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Subjects: (tick box) Project Synopsis Portfolio Thesis X Written Assignment Study programme: Tourism, Master Semester: 10 Exam Title: Master thesis Name, Date of birth/ Name(s) Study number Date of birth (not CPR Names, Dates of birth of group number – only 6 numbers: members: dd/mm/yy) Helena Noemi Aimee Serve 20152789 10/09/1992 Hand in date: 31.07.2017 Project title /Synopsis Title/Thesis Stakeholder Collaboration and the Integration of the Three Pillars of Title Sustainability – The case of the Green Teams in Kamnik and Maribor, Slovenia According to the study regulations, 192.000 the maximum number of keystrokes of the paper is: Number of keystrokes (one standard 120.662 page = 2400 keystrokes, including spaces) (table of contents, bibliography and appendix do not count)* Supervisor (project/synopsis/thesis): Carina Ren I/we hereby declare that the work submitted is my/our own work. I/we understand that plagiarism is defined as presenting someone else's work as one's own without crediting the original source. I/we are aware that plagiarism is a serious offense, and that anyone committing it is liable to academic sanctions. Rules regarding Disciplinary Measures towards Students at Aalborg University: http://www.plagiarism.aau.dk/Rules+and+Regulations/ Date and signature(s): 29.07.2017 * Please note that you are not allowed to hand in the paper if it exceeds the maximum number of keystrokes indicated in the study regulations. Handing in the paper means using an exam attempt. Helena Noemi Aimee Serve STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION Study Number: 20152789 AND THE INTEGRATION OF THE Master Thesis, Global Tourism Development Aalborg University, Copenhagen THREE PILLARS OF SUSTAINABILITY The case of the Green Teams in Kamnik and Maribor, Supervisor: Carina Ren Slovenia 31.07.2017 Content Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Figures ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 Tables ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 5 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 6 2. Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 8 2.1. Background .............................................................................................................................. 8 2.1.1. The Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism ........................................................................ 8 2.1.2. Kamnik ........................................................................................................................... 11 2.1.3. Maribor .......................................................................................................................... 12 2.2. Data Collection ...................................................................................................................... 14 2.2.1. Qualitative research ...................................................................................................... 14 2.2.2. Document analysis ........................................................................................................ 15 2.2.3. In-depth interviews ....................................................................................................... 16 2.3. Limitations and trustworthiness............................................................................................ 19 3. Literature Review/Theory ............................................................................................................. 21 3.1. Principles and challenges of sustainable tourism development ........................................... 21 3.2. Linking the 3 pillars of sustainability in tourism development ............................................. 23 3.2.1. Cooperation and stakeholder involvement in sustainable tourism development ....... 23 3.2.2. Sub-conclusion: Integrating economic, environmental and social sustainability ......... 29 4. Analysis – Cooperation and sustainable tourism development in Slovenia ................................. 31 4.1. The Green Teams: Cooperation for sustainable tourism development? .............................. 31 4.1.1. Identification of stakeholders – Over-representation of the public sector .................. 31 4.1.2. Organisation of the Green Teams – Lack of awareness among the stakeholders ........ 33 4.1.3. Cooperation in the context of the GSST ........................................................................ 36 4.2. Balancing the three pillars of sustainability .......................................................................... 38 4.2.1. Linking social and economic sustainability – Sustainable supply chain management .. 38 4.2.2. Linking social and environmental sustainability: Sustainable mobility and infrastructure................................................................................................................................. 40 4.2.3. Linking economic and environmental sustainability ..................................................... 42 5. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 46 References ............................................................................................................................................. 48 Appendix ................................................................................................................................................ 54 Appendix 1: The organisation of and relations within the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism .... 54 Appendix 2: Topic Guide ................................................................................................................... 55 Appendix 3: Interview with Petra Križan, Ljubljana Tourist Board ................................................... 57 1 Appendix 4: Interview with Barbara Strajnar, Department of Development and Investment, Maribor .............................................................................................................................................. 64 Appendix 5: Interview with Sara Bitenc, Kamnik Tourism and Sports Agency ................................. 71 Appendix 6: Interview with Peter Pančur, Guesthouse Repnik, Kamnik .......................................... 83 Appendix 7a: Interview with Matej Slapar, Deputy Mayor at the Municipality of Kamnik .............. 98 Appendix 7b: Follow-up via E-mail with Matej Slapar .................................................................... 105 Appendix 8: E-mail correspondence with Grega Ugovsek, President of the Tourism Association in Kamnik ............................................................................................................................................. 109 Appendix 9: Interview with Karmen Razlag, Maribor-Pohorje Tourist Board ................................. 111 Appendix 10: Interview with Živa Bobič Červek, Department for Environmental Conservation, Maribor ............................................................................................................................................ 125 Appendix 11: Interview with Igor Kos, Mayor’s office, Maribor ..................................................... 133 Appendix 12: Interview with Marko Kac, Institute for Innovativeness and Entrepreneurship (Zavod za inovativnost in podjetništvo (ZIP)), Maribor ............................................................................... 142 Appendix 13: Interview with Gordana Kolesarič, Department for Development and Investments, Maribor ............................................................................................................................................ 150 Appendix 14: Interview with Marko Kremžar, Hotel Tabor, Maribor ............................................. 153 2 Abbreviations ETIS European Tourism Indicator System GDS Green Destination Standard GSST Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism OECD Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development PPP Public-Private Partnership STB Slovenia Tourist Board WCED World Commission on Environment and Development 3 Figures Figure 1 Certified destinations and tourism providers according to the GSST p. 10 (May 2017) Figure 2 The source of the river Kamniška Bistrica p.11 Figure 3 The old city centre of Kamnik p.12 Figure 4 The House of Old Vine on the festivities to its 10. anniversary p.13 Figure 5 Drava River and Lent, the riverbank area p.13 Figure 6 The organisation of and relations within the Green Scheme of Slovenian p. 54 Tourism (GSST) Tables Table 1 Interviews conducted during the research period p.16-17 4 Abstract This thesis analyses the role of collaboration and stakeholder involvement in the endeavour of integrating economic, environmental and social sustainability in tourism development. The specific