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Project partnersGreecePRISMA – Centre for Development StudiesContact: Fouli Papageorgiou, e-mail:prisma@prismanet.gr, tel.: +30 210 7525660Prefecture of ThesprotiaContact: Lambros Kissas, e-mail: nathpoleo@aias.gr,tel.: +30 26650 25788Apeiros Travel Tour OperatorContact: Petros Skrekos, e-mail: tour@apeiros.gr,tel.: +30 26650 26944RomaniaCDIMM Maramures FoundationContact: Radu Big, e-mail: cdimm@cdimm.org,tel.: +40 62 224870Carpathian FoundationContact: Lorena Stoica, e-mail: cfro@rdsor.ro,tel.: +40 59 419758SC Mara International Tour SRLContact: Viorel Nasui, e-mail: maraint@sintec.ro,tel.: +40 262 226741A ROUTE TO SUSTAINABLE RURALDEVELOPMENT THROUGHECOTOURISM LABELLINGHungaryWest Hungarian Research Institute, Centre forRegional Studies, Hungarian Academy of SciencesContact: Iren Kukorelli Szörényi, e-mail:sziren@rkk.hu, tel.: +36 96 516571Association of Rural Tourism of SzigetközContact: László Fazekas, e-mail:fazekas.laci@axelero.hu, tel.: +36 96 210088Szelle Horse RanchContact: Kornel Szelle, e-mail: szelle@axelero.hu,tel.: +36 20 9353223SwedenSLU – Swedish University of AgriculturalSciences, Rural Development Centre/ALA GroupContact: Ulf Brangenfeldt, e-mail:ulf.brangenfeldt@omv.slu.se, tel.: +46 18 671912Swedish Ecotourism AssociationContact: Tomas Bergenfeldt, e-mail:tomas@aventyrsresor.se, tel.: +46 855 606910Skogslandet AB Development AgencyContact: Kristina Ohman, e-mail:kristina@skogslandet.se, tel.: +46 921 57006_________________________________________For further information, please visit the project websitewww.ecoroute.org or contact us at info@ecoroute.org_________________________________________The wetlands of Sagiada, a valuable ecotourismdestination in GreeceEducation and CultureLeonardo da VinciThis project is co-funded by the EuropeanCommission, Directorate General Education andCulture, Leonardo da Vinci programme.

Szigetköz in the Györ-Moson-Sopron county,HungaryAim of the projectEcotourism means ”responsible travel to naturalareas that conserves the environment andsustains the well-being of local people” (the InternationalEcotourism Society 1992). Touristsget to experience more; the destination’s nature,culture and people are treated with respect andconsideration; local populations get theireconomy strengthened; and tour operators getmore interested customers. To ensure that allthose concerned get the best deal, people andnature need to be certified and the service providerslabelled.The ECO-ROUTE project aims to put together atraining package addressed to persons concernedwith ecotourism. It also aims to introduce anecotourism certification system on Europeanlevel and to help local communities increasetheir capacity to apply such a system effectively.Folk dance in Romania(Front page: Mountainclimbing in northern Sweden.Photo Kristina Öhman)The Carpathian region in RomaniaPilot areasThe introduction ofecotourism certification willbe piloted in four Europeanregions: Lapland in Northern Sweden The coastal area of Epirus in NorthwesternGreece The Danube region in West Hungary The Carpathian region in North-westernRomania.View of the wetlands inthe Drepanos area nearIgoumenitsa, GreeceCanoeing in Norrbotten, SwedenThese regions feature rich and diverse naturaland cultural resources with varied degrees oftourism development. A range of ecotourismactivities are on offer and there is potential forfurther and more quality-orientated development.Project activities A review of ecotourism activities and tourismlabelling systems will be conducted in eachpilot area and an inventory of criteria will becompiled across countries. The Europeanexperience beyond the participating countrieswill be added to create a comprehensivedatabase. A proposal will be formed for a universalecotourism certification system. A survey of entrepreneurs offering ecotourismactivities in the pilot areas will be carried out toexplore their experiences, attitudes andaspirations. A package for non-formal learning will be puttogether addressed to ecotourism entrepreneursto help them appreciate and apply the criteriafor cerification, thus increasing their capacityto enter a labelling system. A ”task force” will be set up in each pilot areato mobilise the local entrepreneurs and publicauthorities to implement the proposedecotourism certification system offeringassistance and advice. Project activities and results will be widelydisseminated through the project website, fourregional workshops in the pilot areas and aninternational workshop in Sweden, promotingnetworks among interested organisations acrossEurope. A Good Practice Guide to ecotourism labellingwill be produced, presenting how the criteriafor an ecotourism certification system can beapplied in different environments acrossEurope.