POLIS will co-host workshops at the Sustainable Tourism Mobility Forum

POLIS and its member Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) are co-organising two thematic workshops in Breda on 28 May, following the Sustainable Tourism Mobility Forum. These workshops will deep dive into topics linked to tourism and transport. A third workshop is organised by the BUas Cycling Lab and Greengage project.

The Sustainable Tourism Mobility Forum - on May 27 and 28 - aims to tackle the imperative transition to more sustainable transport modes in tourism, such as rail, coaches, and cycling. It will unite public authorities, industry players, start-ups, and universities from national, regional, and European levels in the tourism and transport sectors.

The first day will include panel sessions with experts working around Europe in the field and day 2 will give you the opportunity to attend one of three workshops which take place between 9 am to 12 pm.

Workshop 1 - Coach and the City: the places of coaches in transport and tourism

Hosted by: POLIS Network and the Breda University of Applied Sciences

Long-haul and local coaches for tourism raise challenges and opportunities linked to transport infrastructure, sustainability, air quality, accessibility and inclusivity, space usage, congestion and safety for coach passengers and residents living in tourism cities. This has been on the agenda of associations, with for example POLIS and IRU’s pledge.

Collaborative efforts between cities and coach operators are required to achieve environmental and operational targets at the city, national and European levels. This workshop will explore solutions to enhance the place of coaches in the tourism and transport systems through improved coordination, integration of coaches, regulations, assessments and consultations, technology enhancements, communication, and more.
This workshop aims to bring together public authorities, industry players, start-ups, and universities at national, regional, and European levels.

Agenda

• Introductory presentation and context
• Short presentations from experts working in the industry, public authorities, unions and associations and more (Confirmed speakers are to be announced soon)
• Networking Coffee Break
• In-depth workshop session and discussion
• Summary of results and next step

Workshop 2 - Planning for sustainable mobility at tourist destinations

Hosted by: POLIS Network and MONA project

Accessibility is one of the most critical variables in the planning of tourism development in nature destinations. With increasing number of visitors, intensified by COVID-19, increases the pressure on nature, negative environmental impact, and nuisance for residents (locals) and visitors. Improved accessibility leads to changes in visitor behavior so accessibility improvements to protected natural areas should be planned in line with the goals of nature conservation and tourism development. The increase of sustainable mobility alternatives to car-centric accessibility should be the focus of nature tourism management.

MONA project (Modal shift, routing, and nudging solutions in nature areas for sustainable tourism, Interreg) aims to stimulate sustainable tourism in and around nature areas aiming to benefit nature, the environment, visitors, and the local economy.

This workshop aims to discuss solutions for the uptake of sustainable transport modes like rail, shared mobility, and electric car usage in peri-urban and rural areas, discussing inclusive routing strategies to and within nature areas, and nudging visitors and stakeholders towards more sustainable behaviour.

This workshop aims to bring together public authorities, industry players, start-ups, and universities active in the field of tourism and transport.

Agenda

• Introductory presentation and context
• Short presentations from experts working in the industry, public authorities, unions and associations and more (Confirmed speakers are to be announced soon)
• Networking Coffee Break
• In-depth workshop session and discussion
• Summary of results and next steps

Workshop 3 - Recreational cycling: opportunities and challenges

Hosted by: BUas Cycling Lab and Greengage project

To increase the sustainability of movements throughout North Brabant and to increase the health of its residents, the Province of North Brabant aims to increase the number of kilometres biked in the province. Understanding the link between recreative cycling routes and larger tourist destinations, as well as exploring the characteristics that make for an appealing route helps increase the attraction of the specific cycling route. To increase the appeal of these routes, inventory their (international existence) and identify metrics of quality, this session will do a deep dive into the considerations around recreational biking. This workshop will discuss the barriers and motivators for recreational cycling, identify deterrents and attractors per route, and discuss the policy decisions behind their design.

The BUas Cycling Lab is a collection of sessions that aim to facilitate the use of the bike, in whatever way possible, addressing the obstacles and motivations of bike use and providing solutions or enhancements. BUas Cycling Lab is organized in the framework of the Greengage project (Engaging citizens and mobilizing technology, delivering the Green Deal; Horizon Europe).

Agenda

• Introductory presentation
• Short presentations from experts working in the industry, public authorities, unions and associations and more (Confirmed speakers are to be announced soon).
• Networking Coffee Break
• In-depth workshop session and discussion on recreational routes and characteristics
• Introduction of route observation tool

Registration

The Forum and Workshops are free of charge, but participants will be accepted only by registration.

To confirm your attendance, we kindly ask you to fill in the registration form by 13 May 2024. On the first page, you can register for the forum and on the second to the workshops.