Urban tourism
Sustainable tourism in small and medium-sized cities
9 November 2023,
City Municipality of Kranj, Slovenski trg 1, Kranj, Slovenia
[Report]: Authenticity and local community satisfaction keys to success
On Thursday, 9 November 2023, Kranj hosted the international conference Urban tourism: Sustainable tourism in small and medium-sized cities, co-organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, IPoP – Institute for Spatial Policy and the Community of Municipalities of Slovenia.
Urban tourism has boomed in the last decade. As cities have become more accessible due to better transport connections and access to information, the number of city visitors has increased. However, not only cities with well-known cultural and historical monuments are popular. Recently, smaller, less developed destinations have designed interesting tourist offer and have seen a rise in visitor numbers.
At the conference we were discussing how to ensure that the development of tourism will not have negative consequences on the local urban community, such as rising living costs, excessive crowding, or gentrification and how to involve citizens, ensure positive effects on local economy and at the same time preserve natural and cultural values.
The participants were first welcomed by the representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, Lenča Humerca Šolar, who highlighted the issue of the growth of tourism means for the development of the local community and how to address negative impact, such as seasonality, traffic congestion and the impact on the cost of living and property prices. She pointed out that a systemic approach to these issues is set out in the Spatial Development Strategy of Slovenia 2050 up, which states that tourism should be guided by the carrying capacity of tourist destinations and the corresponding strain on infrastructure, as well as the impact on the cost of living and property prices, and that tourism should be a complementary activity. The strategy also proposes that tourism should be guided by spatial plans at regional level. VIDEO
On behalf of the host municipality, the City of Kranj, Vice-Mayor Janez Černe welcomed the participants. He said that Kranj has been extremely proud to be named European Destination of Excellence 2023 and that a green mentality has been very important for the municipality, also in the field of tourism. He listed a number of measures that Kranj is taking towards sustainable development. Among other things, he highlighted the very successful regional bicycle system Gorenjska bike, which was initiated by the Municipality of Kranj and links seven neighbouring municipalities in a common bicycle rental system. Their efforts have also been recognised by being named one of the 100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities. VIDEO
Dejan Ristić from Tourism Ljubljana presented the integration of sustainable tourism efforts at local and international level. He said that the title of European Green Capital was very important for Ljubljana’s green tourism path. A Roadmap for the development of smart and sustainable tourism is currently being prepared and the work in this area is being steered by a sustainability manager. Ljubljana Tourism is also a partner in the EU Urban Agenda partnership on sustainable tourism and is most actively involved in the group finding ways to spread visitors over a wider part of the city and region. Ljubljana’s goal is to become a top global destination by 2027. Presentation, VIDEO
This was followed by a lecture by Naja Marot from the Biotechnival Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, who has been researching urban tourism intensively in recent years. She said that historically people have always been visiting cities, but before the coronavirus pandemic, urban tourism was at its peak. The pandemic has revealed that urban tourism is the most vulnerable type of tourism and was therefore affected by the corona crisis the most.
Urban tourism is a special type of tourism that is constantly and rapidly changing. The motives for visiting cities today are no longer typically cultural, as they were in the 20th century, but rather visitors want to put themselves in the shoes of the inhabitant and “experience” the city as authentically as possible.
Over the last 20 years, urban tourism has become well established in Slovenia, with Ljubljana in particular standing out with its strong promotion. However, research shows that the growth of urban tourism in Central European destinations is not necessarily linked to the size of the cities.
The impact analysis in their study showed that the positive effects are mainly economic, while the negative effects are environmental and spatial. Rising property prices and the occupation of valuable public space are particularly problematic.
The characteristic spatial concentration of tourism, in the absence of comprehensive spatial management, has an impact on the quality of life of the local population. Some cities are already taking measures such as promoting the spatial and temporal dispersion of visitors, adapting regulations, involving local stakeholders and creating urban experiences for both residents and visitors. Presentation, VIDEO
Foreign speakers also presented their practices.
