Programme 25 – 26. May 2009

Topic Day 1: Challenges and opportunities for sustainable travel industry

12.00-13.00: Lunch: “Sognatapas ”

13.00-14.15: Opening

Which challenges does sustainable tourism face?

• Political adviser Fride Solbakken
• Managing Director Knut Almquist , NHO reiseliv
• Professor Dr. Stefan Gössling, Vestlandsforsking & Dr. Truls Engstrøm, the University of Stavanger

Results: What have we obtained with Balestrand I, and what do we wish to obtain with Balestrand II and III

Managing Director Agnes Landstad, WNRI

15 minutes break

14.30-15.15  Profitability and sustainability. Three approaches:

1. “ Sustainability” as a marketing niche for the travel industry . Audun Pettersen, Innovation Norway
2. “ Sustainability” as an approach to short-range cost savings. Assoc. Professor Dr. Jean-Paul Ceron, University of Limoges, France
3. “ Sustainability” as an approach to long-range restructuring . Professor Dr. David Weaver

15.15-16.00 Round Table: Audun Pettersen (Innovation Norway), Per Morten Vigtel (Forum for reiseliv), Hilde Charlotte Solheim (Federation of Norwegian and Commercial Service Enterprises), Knut Almquist (Norwegian Hospitality Association), Fride Solbakken (Political Advisor, Ministry of Trade and Industry) and Dr. Truls Engstrøm (University of Stavanger).

A round table discussion on the basis of the three presentations, where the participants are to discuss the following question:  How can the tourism industry and public authorities combine profitability and sustainability in tourism?

30 minutes break

16.30-17.00 Food and sustainability : Dr. Carlo Aall, WNRI

What is the role of food in the pursuit of sustainable tourism?  WNRI presents calculations of climatic strain deriving from food and shows how the travel industry can reduce the climatic strain from serving food.

17.00-17.15: Kviknes Hotel and sustainable tourism: Managing Director Sigurd Kvikne

National Geographic has on several occasions singled out the Norwegian fjords as the best tourist destinations in the world. How have the hotels in Sogn fulfilled the expectations created by such a rare distinction?

17.15-17.30: Supper of the day: Chef Ole Johnny Eikefjord

This supper will be an exciting experiment. The well-known chef Ole Johnny Eikefjord from Restaurant Eik in Oslo, and author of the prize-winning cook book “Gourmet for folket” – will prepare and describe a three-course supper with a minimal climatic strain.

17.30-18.00: The English Church in Balestrand: A piece of Norwegian tourism industry

19.45: Høyviksalen: Apertif and Kaiser anecdotes

20:00 Supper

Chairman of the County Council, Nils R. Sandal: Welcome to Sogn og Fjordane – a county going for sustainable tourism.

Main topic Day 2: How does the travel industry respond to the challenges of sustainability? - Best practices from Norway and other countries

08.30-09.15 Market and profitability – practical examples

1. Regional economy and profitability, Røros. Johannes Idsø, Researcher, University College of Sogn og Fjordane
2. Quality branding of world class travel destinations : Ivar Petter Grøtte, Head of Research, WNRI

09.15-10.15  How can the transportation industry meet the expectations of sustainability?

Finnair, Carbon labelling: Kati Ihamäki, Sustainable Manager

Panel discussion: SAS (Helge Hafstad), Norwegian Car Rental Association  (Leif Nybø), Nor-Way Bussekspress (Bjørn Østby),  Hurtigruta (Kirsten Schulz), Avinor (Olav Mosvold Larsen), European Cruise Service (Arthur Kordt)

A panel discussion where representatives of the transportation industry consider their challenges in regard to sustainable travel. Moderator: Professor Dr. Stefan Gössling, WNRI

15 minutes break

10.30-12.00  Think tank

Three parallel sessions chaired by TØI, UiS and WNRI

1. Travel industry profitability: Sustainable Yield (UiS)

University of Stavanger, tank thinkers Truls Engstrøm and Anethe Sandve

Tourism is a complex industry, and it is quite a challenge for decision makers to gain insight in cost and benefit effects of investment in the travel industry. Traditionally, the point of departure is economic and financial objectives of strategic decisions. However, social, cultural and even other consequences ought to be included in such cost-benefit analyses as well. “Sustainable tourism Yield” is an international attempt to measure several such parameters parallel; it has for instance been used in New Zealand and Australia. Now, similar types of analyses are performed in Norway.

