TAKE AN INCLUSIVE AUTUMN OR SPRING BREAK IN A DELIGHTFUL ROMAGNA RESORT, A WEEKEND IN A FABULOUS WORLD HERITAGE ART CITY OR SAVE LOTS OF MONEY AND DUTY FREE CHRISTMAS MARKET SHOP  IN STUNNING SAN MARINO
OFFERS FROM JUST £199/€235/$306

Autumn week in Romantic Romagna for £450
plus flights/coach/train

A week to the beautiful Italian Adriatic with all-inclusive accommodation and included small group guided excursions
See Faenza, Ravenna and the wonderful Po Delta, taste glorious food, wine and sensational olive oils!

Departure dates: 2013: September 7, 14, 21, 28; October 5, 12, 19, 26 2014: April 5, 12, 19, 26; May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Stay in an atmospheric, delightful and historic seaside destination and explore beautiful and romantic Romagna in a small group.

With its clean pretty beach, lovely town square and streets, Cervia is one of the prettiest and most welcoming resorts on the whole Italian Adriatic coast. It is an ancient city of Greek origin and has developed largely because of its salt pan and harbour, so it’s not a purpose-built resort, but somewhere with history, character and a real style of its own.

Pretty much an Italian secret – Cervia has everything – including authentic atmosphere, superb walks and excellent food to make a lovely stay. The resort is also close to the historical treasure chest of Ravenna, the principality of San Marino and the lovely Romagna countryside – so excursions are a joy!

Pop down the road to stunning Ravenna – three times capital of Italy, into the hills to pretty Brisighella and the fabulous ceramic centre of Faenza, or take a boat trip in the world heritage site lagoon with its amazing vistas and wildlife – romantic Romagna is on your doorstep!

ITINERARY
Friday: Depart London by coach or train
Or
Saturday: Depart by air

Saturday:  Arrive Bologna, included transfer to Cervia. Welcome meeting and guided walking tour of this pretty and very historic seaside resort. Welcome dinner at our hotel.

Sunday: Full-day tour to Ravenna hear the myths and stories and taste the food and wine on a full day guided trip which takes in all the unique World Heritage sights in this fabulous city before going into the country for a wine-tasting session.

Monday:  Free to explore Cervia or take an included excursion

Tuesday: Take a day into the lovely Romagna countryside – see world-famous ceramics at Faenza, taste olive oil in pretty hilltop Brisighella– a full day exploring the taste and the heritage of the region.

Wednesday: Take a fabulous trip to the amazing principality of San Marino – on its own mountain!

Thursday: See the natural sights in the extraordinary Commacchio Lagoon and visit  Pomposa Abbey – a full day guided tour including boat trip! It’s not for nothing that Comacchio Village is called “Little Venice”!

Friday: Transfer to  Bologna for journey home arriving same day (air) or next day (train or luxury coach).

Price includes:

• Transfer from Bologna airport to hotel and vv
• Representative service throughout
• 5 nights inclusive accommodation (full board, packed meals on excursions, wine and soft drinks with meals) at a 3/4 star hotel such as the K2 or the Hotel Bristol
• Welcome meeting
• Gala dinner with local specialities
  
• All tours as stated visits to – Ravenna, Po Delta, Commacchio, Pomposa, Faenza, Brisighella.
• For just:  £450/€550/$700

Contact us NOW for booking and further details: EMAIL info@bestofromagna.com

Or take a weekend or longer in a fabulous Italian World Heritage City of Art
Ravenna Undiluted from £199
plus flights/coach/train
Departure dates: 2013: September 6, 13, 27; October 4, 11, 18, 25: November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; December 6, 13, 20, 2014: February 7, 14, 21, 28; March 7, 14, 21, 28; April 4, 11, 18, 25; May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; June 6, 13, 20, 27; July 4, 11, 18, 25

ITINERARY
Thursday: Depart London by coach or train
Or
Friday Depart by air

Friday - Arrive Bologna, take the train to Ravenna where you’ll be welcomed by your local host at the train station and taken to your hotel for check-in, welcome briefing and short orientation tour of the city.

