Tourism Flanders has published a thorough and easy-to-read guide offering advice for a sustainable nature experience: 'Guest in the Landscape' . It examines, among other things, the right balance between nature and recreation, financing models, and the visitor experience. It also describes 10 exemplary projects from home and abroad regarding a sustainable visitor experience of the landscape.
In Flanders too, since the corona crisis, there is more need and attention for recreation in a natural environment. In the inspiration guide, recreation and tourism are seen as a means to achieve other objectives. In this way, recreation can contribute to the financing and maintenance of landscapes. By creating micro adventures in nature, new forms of sustainable tourism are developed.
“We developed this guide for anyone who works at the intersection of nature, landscape and tourism and who wants to make a place experienceable.”
Peter de Wilde, CEO of Tourism Flanders
The guide follows the following format:
- Experience of nature and landscape – with attention, among other things, to the recreational capacity of nature reserves + tourism as an opportunity for preserving and strengthening nature reserves.
- Strategies for a sustainable experience of nature – with attention to the way in which sustainable tourism is developed, organised, marketed (including awareness raising) and the consequences mapped out.
- 10 Practical examples mapped out. This describes practical examples from various European countries, including an overview of the lessons you can learn and the circumstances in which the project delivers the greatest added value.
- Opportunities for experiencing nature in Flanders – This brings together the lessons from the previous chapters. A brief checklist has also been included to assess a planned project for its likelihood of success.
Source and more information: www.toerismevlaanderen.be/nl/publicaties/te-gast-in-het-landschap-inspiratiegids