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ITB Berlin News 2021 - Day 2 Edition

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I SPECIAL FEATURE I NATURE TOURISM I<br />

© photography Sergej Zabijako, © NTO – Montenegro, 2017<br />

© CWS<br />

Dr Harald<br />

Marencic<br />

Deputy Executive<br />

Secretary, Wadden Sea<br />

World Heritage<br />

NTO Montenegro<br />

launches new<br />

global campaign<br />

"Nature & Me" puts the natural<br />

environment first in a digital world<br />

The National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro (NTO<br />

Montenegro) has launched a new global campaign to<br />

showcase the natural environment of the country, bringing<br />

to life the relationship between nature and people and<br />

showcasing its importance in a restrictive digital world.<br />

Inspiring travel to Montenegro, when possible, "Nature &<br />

Me" focuses on the need for people to embrace nature as a<br />

break from the virtual world we have been forced to live in<br />

before and during the pandemic.<br />

“The months behind us were<br />

a challenge, but also a lesson.<br />

Maybe it’s time to look with fresh<br />

eyes at the world around us.<br />

Maybe it’s time to disconnect from<br />

some old digital habits and remind<br />

ourselves that man and nature are<br />

inextricably linked. The freedom<br />

provided by the pristine natural<br />

beauty of Montenegro is a must for<br />

any traveller and we welcome you<br />

to be in the company of nature.”<br />

Located on the Balkan Peninsula,<br />

this is a country that has long been a<br />

melting pot of cultures, civilisations<br />

and religions. Surrounded by<br />

natural beauty, Montenegro offers<br />

big experiences in a small and<br />

accessible environment. From the<br />

Montenegrin hills to the beauty of<br />

the Adriatic Coast, nature reserves<br />

and national parks, caves and<br />

canyons, to 117 beaches along a<br />

coastline over 180 miles long, all<br />

are embraced by the caring faces<br />

of locals and traditional hospitality.<br />

Tourism accounted for 32% of<br />

GDP in 2019 when Montenegro<br />

welcomed 2.5 mil. travellers to the<br />

country, an increase of 20% year<br />

on year<br />

VISIT<br />

BR AND CARD<br />

Lake Skadar<br />

Wadden Sea -<br />

UNESCO World<br />

Heritage on<br />

our doorstep<br />

The Wadden Sea is the largest tidal flats system in the world,<br />

where natural processes proceed largely undisturbed.<br />

It extends along the coasts of Denmark, Germany and<br />

the Netherlands. We asked Dr Harald Marencic, Deputy<br />

Executive Secretary, Wadden Sea World Heritage, to tell us<br />

why this place is so special.<br />

For its globally unique geological<br />

and ecological values, the<br />

Wadden Sea is inscribed on<br />

the UNESCO “World Heritage”<br />

list. Nowhere else in the world can<br />

one find such a coherent unbroken<br />

sand- and mudflat system. It<br />

is a dynamic landscape with a<br />

multitude of habitats, shaped by<br />

wind and tides. Global biodiversity<br />

is reliant on the Wadden Sea, most<br />

obvious for birds, and species<br />

living there must adapt to everchanging<br />

weather conditions.<br />

How is it possible to combine<br />

environment protection and<br />

tourism growth? How do you work<br />

to reach a balance between both?<br />

It seems contradictory, but we<br />

try to show that it is possible to<br />

protect natural resources and<br />

develop sustainable tourism.<br />

Growth must be sustainable,<br />

which means we strive for quality<br />

and not for quantity. Wadden Sea<br />

nature is extremely fragile, and we<br />

work hard for the protection of the<br />

area. The Wadden Sea generates<br />

55 million overnights per year with<br />

the summer being a real challenge<br />

as capacities are full. We are<br />

now pushing to attract visitors<br />

in spring and autumn, at a time<br />

where migratory birds settle. This<br />

provides an opportunity to create<br />

educational packages around<br />

winged migrations.<br />

Could you tell more about the<br />

Prowad PROWAD Link Project?<br />

What is the time frame? Which<br />

countries are involved, and how<br />

does cooperation work?<br />

The PROWAD Link Interreg Project<br />

aims to unlock the potential of<br />

natural areas as a driver for jobs<br />

and sustainable development.<br />

We particularly work with small<br />

and medium sized enterprises<br />

to enable them to integrate<br />

the Wadden Sea brand in their<br />

business model creating benefits<br />

for both SMEs and the nature.<br />

Partners in Denmark, Germany,<br />

the Netherlands, Norway and<br />

the United Kingdom work with<br />

selected SMEs around a “naturebusiness-benefit-cycle”<br />

concept.<br />

The programme officially ends<br />

next year, but we are already<br />

working on a structure to take over<br />

the task<br />

Read more<br />

VISIT<br />

BR AND CARD<br />

24 <strong>ITB</strong> BERLIN NEWS • WEDNESDAY 10 TH MARCH <strong>2021</strong><br />

www.itb-berlin-news.com

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