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