The Interreg CEETO project (Central Europe Eco-Tourism) entered the implementation phase with the workshop on participatory planning of sustainable tourism in Protected Areas and its work at local on the 8 pilot areas.  The meeting will take place in Austria, on the 4-5 June.

Management bodies of Protected Areas partners will be supported in the participatory planning process to define the local Sustainable Tourism Action Plan, supplying them with guidelines and methodological tools. For example, the Capacity Building Workplan will allow the managers of each Protected Area to define their own tailored participatory planning process, according to their specific context, level of local stakeholder involvement and tourism monitoring needs and priorities.

 It will also be discussed the correct approach towards participatory planning and how to carry out a correct assessment before starting the implementation of the process in the framework of CEETO Project; and how to design an incisive, effective and time-saving participatory planning process.

 Participatory Mapping will be used to define the most precious/valuable areas to preserve and promote in the Protected Area, the most vulnerable areas endangered by tourism pressure, the most relevant tourism flows that cross the Protected Area.

 During the Workshop will be tested the World Cafe methodology designed to create a collaborative environment to develop concrete actions and initiatives from multiple ideas coming from different stakeholders. In fact, World Cafe combines interactions between stakeholders and multiple focus group on different thematics and topics. So that scientific, technical and community knowledge are committed to the same goal.

More info and regular udates on : https://www.interreg-central.eu/CEETO