism providers that sustainable tourism development creates conditions for strong economical advancement.

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Green Certificate advantages for rural tourism providers (1) 1. Marketing: • information in the series of publications “Green Holidays‘” to be distributed in the local and foreign markets; • information in the websites of the Association ”Lauku ceļotājs” and the Green Certificate project; • video featuring the ecolabelled vacation properties; • regular information supplied to mass media in Latvia, • international recognition - participation in international ecolabel associations and advertisement in international ecotourism publications (press, brochures and Internet sites). RT 2015/16

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Green Certificate advantages for rural tourism providers (2) 2. Improvement of environmental awareness and business skills

through participation in specialized seminars & conferences. 3. Using the 'Green Certificate' logo, an affirmation of a high quality environment friendly rural tourism product, for product promotion in the Association's catalogue 'Country holidays' and other publications. 4. Exposing the 'Green Certificate' plaque for tourists as an evidence of high quality service and environment friendly management. 5. A possibility to be selected as one of demonstration facilities, where experience exchange workshops will be held in order to show environment friendly operational practices. RT 2015/16

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What is in the Green Certificate for tourists? • Information on vacation properties which offer eco-tourism services: environment friendly tourist activities, healthy, locally produced food and extensive information on the local natural, cultural and historical attractions. • Guarantee of high quality rural tourism services. • A possibility to individually contribute to environment protection and sustainable tourism development by spending holidays in those vacation properties which save natural resources and use them rationally. RT 2015/16

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Rural Tourism development in Latvia

3 main periods: • Before Soviet time ( 1919-1940) • Soviet time (till 1991) • After resumption of independence in 1991

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Before Soviet time (1919-1940) • Tourism as one of prior economic sector • There are 366 rural tourism accommodation places and boarding houses; 186 hotels in Latvia in 1939 • Main motivations: - patriotic (national festivities & traditions, latvian cuisine etc. ēdienus u.c.) - health improvement

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Soviet period • RT legaly can not exist (only state sistem ) • Closed territories for foreighner (Riga, Jūrmala, Sigulda available ) and local inhabitants ( coastal zone)

• Tourism organized by trade unions • “Privat” guests in privat houses ( coastal zone) • Demand higher than offer, which leads to low quality

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After 1991 (1) • From plannned economy to market economy • From state as property owner to different owners ( privat, state, municipal, legal person )

• From big collective /state farms to smaler privat • Farmers are looking for new alternatives ( additionally to to agriculture & forestry)

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After 1991 (2) • 1993.g.- RTA “Lauku ceļotājs “ founded • RT become popular since 1994 • Cooperation with Lithuanian ( since1997) and Estonian (since 2000) similar organizations starts • Demand for quality is increasing (building and renovation process) • With the competition new sevices are developed ( saunas, riding etc.)

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After 1991 (3) • Mid. of 90-ties new trend – b non profitable farms are looking for alternatives ( mushrooms, deers, cranberies etc.) • Support from state instututions in different plnnning documents , funding through different programmes (SAPARD etc.)

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Important documents (Latvia) • Rural development programme 2007-2013 (2008) • Review: Sustainable development of rural tourism in Latvia (2006) LV, summary in ENG) • Baltic Rural tourism marketing startegy 2004 –2010 (LC 2004)

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Importants documents (2) Samples of on other countries (UK ) • Policy planning document « Stimulating economic growth in rural areas» (updated 2014) Issue - Economic growth is our top priority. We want rural areas to contribute to and benefit from this growth, even though they face particular challenges. One of actions- Rural tourism. « We’ve launched a £25 million fund aimed at encouraging tourism to the countryside. We’ll be working with Visit England to run promotions such as the Holidays at Home are Great campaign. We’ll be working with 34 areas of outstanding natural beauty in England to help support sustainable rural tourism. We’ll also be working with local communities to help them create local path networks. « ………..

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Latvian Country Tourism Association “Lauku ceļotājs “  The Latvian Country Tourism Association "Lauku ceļotājs" is a non-governmental organisation established in 1993 and unites owners of rural tourism accommodations and other stakeholders in Latvia. At the beginning of 2009 the association had some 350 members.

