EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism

🌍 This month, we had the amazing opportunity to participate in a study visit to the Faroe Islands to boost our understanding of #regenerative tourism! 🌱 Since one of our PACs, Pomorskie Tourist Board, is a partner to the Interreg South Baltic Programme  #ReTour project focusing on regenerative tourism, we went to gather best practices in the Faroe Islands to bring some insights for all BSR tourism actors working with us. We met with local experts to discuss regenerative tourism practices and create innovative solutions for sustainable tourism. 🌱🌍 During this visit, we: • Learned about the concept of regenerative tourism and its impact on local communities and the environment. 🌿👥 • Exchanged experiences and inspiration with Faroe Islands experts from their successful DMO Visit Faroe Islands and our project partners like Visit Skåne AB, Visit Lolland-Falster, Asociacija Klaipėdos regionas / Association Klaipėda Region, Institute for Tourism Research in Northern Europe 💬🌍 • Witnessed firsthand examples of regenerative tourism practices in action. 👀✨ One of the key experiences we had was learning about the Heimablídni concept—a unique tradition where locals invite visitors into their homes for homemade meals. This not only offers an authentic experience of Faroese hospitality but also strengthens local communities by providing an additional income source for families, especially those involved in farming. 🌾💚 Through Heimablídni, tourism becomes a tool to empower local communities, creating genuine connections between visitors and residents. It’s an incredible example of how tourism can actually benefit the local community by integrating sustainable practices into everyday life. 🌍🤝 The Faroe Islands’ focus on Heima (Home) and regenerative tourism is genuinely inspiring. This approach could also adapted to our Baltic Sea regions, where local communities are central to the success of tourism initiatives. We look forward to integrating these learnings into our work on the #ReTour project and via the EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism Action Plan to foster regenerative tourism practices in the region. Interreg Baltic Sea Region EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

Happy Independence Day, Latvia! Priecīgu Neatkarības dienu, Latvija! Today, we celebrate Latvia - one of the eight EU Member States that border the Baltic Sea and form the core of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Together, we are better equipped to build a greener, more prosperous and connected Baltic Sea Region.   Thank you for making this cooperation possible!

What a wonderful news! 🤩 Thanks to the Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Policy Area Coordinators projects will now continue in 2025 & 2026, and we see new #sustainabletourism projects among the approved ones! Congratulations!👏

Happy Independence Day, Poland! Szczęśliwego dnia niepodległości!   Today, we celebrate Poland - one of the eight EU Member States that border the Baltic Sea and form the core of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. In 2024-2025, Poland holds the Presidency of the Strategy, leading the work in Saving the Sea, Increasing Prosperity and Connecting the Baltic sea Region. During the Presidency, Poland prioritises ✔️ making every effort to support Ukraine in our work. ✔️ ensure the smooth updating process of the EUSBSR Action Plan, to match the current challenges in the region. ✔️ the inclusive nature of cooperation within the Strategy, well-functioning governance and measurability of the Strategy’s actions, as well as external communication and visibility of the Strategy.

As the EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism Coordinators, we had the pleasure of leading workshops during the #EngagementDay at the #EUSBSRforum2024 in Visby/Sweden, introducing #regenerative tourism initiatives and helping new Baltic collaborators forge meaningful connections 🤝 . During the Forum's 1st day, we co-hosted a joint workshop on "Sustainable tourism and water resilience" with PA #NUTRI / Elsi Kauppinen. We discussed the pressing challenges faced by #BalticSea coastal regions, including water shortages, quality issues, and seasonal overtourism. We had an incredible lineup of speakers: ➡ Gunilla Rosenqvist from Uppsala University; ➡ Ellen Lundkvist from Leader Gute & Kati Ahtee from Gotlands Besöksnäring. and 3️⃣ implementation-oriented presentations on solutions already being tested in the #BSR from the Interreg Baltic Sea Region projects: ➡ Tobias Facchini from the #WaterMan, ➡ Monika W. from the ReNutriWater, ➡ and Anu Reinikainen from the NURSECOAST-II These three #Interreg-funded projects are working hard to implement replicable solutions to the challenges presented in the 1st part of the session, setting inspiring examples for sustainable coastal tourism. Thank you to all who joined us in Visby, and came to say hi to us at #NetworkingVillage! 👏 Thanks also to Sonja Lavonen from the Centrum Balticum Foundation for sharing the workshop pictures with us 👍 EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