Saturday – After breakfast, you can enjoy your accommodation and take a stroll around or on option is a full-day tour of Ravenna with a local guide- hear the myths and stories and taste the food and wine on a full day guided trip which takes in all the unique World Heritage sights in this fabulous city before going into the country for a wine-tasting session and returning late in the afternoon (optional extra tour cost £52 per person)

Sunday –Enjoy this fabulous city at your leisure alternatively take a day into the lovely Romagna countryside – see world-famous ceramics at Faenza, taste olive oil in pretty hilltop Brisighella– a full day exploring the taste and the heritage of the region with a local guide. (optional tour cost £57.50)

Take some extra days to enjoy Ravenna, and maybe other visits: Why not learn to cook Italian in "Italy's Best Cookery School" Casa Artusi and take guided walk in pretty. Visit tranquil Comacchio and take a boat ride on the amazing Po Delta, see Pomposa abbey. Or visit Rimini market & San Marino. All can be arranged.

Price £199 includes:

• Meet and greet on arrival at Ravenna Train Station
• Services of a local host
• Welcome briefing and short, guided orientation tour
• 3 nights bed and breakfast accommodation at a high quality locally owned and run B&B or boutique hotel see:
• Contact us for further details: email info@bestofromagna.com
  

Plus... why not SAVE at San Marino Christmas Market from £259
plus flights/coach/train

Combine a visit to Ravenna - fabulous art city with amazing duty-free Christmas shopping in World Heritage San Marino principality.

Departure dates: 29 November, 6, 13 December

ITINERARY

Friday - Arrive Bologna, take the train to Ravenna where you’ll be welcomed by your local host at the train station and taken to your hotel for check-in, welcome briefing and short orientation tour of the city.

Saturday – After breakfast, you can enjoy your accommodation and take a stroll around or on option is a full-day tour of Ravenna with a local guide- hear the myths and stories and taste the food and wine on a full day guided trip which takes in all the unique World Heritage sights in this fabulous city before going into the country for a wine-tasting session and returning late in the afternoon (optional extra tour cost £52/€62/$80 per person)

Sunday - Shopping day! Off to the historic centre of Rimini to visit its massive Christmas market before going to the amazing World Heritage city-state of San Marino for some really classy Christmas shopping – wonderful little boutiques selling a massive range of goods from perfumes to jewellery to electronics PLUS big designer outlets.

Monday – why not stay an extra day and enjoy this fabulous city at your leisure, alternatively take a day into the lovely Romagna countryside – see world-famous ceramics at Faenza, taste olive oil in pretty hilltop Brisighella– a full day exploring the taste and the heritage of the region with a local guide. (optional tour cost £57.50/€68/$88, extra night £60/€71/$92)

Price £259/€310/$400 includes:

• Meet and greet on arrival at Ravenna Train Station
• Services of a local host
• Welcome briefing and short, guided orientation tour
• Day tour to Rimini and San Marino Christmas markets
• 3 nights bed and breakfast accommodation at a high quality locally owned and run B&B or boutique hotel see: STAY IN A LOCAL HOTEL
  

Got a little more time? Why not take some extra days to enjoy Ravenna, and maybe other visits:
Learn to cook Italian at the “Best Cookery School in Italy” - Casa Artusi  -cookery class & guided walk in Bertinoro
Visit the totally amazing Po Delta – combine a visit to lovely Comacchio with a boat trip on the delta and a visit to beautiful Pomposa Abbey.

Contact us for further details: info@bestofromagna.com

TRAVEL TO BOLOGNA FROM UK OPTIONS:
There is a shuttle bus from the airport to Bologna station and frequent trains to Ravenna. There is a free shuttle from Bologna station to Cervia.

LOW CARBON COACH:  Emissions approximately: 400pounds/160kg . Travel by coach from London to Bologna overnight – leave London 08.00 arrive Bologna 11am transfer to Cervia  £133 return

THE ROMANTIC OPTION - TRAIN: Emissions approximately 600pounds260kg. Travel by train from London via Paris (sleeper to Bologna) – leave London 14.31 arrive Bologna 06.00 Couchette from £200

TAKE THE PLANE:  Emissions approximately 1 ton. Travel by air from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Edinburgh Various times from £150 - £300

Special arrangements and discounts for groups and charter coaches.

