EUROMONTANAPresentation and

potential contributions

E-tourism pre-consortium meeting, Turin1 March 2011

What is Euromontana?

• European multisectoral association for cooperation and development of mountain areas (since 1996)

• Around 70 members from 15 countries

• Comprising :– regional development agencies, – regional authorities, – chambers of commerce and

industry– agriculture organisations, – environmental organisations, – research organisations…

Map: NordRegio, 2004

Our vision of European mountains

• Our mountains are territories with a future and opportunities for Europe

• Mountain areas are distinctive areas of Europe which need to be addressed specifically

• We call for private and public investment in these areas. The return on investments might be longer but will be more sustainable.

• 36% of European territory, 118 million inhabitants

Building on our strengths - overcoming our weaknesses

• Strengths:– The positive image of mountain areas– Intense community life– Very rich culture, traditions and heritage– The quality of life of mountain population– Rare, preserved and renewable resources– Production of quality goods and services– Modern and often dynamic governance– …

• Weaknesses:– Remoteness and accessibility– Sparseness of businesses and population– Competition between economic

development and environment– Sensitivity to climate change

Our actions

• Representing mountain communities– Regular contacts with institutions– Active participation in the policy debate– Expert member of various consultative groups

• Promoting the strengths of mountain areas– European mountain conventions (300-400 participants)– Conferences, seminars, workshops

• Organising cooperation between mountain people– Networking: calls for practices/initiatives, inter-relating members…– European projects (FP7, INTERREG C, Information measures, Youth in

action…) + national projects with European dimension

• Carry out, participate or compile studies

What can we contribute to the project?

• Promotion of the project towards EU institutions:– Good relations with DG AGRI, ENTR, REGIO– Member of European Network for Rural development

(Coordination committee and Leader sub-committee)– Member of Advisory group on rural development– Participation as speaker in many events

• “Extension” of the partnership to Euromontana network for: – Inputs: call for good practices outside the partnership– Dissemination of outputs to a wider audience– Long term viability and dissemination of project

results

Experience on tourism and ICT

• Tourism: – Study on collective initiatives in the field of culture and heritage

(2009) (7 case studies, many with IT component)– Background document on Sustainable tourism in mountain areas

(2010) + overview of national legislations in some countries– 21-22 november Valle D’Aoste seminar on service innovation

applied to tourism in mountain areas (especially ICT services)– 26-28 septembre 2011: conference in Inverness, Scotland on

Sustainable tourism

• ICT: – Past project INTERREG IIIC : Euromountains.net– Cross-cutting to many policy fields in the policy debate: CAP,

Cohesion– Participation in the ENRD seminar on ICT in rural areas (Feb

2011)– Future partner in European Mountain ICT Forum (EMICT)

EUROMONTANAEuropean association of mountain areas

info@euromontana.orgwww.euromontana.orgT: +32 2 280 42 83F: +32 2 280 42 85

Thank you for your attention!