By Paul Tavner

PAN Parks is an organisation dedicated to the preservation and protection of Europe’s wilderness spaces. Founded in 1997 as a joint venture between the WWF and the Dutch leisure company Molecaten, PAN Parks has today expanded to the point where it provides support for 11 distinct parks. Stretching from the frosty edge of the Arctic Circle to the warm waters of the Mediterranean, the PAN Parks network is now the perfect reflection of Europe’s incredibly diverse range of climates, habitats and geography.

By Angie Aspinall

Coppice Retreat is a chic eco-studio adjoining the fabulous home of Gabriela Lerner and Neil Baird, in the quiet hamlet of Higher Coombe, near Shaftesbury, with country walks right from the door and close to many of the top visitor attractions in Dorset and Wiltshire (South West England). With River Cottage HQ an hour and a half away and free-range eggs available down any country lane, this is a great place for a foodie getaway.

Tourism activities under the Sápmi Experience Quality Label are based on the common heritage of the Sámi. Sámi tourism must be sustainable over the long term. This means that tourism must be accepted and established, culturally and socially, in Sámi society, and the host must be able to communicate Sámi values and way of life. Sápmi Experience operators strive for social, cultural, ecological and commercial sustainability. They are companies that respect the integrity of the Sámi culture and work to prevent its objectification.

By Lennart Pittja

Sápmi (or Lapland) has long attracted visitors from all over the world, and today it is visited by millions of tourists every year. In spite of this bustling tourist activity, and even though Sámi traditions are frequently portrayed through various media, today we can see very few successful Sámi tourism companies. The Sámi community wants to change this, and wants to be more involved with decision making in the Swedish tourism industry.

By Pål K. Medhus

Høve Støtt’s main target is to create new standards in the production of experiences, at the peak of Norwegian tourism. To achieve this, we work constantly on developing authentic Norwegian ecotourism experiences. We always strive to achieve more, and we’re always hungry for knowledge. By engaging the local forces, we wish to show the culture and history that has made Geilo what it is today.

By Neil Rogers

As a past advisor to Sweden’s Ecotourism Quality Label Nature’s Best, and as current advisor to VisitSápmi and the Quality Label for Sámi indigenous tourism, I’ve seen many positive changes over the years yet much remains to be done. Sweden and Norway have world-class assets for outdoor and experiential travel, and have enviable reputations for image, safety, security, health, hard and soft infrastructure. The question is how to make more of this competitive advantage so that small-scale entrepreneurs can thrive.

Pack your bags – EuroEco 2011 is coming up! The second annual European Ecotourism Conference (EuroEco) will be held in beautiful Geilo, Norway from May 29-June 1 2011. Hosted by Ecotourism Norway with support from TIES, the conference will provide a forum for an expected 150 members of the growing ecotourism industry in Europe to discuss critical issues and to learn from each other while sharing knowledge of tourism activities from across the region.

By Helle Sorensen

No culture is more grossly misunderstood and under-appreciated than the Vikings. Few people realize that the Vikings, though they led simple lifestyles, were amazingly effective and advanced. The circular forts are among the most impressive examples of Viking construction technique. Harald Bluetooth constructed two unique circular forts around 980AD in Denmark. The strict and precise geometric plans of these forts attest to the military, commercial, and administrative functions that these forts served.

Estonia’s “summer capital” city of Pärnu welcomed the first European Ecotourism Conference yesterday with Mayor Toomas Kivimägi’s address highlighting the importance of tourism and its roles in promoting healthy lifestyles. As one of the major summer holiday destinations in Estonia and in the Baltic region, Pärnu is in a unique position to encourage active travelers to engage in nature-based experiences and to participate in health-conscious activities.

Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association leads this project to bring first and innovative of Thailand Green Routes which all major supply chain and tourist destination will conform to sustainable standards to the market.CSR-MAP project bring good impact to Thailand sustainable tourism industry. Thailand benefits immensely from its position as a leading holiday destination for European tourists. However, Thai tourism actors agree that to maintain this position in the long-term, the industry must work to reduce the negative impacts of tourism on the environment and society.