Geilo, Norway To Host Second Annual European Ecotourism Conference
WASHINGTON, DC, & GEILO, NORWAY – The Norwegian Ecotourism Association and The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) have announced the second annual European Ecotourism Conference (EuroEco), to be hosted in Geilo, Norway, from May 30-June 3, 2011. The EuroEco 2011 is expected to bring together 150 ecotourism stakeholders in the region will offer an effective platform for knowledge sharing, networking and partnership building.
“Ecotourism Norway is pleased to host the second EuroEco conference, and to support this important initiative to promote ecotourism in the region,” said Mr. Pål K. Medhus, Board Member of Ecotourism Norway and Creative Leader for a Geilo-based ecotourism operator Høve Støtt. “We are confident that the 2011 conference will provide an innovative meeting place for tourism businesses, professionals and public and private sector stakeholders to engage in fruitful dialogue and networking experiences.”
The EuroEco conference was first held in September 2010 in Parnu, Estonia, and was attended by over 120 participants from across Europe and other regions. Conference partners and participants have shown enthusiastic support for EuroEco as an important European-wide conference addressing key issues and challenges facing the ecotourism community in Europe and around the world. Many, in addition, have expressed support for continuing EuroEco as an annual gathering, with ongoing discussions and exchanges throughout the year, among key European ecotourism stakeholders.
“We are honored to participate in this great conference as a main supporting partner,” said Ms Ayako Ezaki, Director of Communications for The International Ecotourism Society (TIES). “We believe that the continued dialogue enabled through the EuroEco conferences – as well as online and off-line discussions between the conferences – will offer critical opportunities for ecotourism stakeholders to work together towards the common goal of achieving sustainable growth of ecotourism in Europe.”
Speaker nominations for the EuroEco 2011 are now being accepted. Conference organizers are seeking nominations of engaging speakers to present on best practice examples pertinent to ecotourism development in Europe, addressing the following themes:
- Marketing & PR: What are some of the key ingredients of successful marketing strategies for ecotourism businesses?
- Business Development: Why do some ecotourism projects and initiatives manage – and why do others fail - to become financially successful tourism enterprises?
- Destination Management: What are some best practice examples of developing, managing and promoting ecotourism destinations?
- Conservation & Communities: How are communities, businesses and destinations working together to support conservation and communities through ecotourism?