INTERREG IVA 2 Mers Seas Zeeën Crossborder Cooperation Programme 2007-2013Part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

From project idea to submissionSTEP: Sustainable Tourism in Estuary Parks

By: Dick Verheijen, projectmanager/Lead Partner

Bournemouth, September, 23rd 2010

Content

1. General presentation of STEP2. Generation of the project idea3. From project idea to submission4. Focus of project idea5. Development of application form6. Conclusions and recommendations

1. General presentation of STEP• Partners• Objectives• Priority and operational objective• Activities and joint actions• Expected results• Communication• Management• Budgets

1. General aspects: The partners

Sustainable Tourism Estuary Parks (3 parks, 5 partners):o The Broads (UK) in Norfolk and Suffolk; partner:

Broads Authority

1. General aspects: The partners

• The Polders of Kruibeke (BE), along the river Schelde, just below Antwerp;Partners: Waterwegen en Zeekanaal /Agentschap Natuur en Bos

1. General aspects: The partners

• The Biesbosch (NL), in North-Brabant and South-Holland;Partners: Stichting Beheer Nationaal Park De Biesbosch / Natuur- en Recreatieschap De Hollandse Biesbosch

1. General aspects: objectives1. Detailing the concept of sustainable

tourism 2. Detailing and testing new, sustainable

forms of visitor management; 3. Jointly developing the tourist industry and

testing sustainable methods and products; 4. Involving inhabitants

- companies; regional, national - organisations; regional, national, European

1. General aspects: priority and objective• Priority 1 – Creating an economically

competitive, attractive and accessible area

• Support tourism and promote sustainable

tourism

1. General aspects: Activities and joint actions• The project is subdivided into 3 activities

and communication in line with the 4 objectives

• Special attention is paid to further detailing the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism

Some joint actions are:o Joint studies about visitor management,

green business schemeso Action plans to brand sustainable tourismo Exchange of experts to help partners with

local plans and investments

1. General aspects: expected results• Manuals for sustainable amenities • Execution of action plans aimed at

branding sustainable tourism; • Plans of action for visitor management in

wetlands; • Execution of ICT pilots • Sustainability criteria for companies

including checks and support in the implementation of measures

1. General aspects: communicationCommunication at 2 levels:1. Internal; management meetings,

workshops, peer reviews and evaluations, joint website and newsletters, joint database

2. External; publishing studies and evaluations, press releases and publications, a brochure, newsletters, roll-ups, start and final conference, an Estuary Trip Competition

1. General aspects: management• International Steering Group: overall

responsible, directors, meeting once a year• International Coordination Group:

operational level, project managers, meets twice a year

• Project Management Committee (LP): daily working at project implementation

• Communication Group: communication managers, meets twice a year

1. General aspects: budgets• Total budget is € 6 million • ERDF grant is € 2,5 million • 14.5% will be spent on project

management and joint activities• 83.5% on the execution of local actions

and investments and • 2% on preparation and accountants

2. Generation of the project idea• Biesbosch-partners had written a new

policy plan about tourism in 2008• Main focus and strategy was to become a

more sustainable NP (the most sustainable in Holland)

• How?- Alone?- Together?- Partners?- Outline idea?

3. From project idea to submission

A proces in 4 steps:Step 1. Preliminary study (June-August 2008):o Options for an Interreg projecto A project idea o The conclusion being that the 2 Seas

programme offered the most perspective.

3. From project idea to submissionStep 2: Partner search (Sept 2008 – Feb

2009): o The Broads and Parc Marquenterre o Parc Marquenterre dropped out

(because of internal issues) o New partners in Flanders:

Waterwegen en Zeekanaal and Agentschap Natuur en Bos

3. From project idea to submissionStep 3. Development of the project (March – May 2009): o The project proposalo Local activities and investments were

discussed o 2 partner meetingso Learning from one another and help each

other in implementation.

3. From project idea to submissionStep 4. Writing the application (May – June

2009):o The consultancy wrote out the entire

application and detailed the entire budget, all in close consultation with all partners

o The letter of intent o Finally, all the partners provided their

approval to the application as a whole o The Lead Partner submitted the

application.

4. Focus of project idea• The start is the idea of the project initiator

(mostly the LP)• Important is to do some study on the aims

and objectives of the Interreg programmes and on former projects with more or less the same goals; all to strengthen your own idea

• Also in the phase of partner search it is important to improve and focus the project idea

• When the partnership was completed, in the 1st meeting we finalised the project idea and the operational objectives

5. Development of the application form• A continuous process• Already in partner search phase partners

were asked to describe their ideas, local actions and investments in a fact sheet with all kind of questions from the application form

• Structure the project: a main aim and 3 more operational objectives which can be used in the 3 activities later on

• Write the application by 1 partner• Partners were asked to comment on all

drafts

6. Conclusions and recommendationsRecommendations:• A project development takes 1 year• Make use of an (internal or external)

expert• Visit all possible partners• Make use of your national contact point• Organise at least 2 partner meetings• Make clear appointments about language,

planning, budgets, etc.• Strong lead partnership

6. Conclusions and recommendations

• Don’t do it for the money• Perfect administration

(Lead Partner and partners)• Take your time• Inspiration, energy and commitment