Switzerland: Sustainability Forum 2023 for Swiss Tourism
Switzerland recently hosted the Swiss Sustainability Forum 2023, which focused on the crucial topic of sustainability in tourism. Held on 31 March 2023 in Lugano, the event brought together scholars and practitioners from around the world to share research, practices, and initiatives, and to provide a state-of-the-art overview of the current state of sustainability in tourism.
The event featured a diverse range of speakers, including Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Cantoni from USI – Università della Svizzera Italiana, Dr. Eduardo Santander from the European Travel Commission in Brussels, and Dr. Stefano Dominioni, Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes at the Council of Europe (EPA) in Luxembourg. Other speakers included Prof. Dr. Adine Gavazzi, UNESCO Chair at the University of Genoa in Italy, Ms. Eugene Jo from the IUCN-ICCROM World Heritage Leadership Programme in Rome, Italy, and Prof. Dr. Emil Juvan from the Faculty of Tourism Studies Turistica at the University of Primorska in Slovenia.
The Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme was showcased during the event, with the EPA Secretariat highlighting examples of good practices in sustainable cultural tourism along cultural routes that cross Switzerland.
The Forum provided an opportunity for attendees to develop a comprehensive shared vision for the future of sustainable tourism and inspire future actions.
Switzerland is a member State of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA) since 2013. It is currently crossed by 13 certified Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe: Via Francigena, European Mozart Ways, Cluniac Sites in Europe, European Route of Cistercian Abbeys, Huguenot and Waldesian Trail, Réseau Art Nouveau Network, Via Hasburg, Via Charlemagne, European Route of Industrial Heritage, Le Corbusier Destinations: Architectural Promenades, Routes of Reformation, Historic Cafés Route and European Fairy Tale Route.
Mr. Julien VUILLEUMIER, Scientific collaborator Intangible cultural heritage / UNESCO of the Federal Office of Culture, is the representative of Switzerland to the EPA Governing Board and is currently the Chair of the EPA Governing Board.
Source: Council of Europe