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Membership (1) • full member Full members have a vote and can choose between bronze, silver or gold memberships • associated member Associated members do not have a vote and shall not be elected as board members or as members of the auditorial. Only bronze membership applies.

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Goals of Association • To develope balanced and sustainable/ environmentaly friendly tourism in rural areas of Latvia by creating jobs, maintaining rural landscape, efficient using of local resources incl. sell of local products, creating additional income for local enterpreneurs, local governments and state • To promote accessibility of Rural tourism services for all customers

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Tasks of Association (1) For providers of rural tourism services • To elaborate quality requirements for country tourism facilities, inspect them regularly and award quality categories. • To establish a database of country tourism accommodations in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and regularly update it. • To award the "Green Certificate" to country tourism facilities - a sign of environmental quality in tourism services. • To award the title of "Host of the Year". • To organise training seminars and trips to gain experience for country tourism service providers.

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Tasks of Association (2) • To hold regular association board meetings and open meetings of participants, and anyone who is interested in country tourism is welcome to attend. • To produce teaching materials for country tourism service providers and publish timely information about the business of country tourism in the professional section of our Internet homepage. • To provide individual consultations in our offices and visit country tourism facilities as requested. • To provide marketing services for country tourism in Latvia and abroad.

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Tasks of Association (3) For tourists • • • • • •

To publish the annual catalogue "Country Holidays" in Latvian, English, German and Russian. To maintain and regularly update the country tourism homepage www.traveller.lv on the Internet. To publish tourism maps and travel guides in the series "Green Holidays". To establish tourism routes and programmes in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia (ecotourism, boating, bicycling, etc.). To popularise Baltic rural tourism offers at tourism fairs and exhibitions. Toprovide online reservations for country tourismaccommodations.

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Tasks of Association (4) For the development of rural tourism • To collect and analyse statistics, conduct research and study the development of country and eco-tourism. • To cooperate with European country tourism organisations. • To organise international country tourism seminars and conferences. • To represent the interests of country tourism businesses before the government and other institutions (programmes, funds, etc.), taking part in the drafting of new laws and regulations when necessary. • To manage and participate in EU and national country tourism development and environmental protection projects.

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Memberships • In Latvia: The Latvian Tourism Advisory Board, the Latvian Council of Agricultural Organisations, the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Association of Latvian Travel Agents "Alta", the Environmental Advisory Board. • In Europe: The European Federation of Farm and Village Tourism "EuroGites", the European Eco-Agro Tourism Association "ECEAT", the European Landowners’ Organisation "ELO", the European Association of Eco-Labels "VISIT".

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Consultancy topics • • • • • • • • • •

How to set up a rural tourism organizsation Organisational management Motivating rural tourism providers Product development Product quality requirements Developing sustainable rural tourism Promotion & marketing Cooperation with national institutions International organisations and cooperation Fund rising

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Programme examples • Experiance exchange and consultancy programme for the Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association Hospitality Kyrgyzstan” • Experiance exchange programme for the French Rural Tourism Organization “Gites de France” about the development and implementation of a national eco-label for rural accommodations • Experiance exchange programme for the Belorussian rural tourism professionals, main topic “Quality system development & certification

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Publications • Annual Accommodation Cataloque “Country Holidays” (LV + EST + LT) in cooperation with national RT organizations • Maps and travel guides for touring Latvia by car, bike, boating or hiking offer practical information and are most useful to plan and experience your holidays in Latvia. Association has inspected all sites and tested all routes which are described

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Training materials Printed materials (examples): • How to start a rural tourism business • Bisiness plans and examples of calculations for rural tourism establishments • Marketing & advertising rural tourism establishments • Services for seminars • Latvian traditions & festivities as a part of rural tourism offer etc. Training film: • Environmentaly firendly management in eco-labelled rural tourism establisments (ENG & LV) Conferences` summary CDs

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Main characteristics of rural areas Lane suggested 3 main characteristics which clearly identify areas as rural: • Population density and size of settlement • Land use and economy • Traditional social structures

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Population density and size of settlement • • • • • •

GB, Italy, Spain un Portugal