This think tank will present results from other countries, as well as our proposal how this can be accomplished in Norway. We invite interested participants to discuss and contribute, in order that as many as possible people may benefit from the results in the future.

2. Sustainability and profitability in a long range perspective (WNRI)

Vestlandsforsking, tank thinkers Stefan Gössling and Carlo Aall

While the travel industry can probably increase its short-term profitability through measures that save resource and hence costs, it s more questionable what will happen in the long-term future. It seems clear that the oil price will rise again, which will affect the cost of travel. Furthermore, emission trading will increase the pressure on the industry, while “green solutions” to the climate change challenge such as biofuels will be expensive. In this, but even sociocultural contexts, it may be asked how Norway will deal with vastly increasing tourist flows if current plans by Innovation Norway to double visitor numbers are realized? What will this mean in terms of area use, economic dependence, or overcrowding?

3. Measurement of economic results of the travel industry on the regional level (TØI)

Transportøkonomisk Institutt, tank thinkers Petter Dybedal and Eivind Farstad

In many local communities, tourism represents a significant supplement to the demand for commodities and services by the permanent residents. In addition to generating production of typical tourist industry services, tourism will expand the number of customers in other branches (sprinkling). Increased revenues (direct effects) and revenues from local suppliers and local consumption of new (tourism-related) incomes (indirect effects) may constitute a decisive addition to economic sustainability in some areas.

Research of ripple effects is desirable, not the least to justify public involvement in tourism. However, it is rather demanding to measure the effects in respect to cash turnover, increased value or employment. Whether we look at a large district (e.g. a county), a particular destination or a single event, one must admit that reliable data are scarce. Even the estimation of the correct number of overnight stays in an area may be a real challenge. There are a number of different methods and approaches to analyse ripple effects. However, few of these represent shortcuts to sufficiently reliable results.

In this think tank, there will be a quick introduction to strengths and weaknesses of ripple effect analyses, and next, how we try to improve the database and methods for analysing consequences on different levels. We invite you to contribute and discuss methods, database, and not the least application and benefits of such analyses.

12.00-12.45 Lunch

12.45-14.15  Best practice destination and company

1. Destination: Whistler , Canada: Bill Brown
2. Company: Hilton Hotels, Paulina Bohdanowicz, Sustainable Manager
3. Destination: Werfenweng, Austria , Dr. Peter Brandauer, President Alpine Pearls and Karmen Mentil, consultant, ØAR – regional advisory board

15 minutes break

14.30-15.15  Heading towards a sustainable travel industry in Norway?

1. Sustainable pilot destination Trysil : Gudrun Sanaker Lohne, Manager, Destination Trysil, and Gro Svarstad, Economic Development Officer, Municipality of Trysil
2. Sustainable pilot destination Lærdal : Helene Maristuen, Assistant Manager, Aurland and Lærdal Tourist Association, and Harald Blaaflot Mundal, Economic Development Advisor, Municipality of Lærdal
3. Comments : Dr. Carlo Aall, WNRI
   

15:15-15.45 Conclusion:

What challenges and opportunities can the ongoing climate negotiations present for the travel industry?
Erling Sande, member, the Standing Committee on Energy and Environment (Sp) and Gunvor Eldegard, Deputy Chairman, the Standing Committee on Environment (Ap)

Closing remarks at the end of Balestrand Summit 2009, Bernhard Lane

May 27, 08.30-12.00 Intermural Research Seminar