Get 93% discount or buy the briefing this week only for half price - £50

This year's Sustainable Tourism Ministers Briefing, sponsored by Discover Ltd the Kasbah du Toubkal and SEA is out NOW, it can be bought for half price (£50) as a pre-publication special offer… or as part of a subscription to the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite which includes 11 other reports for just £100 - a 93% discount.

The 75-page briefing includes reports on: The top 10 sustainable tourism countries, The sustainable tourism story so far, Economics, Politics, Environment, Carbon Market,  Social, Culture, Destination Marketing and Branding, Destinations and Intermediaries, 99 Key Players in global sustainable tourism, the  Integrated Tourism Development Initiative, 22 sustainable destinations and key destination opportunities.

Last year world tourism crossed the one billion barrier - that's over one billion international tourists putting a trillion tourist dollars into the world economy. And this is only the tip of the iceberg, it is said that the world's domestic tourism represents at least five times more. This makes a grand total of six billion tourists and possibly up to six trillion dollars of tourism spend.

This year the total is forecast to grow by 4%, in a difficult economic period, that's more than most countries economies can manage.

But figures are only figures, from any sensible destination's perspective, real success is represented only by real destination profits - not by numbers, however big.

The fact is that each and every tourist arriving in a destination represents a cost until they spend real money and that is only a benefit to the extent that the money stays in the local economy AND provides all those good things that profits can bring including good jobs, contributions to infrastructure upkeep and other benefits to local people.

Those destinations that bear this in mind and act accordingly rather than mindlessly lauding increased arrivals will be really on the sustainable ladder.

The Sustainable Tourism Report Suite is designed to help destinations make the most of these opportunities.

This briefing is designed for tourism ministers, ministries and anyone else that is looking for a broad global view of the tourism industry and its sustainable tourism opportunities.

It includes sections on last year's events and their impacts, tourism delivery mechanisms, a broad view of the international marketplace, forecasts, country branding, environment winners and losers, plus examples of successful destinations… and more. In fact everything you need in a short briefing document to understand the current world of sustainable tourism and engage with its massive opportunities

GET THE PRE-PUBLICATION HALF PRICE OFFER NOW AND/OR THE 93% OFF OFFER

What they say about the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite:

"The suite of reports is brilliant.." Dr Angela M Benson Principal Lecturer  - Sustainable Tourism Development  Adjunct Associate Professor University of Canberra, Australia

"What a great read! Whether you are a consumer, travel agent, tour operator or tourism board, this guide provides sage perspective and relevant examples that ultimately will help propel the entire travel industry forward!" Greenloons

"A must-read for those working in sustainability and for colleagues that you're seeking to engage."   Simon Pickup Sustainable Tourism Manager - ABTA

"The 2012 edition again struck just the right balance between informing on international policy development; the latest trends in sustainable tourism practice and innovative developments in the private sector. "'¨ Cape Town Tourism

“The most comprehensive resource of its kind. “

Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2012 current supporters are:  ABTA - The Travel Association, Discover Ltd., , Innovation Norway, Thomas Cook Ltd., Cape Town Tourism, Green Tourism Business Scheme, Considerate Hoteliers Association, Amstel Botel

Previous users include: Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, Rezidor Hotel Group, Northern Ireland Tourist Board, University of Brighton, Tourism Ireland, The Nature Conservancy, Cleaner Climate, Virgin Group, Micato Safaris, Hilton Hotels Corp, Visit Britain, Canada Tourism, Tourism Innovation Group, Dublin Institute of Technology, Sabre Holdings, EplerWood Consultancy, Nichols Tourism Group, The Adventure Company, Exclusively Canada, University of Wales, University of Guelph, Sustainable Side of the Street, IFC, Discover Ltd, Griffith University, Australia, Yukon Tourist Board, Ipswich College, Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, The Tourism Company, Citizen Development Corps, University of Hertfordshire, Disney Corp, Anglia Ruskin University, Kidderminster College, Olive Green Group, Six Senses Group, and many, many more.

