UNESCO Geopark presents itself at ITB 2019
Königslutter am Elm, Berlin 11.03.2019
Also this year, the Geopark Harz . Brunswick Land . Ostfalen once again took part in the leading trade fair of the global travel industry with 10,000 exhibitors from six continents and 181 countries in Berlin. The fair ran from 06. 160,000m2 by 10 March and again attracted more than 150,000 visitors. At an international joint stand, the representatives of the königslutter office, together with 20 other teams, were on site to promote the 140 UNESCO Global Geoparks.
A key theme this year was “Global Warming and Climate Change”: Given the 1.5 degree target, can we still travel as before? Responsible persons from tourism policy and business discuss solutions for the global travel and tourism industry and present tried-and-tested approaches to “Environmental Sustainability”.
With a view to global climate change, Geoparks, in addition to the development of educational opportunities for sustainable development, also has the promotion of gentle regional tourism. “According to the motto “Think globally – act regionally” we want to promote hiking and cycling tourism in the Geopark region through interesting offers and an improvement of the infrastructure.” the head of the Geopark office Dr. Henning Zellmer . Better integration of public transport into the tourism framework planning is also an important aspect on the way to more sustainable offers.
The chairman of the Geopark-carrier association Werner Schlichting points out the importance of the tourism association Elm-Börde (previously Elm-Lappwald), which is currently in the new establishment: “The implementation of the UNESCO Geopark objectives results in many synergies with the regional tourism associations. The tourism actors can use the Geopark as a common tool for the development of a modern and future-oriented tourism and leisure offer.“
Dr. Michael Frenzel , President, Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry (BTW), pointed out in his conclusion that the ITB does much more than “just” arrange travel: “The fair once again provided the participants with ample inspiration, first-hand information on key topics of the future and plenty of space to get to know each other better. In a world where confrontation is all too often the focus at the moment, it is precisely this international understanding that is indispensable, this cultural exchange – which stands for tourism like no other industry and which is also intensively lived at ITB Berlin year after year – is indispensable.” A “Yes to cosmopolitanism!” and “No to xenophobia!” are thus clear messages from Berlin.
too Norbert Fiebig, President, Deutscher ReiseVerband e.V. (DRV), points out the political dimension of ITB: “At ITB, we exchanged views on the major trends of digitalisation and sustainability and brought projects forward in development cooperation. We made many international contacts, met old friends and gained new ones.”