Luis Ferreira presented the case of Braga, where tourism is well developed, in particular thanks to the UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage site of Bom Jesus do Monte. As they have a very high number of tourists in the summer, they are redirecting them to other locations through various measures. They also seek to strengthen the positive effects of tourism by working closely with local tourism service providers and other stakeholders. Among other things, they organised a training including visits to various local attractions. The municipality is also continuously improving their knowledge by participating in URBACT networks. They have participated in the Tourism Friendly Cities network and are building on their experience in the current Cities After Dark network. Presentation, VIDEO
Marcello Sacco and Iuri Bruni presented the case of Siena, Italy, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As part of a national good practice transfer initiative, Siena learned from Mantova about the organisation of sustainable cultural events. For example, they introduced the practice of planting a tree for every annual subscription sold in the local theatre. They are also working hard to bring together different stakeholders, and in the light of the GSTC sustainable destination certificate, they have set up an office bringing together 50 local partners. They are just at the beginning of a 10-year vision on sustainability, which they will also work towards in the URBACT BiodiverCity network. Presentation, VIDEO
As the last foreign speakers, we hosted Małgorzata Gojło-Kaligowska and Ewa Patyk from the Foundation for Social Innovation in Gdansk, Poland. The Foundation’s main focus is on the inclusion of children and young people in society. In their early days, they were mainly involved in de-institutionalisation of children by redirecting them to foster families and small foster homes. Later on, they realised that these young people had great difficulties entering the labour market. They therefore decided to set up a hotel where young people could gain their first experience of the labour market in a safe environment and then more easily pursue their careers. The idea was launched in 2008 and the hotel opened in 2015. With the help of donations and loans, they renovated the building, which is owned by the municipality and is now a functioning three-star hotel. At the same time, the hotel is also a financial source for the Foundation, which has somewhat freed itself from the need for constant short-term public funding from tenders. In addition, over the years, two cafes have been set up, also running programmes to engage young people with different challenges. Presentation, VIDEO
The presentations were followed by a panel discussion, moderated by Marko Peterlin, where the speakers explained the topics of their presentations in some more detail. Participants were particularly interested in how they engage residents in practice and how they divert visitors from overcrowded sites. VIDEO
After a climate-friendly lunch, we learned about local good practices. The first speaker was Maja Pegan from the Maribor-based association Hiša!, who presented their efforts to preserve Maribor’s characteristic courtyards as green urban refuges and their activities in the field of creative tourism. She particularly focused on the Festival of Walks, which they have been organising for the last six years with the help of volunteers. These walks are storytelling walks along a selected route. Each time, the general public is invited to take part, and walk leaders range from individuals to institutions. The walks are open to all and free of charge. The purpose of the walks, she said, is for people to live their culture, not just consume it. They have already organised 9 editions with more than 200 different walks and more than 200 different guides, complemented by more than 10 round tables and 3 hackathons. The walks vary enormously in theme, from slander and football tours to historical and sustainability themes. In recent years, following the initiative of teachers, a Young Festival of Walks has been added, with pupils as guides. Some of the walks have also been upgraded to tourist tours and products. Presentation, VIDEO
This was followed by a lecture by Matevž Straus from ID2020 and Arctur on several good practices from Idrija, based on the rich heritage of the town. He first presented the Idrija Žlikrof Festival, which has been held for 13 years, but for the last 7 years has been organised by the ID2020 association. He said that they are working to develop and upgrade the traditional event into a zero waste urban festival, which would be interesting for visitors, but aimed primarily at locals. He also presented the project to renovate the Giser miners’ house, which the institute had bought with its own funds and wanted to use as temporary accommodation and an artist’s residency. The renovation of the house is being run as a training ground for learning about traditional construction and sustainable materials, as well as housing heritage. He also touched upon the Betrib Festival, a festival of intangible industrial culture, a biannual festival about people living in industrial areas, and gave us some insight into the upgrading of the tourist offer with augmented and virtual reality. Presentation, VIDEO
We finished with a lecture by our hosts. Kristina Bogataj from the Kranj Institute for Tourism and Culture presented local good practices. The Kranj Long Table was first organised in 2021, bringing together local restaurants and setting the highest environmental and climate standards for the event. She said it was the start of the development of gastronomic tourism and the most sustainable event in Kranj. She explained in detail how they are working to reduce the event’s carbon footprint, from offering a vegan menu to encouraging suppliers and visitors to organise transport and travel sustainably. She also presented the beginning of what is to become a dispersed hotel in the historic city centre. In partnership with the municipality, the institute has set up a Jenko’s Residence, which has also been equipped with cultural content and sustainable materials. Presentation, VIDEO
In the final discussion, the event participants were particularly interested in the success factors for each good practice. It turns out that they are similar for all practices, namely authenticity, openness, and a sincere desire to work together, providing good living conditions for the local community and addressing true challenges of the local context.
The lectures were followed by a tour of Kranj historical centre, focusing on sustainable practices. Along the way we saw electric buses, and during the tour we visited, among others, the Prešeren Grove and the Slovenian National Anthem Park, the Layer House, the Jenko’s Residence and finally climbed the bell tower.
The event was moderated by Ada Cajnko and interpreted by Andreja Skarlovnik Ziherl and Živa Petkovšek.
All photos can be found here.
Video
Invitation and agenda
Urban tourism has boomed in the last decade. As cities have become more accessible due to better transport connections and access to information, the number of city visitors has increased. However, not only cities with well-known cultural and historical monuments are popular. Recently, smaller, less developed destinations have designed interesting tourist offer and have seen a rise in visitor numbers.
