Sustainable Destination Development

The Sustainable Destination Development initiative was a development project with the overall goal to strengthen and develop sustainable tourism destinations in Sweden over a four-year period (2012-2015). Bohuslän, Kiruna, Stockholm archipelago, Vimmerby and Åre were chosen to participate in the project. The objective was to improve their organisational structures and to engage the private sector in quality and sustainability improvements for sustainable destination development. During 2012-2015 the destinations initiated a number of activities in order to prolong the tourist season, improve the quality of hosting tourists, develop new and more sustainable products and services as well as improve overall accessibility (considering the full accessibility chain from information of destination in various media, transport options, signalling at destination in multiple languages etc.). The overall goal was to improve the quality and competitiveness of the destinations with the objective to attract a higher number of international visitors while respecting the sustainability aspects in a holistic manner. The project was guided by a national steering group consisting of the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket) and VisitSweden. The project also included an integrated research and academia collaboration aspect, with the integral objective to learn and share best practices between the participating destinations and more broadly in Sweden. Hence, the project concept embraced an approach starting from an analysis of “WHAT“ (including the status, capacities, challenges and resources). This analysis of the framework conditions and resources at the respective destinations eventually led to a better understanding of “HOW”, i.e. how to make sustainable destination development possible and a reality on the ground. The project covered a wide spectrum of activities, which varied depending on the particular needs, evaluation phase and characteristics of the respective destination. However, several common features in the measures taken across the five destinations can be identified in the areas of: • Development of market demand knowledge and understanding of the international target groups • Innovation and product development • Business development, with a view on private tourists as well as B2B • Sustainability and quality development measures • Communication and trade market platform development and application • Knowledge and competence development measures • Organisational development and building of partnerships • Enhancement of service culture and capacity, hosting knowledge and readiness • Development of accessibility aspects at destinations, including infrastructure development, signalling, guidance etc. • Areal / city planning and land use planning with a view to support holistic destination development In addition to these measures, generally recognized and broadly embraced at the five destinations, the following key activities were specifically highlighted at the respective destinations: Bohuslän • Preparing a joint declaration/statement of commitment by key stakeholders. • Outlining a plan for implementation and identifying and confirming key roles, responsibilities for participating stakeholders, including commune, companies, local/regional tourist organisations. • Active sharing of know-how, transmission of lessons learned through seminars and training. • Product and service development and sustainable development based on the Swedish Welcome program. • Joint trademark development for Bohuslän, establishing a “trademark platform for Bohuslän“. Kiruna • Development of Kiruna Lapland's sustainability program based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Councils (GSTC) destination criteria and creating a monitoring system. • Development of a comprehensive chain for accessibility and infrastructure (from finding the destination on the internet, making the booking, transport, clear signaling in all needed languages etc.) • Putting special focus on space science and space tourism • Close collaboration with academia/research to secure high level of know-how and learning, with student traineeships, and collaboration between academia and companies on tourism • Identifying and outlining longer-term financing options for tourism development. Stockholm archipelago • Establishment of a commitment and collaboration framework for longer term action between seven municipalities with clearly defined steering- and working groups. • Establishment of a joint communication platform and website and working for a “joint/shared destination identity”. • Concrete actions for destination development with the development of 33 new destination products. • Development of a joint sustainability strategy with concrete measures for improved sustainability, based on the program Swedish Welcome. • Innovation work to help join northern and southern actors within the Stockholm archipelago. Vimmerby • Expanding product and service deliveries in the “gardens of Astrid Lindgren”. • Developing further the tourism business services further with companies. • Development of high quality products and services. • Outlining a sustainability approach through the sustainability program Swedish Welcome, with the view to enhance and certify sustainability of companies. • Training and development of knowledge and skills in being a good host. Åre • Working holistically on a more sustainable Åre covering economic, social and ecological sustainability aspects. Åre worked on sustainability aspects along the Global Sustainable Tourism Council destination criteria (GSTC-D) and Natural Step’s principles for sustainability. • Identification and development of new products and travel services. • Increase global awareness about Åre. • Identify competence gaps and fill them. • Secure long-term financing for Åre destination development. Success factors A number of common factors contributing to successful implementation of project activities, and attainment of project objectives, can be identified across the five destinations, including: • All key stakeholders are aware of and agree on the key features of the destination and the value (“value chain”) proposition it can make to international tourists. • Methods and tools for improving the quality and sustainability of destinations become operational and effective only once their role in the overall context is well understood. • It is important to be clear in communication, and have a joint “language/terminology” to allow efficient learning and sharing of lessons learned. • It is particularly important for decision makers, politicians to understand the context well and see the “whole picture” in order to support efficient and effective implementation through their decision making. • The developers need to be given a clear mandate, resources as well as appropriate tools. • The stakeholders, that put things concretely into movement, need to be given resources, knowledge and a supportive framework/cluster for implementing the quality and sustainability improvements in practice. The respective five destinations, in addition, point out the following destination specific key factors, for overall success in their work: Bohuslän • Strong support and commitment from local political leadership, including opposition. • Strong prioritisation and focus on collaboration with companies that have the potential