Newsletter 15: Enterprises in Parks

In this issue EUROPARC asked Virginie Boucher (Project officer) and Stephan Dupré (President) about EUROPARC member Cevennes écotourisme.

1. Virginie and Stephan thanks for agreeing to do this interview. Please could you start by telling us a little bit about Cevennes Ecotourism.

Cevennes écotourisme is an association of 75 tourism professionals including B and B’s, gites, hostels, camp sites and guides. All of them are located within Cévennes National Park; have the same goal to facilitate the preservation and exploration/discovery of the park; are involved in the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (ECST).
Two officers are work for the association. They facilitate association members with the implementation of the ECST and also provide them with useful instruments such as forms, communication tools etc.

2. Where did the idea for Cevennes écotourisme come from and how did it develop?

The association is the meeting point for Cevennes National Park and a network of regional tourism organisations. The idea evolved from the park when it was implementing the ECST and wanted to integrate tourism professionals in the process as quickly as possible. The interest of a little network (gite Panda) in developing a partnership with the park made the idea more plausible and so in 2001 Cevennes écotourisme was created to make this process easier.

3. How does Cevennes écotourisme contribute to sustainable tourism in the region?

By facilitating the integration of economic, social and environmental elements into the area’s tourism strategy.  

4. The organisation is very much involved with the ECST.

a. How do you work with the Charter?
All our work in based on the ECST and on the Ipmac methodology. We try to participate in the annual Charter meeting and to use our experience to help the Charter process progress.  

b. What would you say are its benefits?
Being part of a European network and the fact that the good quality of the procedure is guaranteed.

c. Where do you think it could be improved?
Global communication could be improved and the Charter should be better communicated to European, national and local levels. In addition, we are currently thinking about how to involve artists and farmers within the ECST process.

5. How does the organisation communicate the benefits of ecotourism to others (local stakeholders, the local population and tourists)?

We try to provide as much information as possible about our activities and our members through meetings, press and our website but also at local events.

6. Local stakeholders are important players when it comes to implementing sustainable tourism.

a. How and to what extent do you work together with local businesses and other stakeholders?
For activities such as studies and pedagogic tools we always work with local experts, associations or business. In addition, we provide information about and contact details for local stakeholders involved in sustainable tourism on our website www.cevennes-ecotourisme.com.

b. Do they react well to the work of the association?
Yes we are all working in the same direction.

c. What are the advantages/benefits of working with local stakeholders and the local population?
You can’t implement a truly sustainable tourism without involving local stakeholders. In addition, it increases local knowledge about the association and about each other’s businesses. In turn we can use this information to develop the area together in the best possible way.

d. What are the difficulties in working with local stakeholders and the local population and how do you overcome these difficulties?

It’s difficult to inform them about the ECST and sustainable tourism. We are specialists but at the same time officers working with the local population. For them our terminology is sometimes like speaking Chinese. To overcome these problems we have to illustrate what we mean in concrete actions and we have to use language that they can understand. We have come to realise that what we do needs to be explained again and again.

7. Cevennes écotourisme is situated in the Parc national des Cévennes.

a. How important is the national park for the association?
The park is the key of the Cevennes ecotourism process. It is a fundamental technical and financial partner for the association.

b. What in your opinion are the responsibilities of an enterprise working within a protected area?
To protect the environment at their level and to make their customers aware of how the area is protected and why it’s conservation is necessary.

8.  Being situated in a national park generally means some kind of cooperation with the park authority.

a. In what way do you work with together with the national park administration?
We have a great and close collaboration with the park itself, especially with the park’s Sustainable Tourism Officer and the head of the department "Promotion, communication, tourism". Our common projects require the same level of awareness and goodwill for them to progress.

b. Can you think of a way that your relationship with the administration has helped Cevennes Ecotourism?
The association was created because of the park and some tourism companies.

c. What about a problem that the administration may have caused regarding your work? How did you get round the problem?
We work with the park and for the park. Our future depends on this partnership and on granted subsidies. The future remains for us, signatory providers of the Charter, uncertain in the perpetuity of the financial commitment.

9. What advice would you give to other private enterprises working in protected areas?
To understand why working together is beneficial and to value individual skills in a particular area when working in a network.

10. What two things would you recommend to protected area administrations wanting to work more closely with local businesses?
To make the process simple and fast: work intelligently and hand in hand, rising above possible problems and political quarrels and fostering mutual respect. Further, have a truly visionary project for the tourism in the area (which type of tourism for which future?).