But how to ensure that the development of tourism will not have negative consequences on the local urban community, such as rising living costs, excessive crowding, or gentrification? How to involve citizens, ensure positive effects on local economy and at the same time preserve natural and cultural values?
Some European cities have already found answers to these questions. Learn how Braga, Portugal enables locals to take on the role of a tourist in their hometown. How Siena, Italy educates cultural workers about climate change and the impact of their work on the environment, which leads to the organization of more sustainable events. How a socially responsible hotel in Gdansk, Poland interweaves the stories of social inclusion and hospitality. Also learn about local interesting practices of sustainable urban tourism in Kranj, Idrija and Maribor.
REGISTRATION
Attendance is free. The conference will take place in Slovenian and English with simultaneous interpretation.
Speakers*
*The list is still being updated
Naja Marot, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana
Naja Marot has a PhD in urban and spatial planning. She is an associate professor at the Department of Landscape Architecture, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, where she teaches tourism and recreation and regional planning at the Master’s level. Her research interests include urban tourism, regional planning, policy analysis and territorial impact assessment. She is the editor and co-author of the publication Urban Tourism in Slovenia: Characteristics and Governance.
In her presentation, Naja will present the characteristics of urban tourism in Slovenia and the results of the research gathered in the book.
Luís Ferreira, Municipality of Braga, Portugal
Luís Ferreira is head of the Economy and Tourism Division at the Municipality of Braga. Luís has a Degree in Tourism, postgraduate in Heritage and Cultural Tourism, and has been working in the public sector since 2011. In the past he was a teacher of the “Tourist Information and Animation Technician Course” and teacher of the Tourism Marketing module and worked as Public Relations Manager at the Braga Exhibition Centre, and in the hotel sector. Luís was Local coordinator for the URBACT Tourism Friendly Cities, a project on sustainable tourism, and more recently in the URBACT Cities After Dark action planning network, dealing with cities’ night life.
In his presentation, Luís aims to explore how tourism can be sustainable in medium-sized cities, reducing the negative impact on neighbourhoods and areas interesting for different types of tourism. Integrated and inclusive strategies which keep a balance between tourism and the needs of the local community ensure quality of life and availability of services for residents. Only in symbiosis we can “make local stakeholders and residents innovative ambassadors of the city beauties” and promote Braga as a tourist destination.
Iuri Bruni, Minucipality of Siena, Italy
Iuri Bruni graduated in Law at the University of Siena and obtained a 1st level master in Design and Management of Participatory Processes at the University of Florence. At the Municipality of Siena, Iuri is head of Culture and Tourism Direction and is responsible for Siena’s theatre seasons, several cultural initiatives, sport, project management, trade, and tourism. He has been coordinating the Siena Certification for Sustainable Tourism. He has coordinated several projects in the European funding context and is currently project manager for Siena of the H2020 URBiNAT initiative. Also, he cooperates with several social associations and has a declared sensitivity for green themes and participatory processes.
Iuri will talk about the process of Siena to obtain the Certification for Sustainable Tourism as the first Italian city with this recognition.
Marcello Sacco, Municipality of Siena, Italy
Marcello Sacco graduated in International Sciences at the University of Siena, obtained a 1st level Master’s in Social Innovation at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, and he holds a PhD in Law at the University of Leeds (UK). At the Municipality of Siena, he is working at the Fundraising service office of the Municipality of Siena he is coordinating and managing projects financed from national and regional funds. As for European initiatives, he was in charge of the URBACT National Practice Transfer Initiative C-Change project for Siena and is currently involved in the new programming period with the submission of EUI, URBACT and CERV proposals, obtaining funding for the projects BiodiverCity and Ed.U.Co.
Marcello will talk about the Siena experience being involved in the URBACT BiodiverCity network and the National Practice Transfer Initiative based on Mantova’s good practice from the C-Change network.
Małgorzata Gojło Kaligowska, Fundation for social Innovation, Gdansk, Poland
Małgorzata Gojło Kaligowska has finished master’s studies in administration and post-graduate studies in finance and European funds at the University in Gdansk. She has been involved in the creation and project management of the different activities in the Gdańsk Foundation for Social Innovation since 2007. She is responsible for creating new projects from national and international funds and their implementation. In the years 2012-2015, she managed projects that contributed to the creation of social companies run by the foundation. Currently, she manages three social enterprises in Gdansk: So Stay hotel an two cafes (Kuźnia and Parkolada).
