EUSAIR Stakeholders Conference

It is our great pleasure to invite you to the forthcoming hybrid EUSAIR Stakeholders Conference to be held online on 25 November 2021.

The aim of the Conference is to raise awareness and encourage better visibility of the priorities and objectives of the EUSAIR strategy among all stakeholders in general, and especially in the field of sustainable tourism and culture.  It is intended to involve stakeholders in active participation in EUSAIR, with their valuable experiences and other contributions, encouraging partnerships for future project activities.

The Conference will be opened by Nikolina Brnjac, the minister of Tourism and Sport of Croatia, and introduced by Slawomir Tokarski,Director, European Territorial Cooperation, Macro-regions, Interreg and Programme Implementation I, European Commission.

The Agenda includes three key thematic sessions:

The first session will introduce the topic of sustainable management of cultural routes in EUSAIR, to be introduced and moderated by our esteemed guest, Dr. Stefano Dominioni, director, European Institute of Cultural Routes, Council of Europe. EUSAIR member states’ stakeholders, experts and cultural routes’ managers will present best practices in storytelling and cultural tourism products on the routes!
 
The second session will continue with discussions on over-tourism and recovery in the light of trends and perspectives, and the implications for all sectors closely linked to tourism, in particular in terms of future projects, flagships, blue growth, connectivity and the environment, to be introduced and moderated by our esteemed guest,  Dr. Alessandra Priante, Regional Director for Europe, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
 
The third session will finally conclude with the topic of the revision of the EUSAIR Action Plan, encouraging innovation and sustainability in all EUSAIR pillar sectors in a post-pandemic Europe. It will be introduced and moderated by Nandine Lakhal from DG Regio, EC, and opened with the speech of Ramune Genzbigelyte-Venturi, DG Grow,EC,  on Transition pathway for tourism for a more resilient, innovative and sustainable ecosystem. Among the panellists we shall have EUSAIR national coordinators from Albania, Croatia and Slovenia, but also esteemed representatives of the tourism eco-system, Marie Audren,
director general of HOTREC, the umbrella Association of Hotels, Restaurants, Bars and Cafes and similar establishments in Europe, and Eric Dresin,  Secretary general of ECTAA, The European Travel Agents' and Tour Operators' Associations.

The programme will include lively discussions and explore the potentials of cultural heritage and tourism of EUSAIR for the future!