Community participation in the Wilder Kaiser region
Actively shaping tourism
Community participation in the Wilder Kaiser region
Actively shaping tourism
#evenbetterinreality
As part of the "Quality of Life in the Wilder Kaiser region " project, tourism experts, community representatives and community members worked together to shape a vision for excellent quality of life for all people living, working and holidaying here. How best should we work together on this if not in regular workshops, forums and discussion groups?
From the very beginning, the "Quality of Life in the Wilder Kaiser region" project was a participatory process in which all interested parties were encouraged to contribute their ideas, criticisms, suggestions, and visions. Since 2017, numerous meetings have taken place in different constellations and settings. On this page, we want to give a short overview of previous rounds and invite participation in future events.
In the spring of 2021, the tourist board took advantage of the current moment to deal in depth with the topic of "sustainability" internally. Exciting speakers were invited to weekly digital brunches, and the participants reflected on their own activities in the field of ecological, economic and social sustainability.
Inevitably, the Strategy 2024 was also reviewed for its validity and to see where it needed to be more sharply focussed. During this workshop series, all employees of the tourist board as well as interested parties from the tourism businesses in the region participated and discussed under the professional moderation of Kristina Sommerauer and Alexander Hader. The result was an update of our Strategy 2024.
Additionally, concrete projects in various thematic areas, such as the lessening of individual traffic or the reduction of waste, were also initiated and will be implemented in the coming months.
The crisis caused by Covid-19 has lead to significant change for us and our environment. Especially in a region that is strongly characterised by tourism, it has become abundantly clear that things have changed dramatically overnight.
Therefore, in autumn 2020, it was a matter of concern for the Wilder Kaiser tourist board to reflect on the current situation and mood together with community members and decision-makers in the region and to work out together in which areas we want to return to “the way things were," in which areas we need to slow down or speed up our efforts, and where we need completely new approaches in the future.
During a full-day forum at the Kaiserlodge in Scheffau on Friday, 18 September 2020, approx. 30 lively participants (under the professional moderation of Kristina Sommerauer and Alexander Hader) addressed the question: "How do we define quality of life in the Wilder Kaiser region in the future and how do we make the most of the chance to change tourism in a sustainable way?"
As part of a joint dialogue and subsequent group work, exciting approaches and concrete ideas were developed from the different perspectives and experiences, which were also reflected in an "Update" to the "Strategy 2024" as part of the "Quality of Life in the Wilder Kaiser region" project.
Large increases in overnight stays in summer, which led to more perceived pressure and stress, a lack of alternatives to classic growth strategies, the need for new definitions of tourism success (beyond just overnight stays and turnover): these were just a few of the topics discussed that led to the success of the "Quality of Life in the Wilder Kaiser region" participation project.
The project was launched during workshops, open discussion forums, numerous dialogue evenings on various topics and as an online survey. It continues even today in the spirit of openness and participation. Here are a few impressions of the events that started it all.
By the way, from the very beginning this project has been guided by Kristina Sommerauer who is, among other things, an expert for communication and participation processes in communities and regions.
The "Quality of Life" project was nominated for the 2021 TRIGOS Award
The "Quality of Life" project was also recognised by a nationwide jury of experts as part of the 2021 TRIGOS Award: The Wilder Kaiser tourist board is nominated in the category "Exemplary Projects!"
Online survey March 2019
In order to gauge the mood among those who live at Wilder Kaiser region throughout the year, an online survey was also conducted in 2019. Click here for the results.
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