2nd European Ecotourism Conference - CALL FOR SPEAKERS

[Elina Sarantou]

We are pleased to announce the Call for Speakers for the Workshop Session of the 2nd European Ecotourism Conference to be held in Poiana Brasov, Romania, from 23-25 October 2013. The closing date for the submissions is 31 July 2013.

 

The theme of the Conference is Destinations and Labelling for Ecotourism Development in Europe, a unique opportunity to get in touch with professionals and stakeholders from a variety of sectors in ecotourism, across the continent and beyond. The objective of the conference is to foster and develop cooperation and the exchange of knowledge and best practices.

 

The first day programme will include four workshops with four different topics that are presented below:

 

• Topic 1: Improving the Benefits provided by Certification Programs and Standards

Certification schemes and quality assurance standards as networking and marketing tools for ecotourism businesses and destinations.

 

• Topic 2: Multi-Stakeholder Approaches to Developing Ecotourism Destinations

The role of local, national and international stakeholders in developing and promoting ecotourism destinations (ecotourism businesses, protected area authorities, government, international organisations, etc.).

 

• Topic 3: Practical Tools for conservation and local development

Effective solutions (e.g. financial mechanisms) to maximize ecotourism’s benefits for nature conservation and local development.

 

• Topic 4: Product Development Strategies for Better Visitor Experience

How to create quality ecotourism experiences and achieve sustainable destinations.

 

The results of the facilitated discussions will be shared with all participants in the third day of the Conference during a World Café type of exercise and the conclusions will be presented in plenum, during the last wrapping up session of the Conference.

 

 

PRESENTATION FORMATS

Presentations:

(5mins introduction, 15 minutes presentation)

Presentation related to practice experience and concepts relevant to the themes outlined above. Presentations are to be presented using a PowerPoint slide show. 

 

Panel Presentations:

The selected participants will have the opportunity to answer questions, elaborate their subjects and provide arguments during a facilitated 1 hour debate.

 

PRESENTATION SUBMISSIONS

All proposals will be subject to careful review by the Organiser Committee. Submissions should be of a maximum 250 words and should indicate:

• Name and contact information of the presenter/s;
• Title of the presentation;
• Description of the content;
• Relevance to the themes of the conference;
• Short biography of presenter/s;

 

PRESENTATION SELECTION

Three up to four presentations/ speakers per topic will be selected by the Organiser Committee. The selection criteria will consider:

• How it relates to the conference theme and to the selected topic;
• What is particularly challenging, creative or innovative about the content;
• In what ways the proposal is relevant to the participants and European ecotourism context.

 

Abstracts should be sent to [e-mail] no later than 31 July, 2013.

You will be notified of the success or otherwise of your presentation by 15 August 2013.

Please note that all the accepted speakers should benefit of a discount of 200 Euro out of any conference package with accommodation.

 

More details regarding programme, keynote speakers and conference venue are available on the website www.european-conference.eu. Please keep in touch through the event’s Facebook page.

 

We look forward to meeting you at Poiana Brasov!

Kind regards,

 

Andrei Blumer,

President of AER