Duty-free shopping and wonderful Christmas entertainment in mountain-top world heritage site

Christmas markets are a destination’s guaranteed economic winner.  It’s no wonder that they are springing up all over – if managed properly they can not only showcase a destination to its very best advantage but they can also generate much-needed revenue for local traders and artisans.

And, on a special trip, at Christmas-time, visitors are actually keen to spend money – the only question is how the destination manages the market to best local effect.

In the beautiful mountaintop republic of San Marino, the guest is guaranteed a good deal. Not only are sights in this atmospheric World Heritage destination stunning, but the Christmas shopping is simply sensational. Visitors benefit from one very specific advantage – San Marino is not a member of the EU and therefore shopping is effectively duty-free.

Apart from the dozens and dozens of pretty stalls selling artisan Christmas goods, there are the delightful little boutiques selling everything from perfume, sports goods, jewellery and watches – everything you’d expect of a high class duty-free store – and all Christmas-decorated up to the eyes! And a big plus… outlet stores from many of the big brands selling low price fashion.

Added to all this – San Marino knows how to put n a good Christmas show – they call it “Christmas of Wonders”. And so it is – light shows, brass bands, Christmas music, and, of course Santa Claus – the works.

Don’t like shopping? San Marino is big in tourism attractions too with a splendid modern art collection, a ‘Red Ferrari’ museum – even a museum of curious objects it has a lot to show interested visitors.

Visitors mainly come from the Italian cities around, but there are increasing numbers of international visitors and it’s easy to understand why.

And the Christmas market has been an astonishing success - last year San Marino welcomed over 75,000 Christmas shoppers, recorded a 389% increase in guided tours, and over 22,000 cable-car rides.


All this Christmas activity helps to make San Marino a year-round destination and to achieve one of its major goals – to be a great space for events, particularly those which attract an up-market clientele.

Not finished shopping? After you leave the mountain, down on the plain, in Rimini’s historical centre there is another Christmas market. You can’t get too much of a good thing, particularly at Christmas!

Further details about Christmas markets in Romagna email info@bestofromagna.com

Valere Tjolle

Global TV craze makes cooking and travel a big winner

All over the world TV cookery programmes are getting big audiences. Masterchef, for instance is getting millions of viewers from Australia to Italy. Other cookery programmes are becoming a staple on the TV menu. There are often so many viewers who wish to try the recipes that supermarkets stock up in advance with specialist ingredients.

And now the cookery craze is having a real impact in tourism.

No more so than around Italy’s fertile Po Delta where hotels and agriturismo establishments are both reaping the harvest of wonderful produce and of high-spending quality tourism by creating cookery classes.

At Casa Artusi “The Best Cookery School in Italy” there are full kitchens set up for 50 people in a specially-designed classroom. Here, a half-day lesson allows participants to create one of the many Pellegrino Artusi recipes – such as Piadina flatbread, and many other mouth-watering items – which they then eat (with some of the delicious local wine, of course).

Casa Artusi also has a library, two restaurants, and a yearly massive festival  Festartusiana – all totally devoted to food and wine – so it’s a heaven for foodies. And so it should be – Pellegrino Artusi, after whom the establishment was named, was the ‘Father of Italian Cookery’ and spent his life putting together regional home-cooking recipes to create Italy’s first comprehensive cookbook in 1870.

While Casa Artusi is teaching groups of avid cooks in Romagna, on the southern side of the Po Delta, a little further north in Veneto, hands-on cooking lessons are being run by Countess Maria Giustiniani, at her beautiful stately-home agriturismo. TheTenuta Castel Venneze , set in thousands of acres of woodland and green fields has a deep-seated commitment to providing real local hospitality and a special menu every day culled from the local earth. The next step is to experience the bounty of this rich soil at close quarters and cook it yourself!

The countess is more than happy to help, and with the aid of a qualified sommelier, will help you put together a simply amazing lunch.

