Impact of tourism on North Sea Region
With tourism being one of the fastest-growing sectors, the transition to sustainable systems is urgently needed.
But what do we need to achieve this goal? A more sustainable way of thinking.
In the 3ST project, three knowledge partners join forces to research and monitor collaborations. The focus on sharing knowledge regarding destination development, stakeholder motivation and models for value creating (Theory of Change). The models will be tested and evaluated in nine regional pilot projects on waste, energy and water reduction. The pilot projects will involve key actors in the tourism sector such as local authorities, SME entrepreneurs and relevant stakeholders.
More about the project
3ST will help stakeholders in tourism to implement collaborative models and sustainable practices. We'll focus on bringing multiple actors in the value chain together and use training, coaching and teamwork to create a holistic approach to sustainable tourism in the North Sea region.
Tourism and the leisure sector are significant contributors to the North Sea Region. The region welcomes 13% of tourists visiting the EU representing almost 400 million overnight stays (Eurostat). Therefore, tourism has a serious impact on the environment and plays an important role in the development of communities, regions and cities. However, tourism’s impact on local resources and climate change is large: the UNWTO (2019) estimates that tourism’s greenhouse gas emissions will increase to 5.3% of the global total by 2030.
Better skills and stronger collaboration
Through 3ST, we are strengthening the skills entrepreneurs need to make their businesses more sustainable. We also want to improve the necessary cooperation between all those involved in the sector, such as governments, entrepreneurs and suppliers. By working together more effectively as a chain and by improving the skills of entrepreneurs, we will make it easier to do business sustainably. This is a necessary step for the future of tourism and leisure businesses.
The outcomes of this project include:
- Joint strategies and action plans for organisations and entrepreneurs
- Nine best practice cases that illustrate successful collaborations
- More than 300 organisations that improved their skills through transnational cooperation.