Let's meet in Visby at the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region #AnnualForum2024! 👉 We're already here, having a great day that started at the #BSSSC round table on stakeholder involvement and continued during the #EngagementDay workshop & discussions on #sustainable and #resilient tourism. 👉 You can meet us during the next few days in the #NetworkingVillage or attend our session "Sustainable Tourism and Water Resilience" on 30 October at 14.45 CET. #EUSBSR #EUSBSRforum2024 Pomorskie Tourist Board Pohjois-Pohjanmaan liitto – Council of Oulu Region Pomorskie Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło Anna-Maija Toivonen

✨ There's magic in #transnational #cooperation; there's magic in #Interreg! And we want to show it all to YOU! ✨ 🎉 We are excited to invite you to the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme Conference 2025: 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰:𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗴. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆.✨🌍 🌊 Explore the what, the why and the how Interreg pays off for regions, cities and people around the Baltic Sea. Let's uncover the true magic of Interreg transnational cooperation, together!✨ 📅 SAVE THE DATE: ➡️ 20 May 2025: Reception by the City of Tampere ➡️ 21 May 2025: Programme Conference ➡️ 22 May 2025: Project Visits 📍 LOCATION: Tampere, Finland 🇫🇮 🌐 More info:https://lnkd.in/eBUTsuwy 📣 Stay tuned: more details will follow! 👀...and congrats to everyone who has guessed that our Programme conference will take place in Finland. 🎊 Interreg EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

#MadewithInterreg project #BarmuR is coming to a wrap but its effects will be lasting! ✨ Watch their brand new video and reflect on the amazing progress made by the team! 🎉You'll get a glimpse into how #BaMuR has transformed museum experiences across the #BalticSeaRegion to keep their consolation role in times of crises! 🌟🎥 Don't miss out: https://lnkd.in/e6UdGdA6 #Resilience #culture #MuseumInnovation #DigitalTransformation #Resilienteconomiesandcommunities EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

🌍 Ready to rethink tourism? Join us in for a workshop on alternative tourism in Vittorio Veneto, Italy, and explore how ethical, slow, and creative tourism can transform the way we promote destinations. We'll discuss how these approaches: 👉Address the challenges of mass tourism 👉Support balanced development in local communities 👉Highlight lesser-known destinations and their unique stories Open to public authorities and Interreg Europe project partners, the session will dive into how tourism can be more rooted in local practices and cultures while exploring innovative ways to maximize social and economic benefits. Plus, we'll share inspiring examples from across Europe! 🗓️ Don't miss this opportunity to collaborate and discover new strategies for alternative tourism in your region. Secure your spot now👉https://bit.ly/3U1UyOT To get inspired, you can also take a look at our new collection page on sustainable tourism! 🌍 https://bit.ly/3XTi9CJ

Last week, we had the pleasure of participating in a study visit to the 🇩🇰Danish islands organized by their DMO Visit Lolland-Falster, as part of the "Baltic Biking Upgrade" (#BBU) project. 🏗️ We visited The Fehmarnbelt Project Visitor Center and were amazed by the scale of this massive infrastructure project connecting Denmark and Germany. The Fehmarn Tunnel is expected to bring half a million extra overnight stays to the region, transforming not only transport but also tourism across the Baltic Sea Region. 🎭 We also had a #culturaltourism experience at Dodekalitten, with an inspiring talk by artist Thomas Kadziola to learn more about his incredible artwork. It was indeed a unique fusion of nature, culture, and great storytelling. 🚴♂️ a 20-km ride along the old railway track from Rødby to Maribo was an opportunity to meet local #cyclingtourism service providers and exchange ideas on nature-based, rural, and #activetourism. The scenic route showcased the potential for prolonging the tourism season and enhancing the active tourism offer in practice. 🚢 We ended our visit with an insightful discussion with a Scandlines representative, focusing on enhancing bike-friendliness and ferry services. This exchange highlighted the importance of #connectivity and sustainability in tourism development and how transport services can significantly impact tourism in the #BalticSeaRegion. Overall, meeting the Visit Lolland-Falster DMO was incredibly valuable. Their approach to boosting local economies while preserving natural resources left a lasting impression. It's inspiring to see how they prepare for upcoming changes, like the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel, and leverage them to enhance tourism in the region. #BalticBikingUpgrade #BBU #SustainableTourism #CyclingTourism #ActiveTourism #LollandFalster #FehmarnTunnel #EuroVelo10 #NatureBasedTourism #RuralTourism Interreg South Baltic Programme VisitDenmark Dansk Cykelturisme Asociacija Klaipėdos regionas / Association Klaipėda Region Pomorskie Tourist Board Cykelfrämjandet Regional utveckling - Region Blekinge