At the other end of the scale, upmarket arty Villa Roncuzzi, in the delightful Russi countryside close to Ravenna, is co-operating with a new local museum of food and farming to offer cookery classes taught by locals. Said hotelier and art professional Patrizia Poggi, “We are keen to make sure that the old local cooking practices don’t die out and who better to teach you than someone who has been cooking our local food all their life”

So, in a small area three very different offers are taking advantage of the Po delta’s fertile soil and massive harvest of the sea to offer a real experience to visitors. Not just the memory of remarkable terrain, warm hospitality and wonderful food and wine – but also the portable skill to be able to recreate some of the techniques and the memories at home.

And for the local tourism industry it is a boon. Cookery tourism is quality tourism and is attracted to the local terroir – consequently the benefits to the local economy are substantial.

More and more people are looking to cook authentic and local – so much so that cookery classes are also making an appearance in the MICE market – in particular as team building exercises.

Said Susy Patrito Silva of Casa Artusi “We are finding that people learn to cook together for many reasons, but at the end of the day it is all about enjoying and cherishing great local food and wine – just like our founder Pellegrino Artusi!”

Further information about Romagna cookery tours email: info@bestofromagna.com

Valere Tjolle

Massive EU investment puts sustainable tourism on the Po Delta menu






Recently a local nature and tourist guide told me that she described the Po Delta to visitors as Frankfurt airport? Why? “Because it is strategically placed between other Northern and Southern wetlands, because of the silt there is plenty of good fish in the sea and it is safe. So you can believe that it is even more busy than Frankfurt airport, but with birds rather than planes. It is a Mecca for birdwatchers, and many other people who want to enjoy its beauty.” She said.

Everybody sees the Po Delta through different eyes - for birds, it's a massive, strategically-placed version of Frankfurt airport with thousands of movements of many colourful species each microsecond. Environmentalists see it as an amazing biodiversity hub, to farmers and merchants it's the most fertile and productive soil there is, and for warring states it’s a gloriously productive prize.

Over at least the last 1500 years, the Po Delta's fertile soil and strategic position have produced the massive wealth and power necessary to create dozens of sublime art cities and thousands of transcendental works of art.

Moreover a direct result of the Po Delta's fertile sea and soil is an astonishing array of fabulous food -luscious fruits and vegetables, magnificent and diverse seafood, superb wines, olive oils and much more.

With its wonderful food and wine, glorious beaches, exceptional cultural and natural heritage and unbeatable hospitality this is a land made for tourism - a fact now recognised by the European Union who are supporting a massive drive towards sustainable Slow tourism in the area. The idea is to use tourism to preserve, support and steward this cultural, economic, social and environmental resource – and deliver sustainable, authentic, fulfilling experiences to visitors.

Substantial funds - probably in excess of €300million (including the €137m EU Cross-border Development Fund  (2007-2013) ... are being poured in to create a Slow Tourism paradise with a number of different facets.

With its 300 bird species (including the astonishing sight of 10,000 Greater flamingos) the Po Delta is ideal for bird watching and a special new Slow tourism guide has been produced with dozens of itineraries not only for the world's 80 million birdwatchers but also for families, individuals, in fact anybody who is interested in exploring the magical UNESCO World Heritage  53.000 hectare  Po Delta Park.

The delta is beautiful and flat - Ideal for leisurely cycling holidays. As a result of the project a new free Slow tourism guide has been produced with itineraries that help to explore the area's wealth of sights and experiences. Just one example takes in one of the world's most beautiful basilicas (6c St Apollinare in Classe) ancient pine woods and seaside Cervia's extraordinary salt pan.

Massive wealth and power has been accrued in the area over the last 1500 years in which Ravenna has been twice capital of Italy. This has resulted in a history of lavish festivals and extraordinary architecture - there are literally dozens of treasure-chest cities of art in the area - all worth a slow and thoughtful visit, so they have all been incorporated in special Slow tourism guides including Ravenna  Faenza Bologna  and Chiogga

Above all, tourists return again and again to the area because of its remarkable and well-earned reputation for hospitality, food and wine. It is not by chance that the 'Father of Italian Cookery' Pellegrino Artusi was born in the area - his legend lives on in the form of a library and cookery school  Casa Artusi  rated as the best in Italy,

So Slow, sustainable tourism and slow food is coming to the fore in the Po Delta and, apart from birdwatching, cycling, seeing sights and eating slowly, what else is on the menu?