and interest to reach international markets/clients as well as focus on products/services for which there has been identified and confirmed demand. • Access to tools and business model support. Kiruna • Solid networks and good relationships (locally, regionally as well as nationally). • Access to expert knowledge (including research and academia). • Solid analysis backing the chosen measures with clear share of responsibilities (including results monitoring and active involvement/participation of key stakeholders). Stockholm archipelago • A strong, joint steering group coordinating a considerable number of stakeholders. • Clear guiding documents (strategic, project plan, activities and budget) helping to build the mandates for action. • Successful collaboration across different levels and actors (identifying early on key persons and driving actors, building confidence and trust for joint action). Vimmerby • Making clear choices early on and prioritising, hence creating focus and momentum. • Create a joint vision (covering also the longer-term) that lays the basis for true collaboration between actors and engage persons that can act as drivers and lighthouses. • Training activities supporting the implementation. Åre • A solid organizational platform with strong private sector engagement and mandate to act. • A clear mandate to identify destination specific strengths internationally, prioritize courageously and work to further strengthen those strengths. • A strong commitment and spirit to continually improve and do better also with a longer term vision in mind. Novelty The project has been innovative in pioneering work on destination level, helping to establish commitment and collaboration (including new forms of collaboration) between a considerable number of stakeholders, on local, regional and national – as well as across various sectors and organizations. At the same time, e.g. in the case of Kiruna, the destination development has had to address the whole new concept of a “moving city” as the destination development is part of an on-going process to physically move the city center due to mining activities. This project has obviously highlighted the critical importance to also integrate land-use planning aspects (and stakeholders) into all destination development measures. Also the aspect of integrating cultural and historical values, e.g. through pioneering (formal) collaboration agreements with Sami people in Northern Sweden, as part of joint destination development, can be considered innovative and a case for learning and replication for other destinations with similar surroundings. In the case of Åre, having a vision by 2020 to become Europe´s most attractive alpine year-around destination, has widely broadened the field and actors as well as necessary measures required for destination development, and hence forced to innovation for year-round destination development (from traditional winter tourist destination). Sustainability Impacts By end 2015, the project had achieved among other the following results: • More new products (circa 150 new products) available for the international market • More in-depth knowledge and understanding on the international market demand • More collaboration arrangements with international tourism actors, travel agencies • Increased visibility and articles in international media about the destinations • Increased number of visitors during the summer of 2015 at the five destinations As part of the monitoring, and supporting the learning process, Tillväxtanalys (Growth Analysis - Swedish Agency for Growth Policy Analysis) produced annual reports on various aspects of the development project covering among the preconditions, program logic, implementation aspects and results of the project. A common challenge in the monitoring and evaluation framework has been in establishing suitable baselines (to allow quantitative assessment of results based on various indicators) as well as the overall challenge of attribution/contribution, i.e. a considerable number of other external factors have influenced the results above. With regards to sustainability work (in particular the environmental sustainability) progress has been achieved, through the application of two approaches. Three of the destinations, including Bohuslän, Vimmerby and Stockholm archipelago, chose to work with the Swedish Welcome approach, with a certification scheme of its own for companies. Åre and Kiruna advanced on sustainability matters relying on the sustainability criteria of Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Challenges and potential for further development The project has been helpful in creating a stronger understanding of the approaches needed as well as challenges that have to be encountered when developing sustainable destinations (not actually “owned” by any single actor) – in comparison to doing marketing and promotional measures only for/by separate actors and businesses in tourism destinations. The project has also highlighted the benefits of having a national initiative that can serve as an umbrella for concrete action, also serving to encourage, give credibility and status as well help drive concrete action on destination levels. The project also highlights important benefits of bundling several destinations in such collaboration, allowing learning from each other and sharing challenges as well as solutions with peers. The project stakeholders note the need to ensure that relevant expertise and competence is available, or will be created/developed (e.g. in collaboration with relevant schools and universities) and made available for destination development – which is different from more “traditional” marketing and promotional efforts by various single actors. Hence, one of the key lessons learned from this project, is to understand the importance of coordination, clear communication, mandates and share of responsibilities to which actors truly commit to, noting the considerable amount of stakeholders involved in destination development. Also, the financial viability, and ensuring financing for development activities for a longer-term is a common challenge that all destinations recognize, and to be addressed as a cross-cutting theme in all sustainable destination development. And finally, the project highlights the importance to note that destination development is integrally sustainable development of the respective destinations, in order to be viable and sustainable communities on their own, not only for the sake of international tourism, but holistically for all people living in and/or visiting the community for shorter periods of time. All destinations have noted their interest and commitment to continue with their sustainable destination development activities after the official project closure in end 2015. The scope and extent of activities on national level and at the five destinations varies and will evolve in 2016. VisitSweden has estimated that some 28 million Europeans and Americans will travel to Sweden in the next three years, and the industry has set a goal of doubling the value of Swedish tourism services and products by 2020. The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket) continues also working on sustainable destination development and launched new calls in early 2016 with this goal in mind. Contact person for more information: Christina Rådelius, christina.radelius@tillvaxtverket.se