Prepared for what lies ahead in tourism
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F.acT: Climate protection and climate change adaptation are imperatives of our time. What are the tasks of Regional Management Innsbruck Land and to what extent can it support efforts in this regard?
Albuin Neuner: Increasing the resilience of the regions by supporting (possibly also initiating) transformation processes. As experts, the regional management teams also have the potential to act as incubators for necessary topics. The tools for this are awareness-raising (events, traveling exhibitions, other interventions), concepts and studies, but above all concrete, if possible scalable projects. In accordance with the local development strategies of the regions, the topics are clearly anchored and their importance is also presented in a separate field of action.
F.acT: What strategy is the regional management pursuing to achieve the climate targets in the Innsbruck Land district?
Albuin Neuner: Mobility strategies, awareness-raising, regional products, expansion of EEGs (support for PV/KEM); demonstration and networking for alternative energy sources (Innergy, residual heat utilization, ...)
The overall strategy is very much divided by time: On the one hand, the development of strategies and regional or supra-regional concepts should provide a basis for local measures. On the other hand, however, it is particularly important to drive forward often small, concrete projects that are accepted and noticed by the population and thus contribute to achieving the strategy goals.
F.acT: From which funding programs does the money come to support the Innsbruck Land region?
Albuin Neuner: EU (ERDF, ESF, IBW, Interreg program), federal government (FFG, climate fund, BMLF, BMK, BMAW,...), province of Tyrol, membership fees association (mainly municipalities, TVBs and social partners)
F.acT: Climate change poses new challenges for the tourism industry. What measures has regional management already taken in this regard?
Albuin Neuner: In cooperation with the state of Tyrol, Regional Management Tyrol has founded the so-called thematic implementation platforms. Possible measures to accelerate the transformation are discussed together with the relevant stakeholders at state level and implemented in the pilot regions. In the case of tourism, this involves cooperation with Tirol Werbung and the province of Tyrol. Examples of projects in this area include Echt Nachhaltig,KEM Seefelder Plateau,Mobility of the Future in the Stubai, project planning for SDG navigation for tourism destinations, support for eco-labels for TVB Seefeld destinations.
F.acT: What are the relevant funding areas and what steps can interested parties expect in the initiation and implementation of their project ideas?
Albuin Neuner: National funds (state, federal); Interreg; LEADER, ÖTB, ESF, ERDF, ... Unfortunately, with the exception of targeted national funding programs, all funding is not low-threshold and therefore difficult to access for project sponsors. The administrative effort involved in small but effective projects is often disproportionate to the support provided. Furthermore, the volatile funding landscape is a problem right now and there is no continuity. Another major problem in the processing of funding projects is that in many cases the project costs are fully pre-financed, which in turn presents the project sponsors with a difficult task that many cannot solve.