Sustainable tourism

What does success look like in Venice, and who decides? From the development of a new museum to the introduction of new tourism taxes to support services and infrastructure, it is for civil society and local government to agree what they want.

Designing consultation, management and implementation strategies involving all stakeholders is complex. Academic expertise is, increasingly, being used to develop destination management strategies. The private sector can help with both process and product development that will improve the quality of client experience and capacity optimisation. ETOA seeks to provide a forum for constructive debate, creative collaboration and knowledge-sharing in order to align destinations’ interests and those of the worldwide marketplace for tourism services.

Sustainability in tourism requires destinations to remain appealing and viable places to live, work and visit. From policy to product design and promoting lesser-known attractions, this event is an opportunity to explore the following themes in the context of Venice:

• How destination strategies might evolve in order that tourism works for all stakeholders long-term
• What processes are required to achieve that goal
• What the implications may be for policy makers, community and business

The format will be three pairs of presentation from academics, policy makers and businesses, followed by a structured discussion among event delegates and panel. The intention is that the atmosphere should be collegial, informal and a ‘safe place’ to talk about what can often be controversial topics.

No direct reporting may be made without the express permission of invited speakers or ETOA, as applicable. Use of social media during the event is permitted. The networking drinks are intended to provide an informal opportunity for conversation to continue.