Tourists can try boating the delta, for example, enjoy seaside breaks on the lovely beaches of historic Rimini, Ravenna, or Cervia combined with a little culture and some walking or cycling.  Specific wellness holidays are also available and a massive range of sports including pretty much everything.

The European Union funding, together with participation from hundreds of local initiatives in Veneto and Emilia Romagna is certainly a great start to helping this exceptional area derive real benefits from tourism and tourists to have fabulous natural holidays.

The time to visit may be now!

Further information about birdwatching, cycling, gastronomy and agritourismo holidays for individuals and groups from www.bestofromagna.com and  www.itinerisveneto.it

Valere Tjolle

Special offer: GREENWASH report out shortly, Sustainable Tourism Masterclass announced for 20th September

This autumn's Sustainable Tourism Masterclass will have one main subject - GREENWASH - the disguises it comes under, how it reduces clients’ trust and willingness to buy - AND how you can both be honest AND run an even more economically-sustainable business.

A 50 page report will be launched shortly to inform all these discussions - The TotemTourism GREENWASH Report will address the most poisonous issue of our times and address the following issues amongst many others:

There are over 180 agencies all over the world offering Green Tourism Certification to hotels, destinations, tourism attractions - do you believe them?  Do clients believe them? Do their certifications actually add value?

The GSTC is aiming to provide these certifications with third party credibility - will it work in today's tough marketplace?

The EU and other parties are trying to create academically-based sustainable tourism indicators and sustainable tourism observatories - has this any market credibility?

At the masterclass, Cat Gazzoli of Slow Food UK, Ed Gillespie of Futurra, Professor Stefan Gossling tourism climate change guru and Peter McAllister of the Ethical Trading Institute, among others will lead discussions on:

• Tourism Greenwashing and Climate change
• Tourism Greenwashing and the Environment
• Tourism Greenwashing and Workers rights
• Tourism Greenwashing and Human rights
• Tourism Greenwashing and Fair trading
• Tourism Greenwashing and Food and drink
• Tourism Greenwashing and Corporate Social Responsibility

And, above all - how YOU and the tourism industry can both be honest and transparent AND run an even more economically-sustainable tourism business or destination.

The report will be out by end May - the event will be held on 20th September in central London

The masterclass format is short informative presentations by specialists followed by discussion - Chatham House rules (reporting of subjects but no reporting of names!)

So that all the important subjects packed into the day can be dealt with fully and satisfactorily and leave time for discussions and networking, the 12 hour intensive masterclass will include lunch, supper, and pre and post event information.

The masterclass is kept to a maximum of 25 participants to provide in depth understanding and discussions of this complex and substantial opportunity. The package cost includes full information pack, networking luncheon and supper: £500 per attendee.

Currently a special earlybird price of  £250 is available which will include a copy of the report immediately it is published - and any subsequent updates.

Sustainable tourism report subscribers and Masters students pay only £150 (email now to get your discount: valere@totemtourism.com)

SPECIAL EARLYBIRD PRICE FOR REPORT AND MASTERCLASS: £250

SPECIAL PRE-PUBLICATION PRICE FOR REPORT (50% OFF) £50

Book NOW, get your place in this important discussion and the report and save £350 or save £50 on report alone.

Sustainable Tourism Masterclasses have been held for the last six years and have attracted full houses of attendees and top speakers of global repute.

A full synthesis report is circulated to all attendees and all attendees are both invited to join the masterclass network and the closed online group.

Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2012 current supporters are:  ABTA - The Travel Association, ITB Berlin, Discover Ltd., Club Med, Innovation Norway, Thomas Cook Ltd., FourBGB, Cape Town Tourism, Bord Failte, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Green Tourism Business Scheme, MCI Business School Innsbruck, Considerate Hoteliers Association, Amstel Botel

See amazing new 2012 sustainable tourism report 93% off offer LAST CHANCE  HERE

Get special offer 93% discount or buy the briefing today for half price - £50

This year’s Sustainable Tourism Ministers Briefing, sponsored by Discover Ltd and the Kasbah du Toubkal is out next week, it can be bought for half price (£50) as a pre-publication special offer… or as part of a subscription to the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite which includes 11 other reports for just £100 – a 93% discount.


Here is the introduction:

All that glisters is not gold

Last year world tourism crossed the one billion barrier – that’s over one billion international tourists putting a trillion tourist dollars into the world economy. And this is only the tip of the iceberg, it is said that the world’s domestic tourism represents at least five times more. This makes a grand total of six billion tourists and possibly up to six trillion dollars of tourism spend.

This year the total is forecast to grow by 4%, in a difficult economic period, that’s more than most countries economies can manage.

But figures are only figures, from any sensible destination’s perspective, real success is represented only by real destination profits – not by numbers, however big.

The fact is that each and every tourist arriving in a destination represents a cost until they spend real money and that is only a benefit to the extent that the money stays in the local economy AND provides all those good things that profits can bring including good jobs, contributions to infrastructure upkeep and other benefits to local people.

Those destinations that bear this in mind and act accordingly rather than mindlessly lauding increased arrivals will be really on the sustainable ladder.

The key global tourism development over the next ten years or so is the movement of source tourism markets towards the east and the south – in other words it is clear that the BRIC countries will take their places in the top table. Already China is by far number one tourism source market both in numbers of international tourists and total spend.

From a socio-economic point of view another massive, world-changing movement is occurring – the increase in numbers of the middle classes in developing countries. It is forecast that this will increase to 2.1 billion by 2020 – a 700% increase.

This massive new market for international tourism will be looking for new experiences, both in travel and in other aspects of their lifestyles.

A key movement in the west over the last twenty years has been the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) market which is said to represent in excess of 10% of the population and levels of spend, and commitment that are much higher than average.

It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the rising global middle classes will join this marketplace. Here will be tourists that will not only benefit from thoughtful destinations, but will also contribute to them.

And it is not beyond the wit of destinations to create the tourism products that will target these markets and make sure that their citizens benefit from this movement.

Intangible cultural heritage is what creates the background for many tourism offers, food and wine, music and dance provide many opportunities for soft-selling destinations. This will be a key asset in targeting the LOHAS market who relish above all authenticity.

Another big tourism issue covered by this year’s report is the power of the global tourism distribution systems. We currently estimate that these intermediaries are taking a cool $100bn in commissions and possibly forcing another $100bn in price cuts from hotels, B&Bs, restaurants, car hire and other tourism products. It is sad that local tourism providers feel that they have nowhere else to go. There have been a few successful disruptive innovations in this market recently including AirBNB and Couchsurfing – maybe it’s time for a few more.

And although there is stagnation on climate change action – ultimately it will take place. Those destinations that have already established reputations for mitigation and adaptation will find that it holds them in very good stead in the tourism marketplace.

Finally, in this briefing there are a number of inspirational stories from successful tourism destinations doing the best for their inhabitants and their visitors. It is absolutely clear that it is possible to create destinations that are both good places to live in and good places to visit.

Valere Tjolle

This briefing is designed for tourism ministers, ministries and anyone else that is looking for a broad global view of the tourism industry and its sustainable tourism opportunities.

It includes sections on last year’s events and their impacts, tourism delivery mechanisms, a broad view of the international marketplace, forecasts, country branding, environment winners and losers, plus examples of successful destinations… and more. In fact everything you need in a short briefing document to understand the current world of sustainable tourism and engage with its massive opportunities

GET THE PRE-PUBLICATION HALF PRICE OFFER OR THE 93% DISCOUNT HERE NOW

From next week local tourism groups will work on marketing new projects designed to benefit local people and maximise Slovenia’s Misilnja Valley's tourism opportunity.