Ewa Patyk, Fundation for social Innovation, Gdansk, Poland
Ewa Patyk is the Manager of the Center for Equal Opportunities at the Neighborhood House “Gościnna Przystań” in Orunia in Gdansk. She has been affiliated with the Gdańsk Foundation for Social Innovation since 2007. In recent years, her professional focus has been on humanitarian aid, the establishment of international partnerships, and the provision of strategic support to individuals facing exclusion. Ewa holds the distinction of being a certified facilitator for dialogue at the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue. She is also an accomplished author of numerous publications that aim to fortify the third sector and advocate for programs that empower communities and individuals dealing with crises. Her dedication to equality is further underscored by her recognition as the recipient of the Gdańsk Equality Award and her status as a double scholarship graduate for her outstanding achievements in social innovation, awarded by Innaczej Fund.
Małgorzata Gojło Kaligowska and Ewa Patyk will present So Stay hotel, the first socially responsible hotel in Poland where a vocational education program for young people from foster care is implemented.
Katja Beck Kos, Hiša! association, Maribor, Slovenia
Katja Beck Kos studied culture studies and is vice-president of Hiša! Through the programmes Živa dvorišča, Living Courtyards and the Živo mesto, Living City she has been working as an initiator of new content and a facilitator of otherwise very disconnected actors and sectors in Maribor, with the aim to revitalise the centre of the city. In recent years, she has been working with her team and many partners to establish creative tourism programmes in the city. She runs Rajzefiber, an alternative tourism shop and agency, and the Festival of Walks, free walks through the city’s streets, squares, underground tunnels, and surrounding hills, where visitors learn about the stories and legends of Maribor.
Maja Pegan, Hiša! association, Maribor, Slovenia
Maja Pegan is a professor of fine arts and president of the Hiša! association. She manages visual arts projects, exhibitions, spatial installations, and pedagogical courses. She is the founder and manager of CGU – Centre for Graphic Arts and the idea leader, producer, and curator of Grafična pomlad (Graphic Spring). She is also the producer of the winter festival Vilinsko mesto Maribor, co-producer of the Živa dvorišča (Living Courtyards), an initiative for revitalisation of Maribor’s courtyards, and a member of the Živo mesto (Living City). In recent years, her great passion has been light installations and their placement in public space, which led to the creation of the LUMINA programme, which brings light installations to Maribor.
Katja Beck Kos and Maja Pegan will present the Festival of Walks in Maribor, which has been organised by the Hiša! association for several years. During the festival, they offer interesting and free walks through the city’s streets, squares, riverside and courtyards. Visitors can learn about interesting stories and legends of Maribor. In recent years, the Walking Festival has expanded to other Slovenian cities. The Youth Walking Festival has been launched as well, handing over the reins to the young people of Maribor. They are also successfully turning the city’s stories into innovative tourism products.
Matevž Straus, Arctur d.o.o. and ID20, Idrija, Slovenia
Matevž Straus holds a Master’s degree in Urban Studies, a Master’s degree in Marketing Communication and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. At the technology company Arctur d.o.o., he manages the Heritage+ programme, which deals with 3D digitisation and digital interpretation of cultural heritage. He is also co-founder and director at the ID20 institute in Idrija, where he is involved in projects at the intersection of cultural heritage and social innovation.
In his contribution, Matevž will discuss innovative approaches to the preservation, promotion and, above all, development of heritage – using Idrija as an example. Through the projects he has been involved in, he will present how, in a small town with a rich history, this heritage can be seen as a development potential. Matevž will talk about a gastronomic festival that combines tradition with urban approaches, about digital projects in virtual and augmented reality, and about the potential of heritage stories in general.
Kristina Bogataj, Institute for Tourism and Culture Kranj
Kristina Bogataj graduated from the Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica. She was first employed at the Institute for Tourism and Culture of Poljanska dolina, and later at the Institute for Tourism and Culture Kranj. In both jobs, she worked as the Green Coordinator of the Green Scheme for Slovenian Tourism. She also manages various projects and plans the development of tourism products.
Kristina Bogataj will present good practices of the destination Kranj, where in recent years several steps forward have been made in the field of gastronomic tourism. For three years in a row, they have been creating a green culinary event called Kranjska dolga miza (Kranj Long Table). The event is sustainability-oriented, promoting locally sourced food, measuring carbon footprint, encouraging sustainable travel and much more. In addition, she will also present the dispersed hotel in the old part of Kranj.
We strive to organise sustainable events
The event follows the principles of sustainable event organisation. We will strive to produce as little waste as possible, we will offer a more climate-friendly catering service and we encourage participants to come to the conference in a sustainable way.
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Conference is organised by the Ministry for natural resources and spatial planning, IPoP – Institute for Spatial Policies and Association of Municipalities and towns of Slovenia as part of the project Supporting the implementation of spatial and urban policy. The event is co-organised by the City Municipality of Kranj and with support of URBACT and European Urban Initiative.
Graphic: Darja Klančar, Darka