The projects were visualised and created by local tourism stakeholders at an intensive two day workshop jointly supported by Slovenj Gradj and Mislinja municipalities in the alpine Koroska area of  Slovenia.

Shortly, local residents will benefit from more tourists coming to sky dive at the Slovenj Gradj sport airport and to enjoy great local hospitality and the natural world on special farm and forest stays. Tourists will also be able to experience health-giving relaxation in Mislinja valley's magic triangle and to try specially-branded Pohorje holidays and locally-produced goods.

Four local groups created at an intensive tourism workshop visualized the projects and are now putting them into action.

The initiative was designed by TotemTourism  to create a framework:

• To stimulate cooperation amongst local tourism stakeholders, to create a destination vision, increase commitment and overcome key issues facing the destination and maximise its tourism potential
• To increase the length of the Koroska tourism season
• To enhance environmental stewardship of local people and visitors
• To maximise the value of the local tourism product to the Koroska community
• To demonstrate the opportunities that tourism can provide that are commensurate with local values and sensibilities
• To increase the employment opportunities for local people
• To create an economically profitable inbound sustainable tourism initiative with environmental, social and cultural benefits – and to assess and report these benefits clearly.
• To enable local stakeholders to create, implement and manage a co-operative local project that addresses and fulfils the some of the needs of the local community through tourism.
• To increase exposure and publicity of Koroska

A 59-page workbook and a workshop were specifically created by TotemTourism for this initiative and to support the learning and empowerment process of all the 29 workshop attendees from local tourism-related activities.

Said Marija Lah of Spotur:  "I'm very pleased that our tourism stakeholders co-operated with each other so enthusiastically and positively. The process has got off to a great start and we are looking forward to the extra benefits from increased and sustainable tourism."

Said Valere Tjolle Principal of TotemTourism who ran the workshop: "I'm extremely impressed with both the tourism offer and the total commitment of everybody involved. Slovenj Gradec and Misilnja have a sensational and unique tourism opportunity and I'm looking forward to helping the workshop participants bring their projects into life in the near future."

This project is part of the Integrated Tourism Development Initiative

Green Tourism Industry Free Insiders technical guide to Romagna will be out at end May order it now






Romagna IS a very historical region in the North-East of Italy, between the Apennines and the Adriatic. Just below Venice and the Po Delta and above Urbino. In this lovely area you will find the cities of Ravenna, Cesena, Rimini, Faenza, Forli, Imola, Rimini and the City-State of San Marino. You’ll also find the World Heritage Po Delta Park.

Claims to fame? – Ravenna was twice capital of Italy and was a power in the world before its near neighbour Venice. The citiy’s Byzantine glory includes astonishing mosaics and incredibly well-preserved 5th century buildings and treasures.

If you have green inclinations and you are a real travel agent, concierge travel agent or a specialist tour operator - here are 10 reasons why you should take an interest in Romagna:

1. Plenty of opportunities for high-value, high-satisfaction real tourism
2. Astonishingly good ecotourism opportunities for individuals and groups especially of birdwatchers, fishers, walkers, bikers and hikers,
3. It has everything related to food and wine tourism from great food wherever you go to 'Italy's Best Cookery School' created by the ‘Father of Italian Cookery’.
4. Locally-grown seasonal food and wine is everywhere
5. From a cultural perspective, there are 8 World Heritage sites in Ravenna alone. Religion and history ooze out of this area and it is ideal for school groups, historical societies, church groups.
6. There are delightful small hotels and upmarket B&Bs everywhere - a real boutique destination
7. It is a complete destination with great food and wine, seaside, culture, history and ecotourism
8. There are massive barriers to entry for mass tourism ie no chain hotels, no charter flights and a complex tourism product.
9. There are a wide range of activities and many WOW factors for MICE participants
10. The Green Tourism Industry Technical Guide will make it so easy for you to provide a wide range of offers to your clientele.

To subscribe for a free copy of the guide email info@totemtourism.com stating your company and position.

You may also want to look at the possibility of taking a FAM trip to the area:

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