COMPENDIUM OF BEST PRACTICES ‘2019 & 2020 European Capital of Smart Tourism competitions’ SmartTourismCapital.eu #EUTourismCapital DIGITALISATION CULTURAL HERITAGE & CREATIVITY & HERITAGE CULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY ACCESSIBILITY Title: COMPENDIUM OF BEST PRACTICES ‘2019 & 2020 European Capital of Smart Tourism competitions’ This report has been prepared in 2020 for the European Commission, DG Growth Internal market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Key Subjects: Exchange of best practices, innovative and smart tourism measures, accessibility, sustainability, digitalisation, cultural heritage and creativity March 2020 This report has been commissioned by the European Commission and prepared by Scholz & Friends Agenda Berlin GmbH European Office. The views and propositions expressed herein do not necessarily represent any official view of the European Commission. < 2 TABLE OF CONTENT 1. GENERAL BACKGROUND ................................................................................................ 7 2. PURPOSE OF THE COMPENDIUM OF BEST PRACTICES ................................................ 7 3. THE 4 CATEGORIES OF THE COMPETITION MAKING TOURISM SMART ..................... 8 3.1 ACCESSIBILITY ....................................................................................................................................8 3.2. SUSTAINABILITY ................................................................................................................................9 3.3. DIGITALISATION ...............................................................................................................................9 3.4. CULTURAL HERITAGE AND CREATIVITY ......................................................................................9 4. PRESENTING BEST PRACTICES ....................................................................................... 9 4.1 BEST PRACTICES IN ACCESSIBILITY ....................................................................... 10 4.1.1 ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL ....................................................................................... 10 4.1.1.1 Physical accessibility as a new normal; Málaga ...................................................................10 4.1.1.2 Enabling young people to fulfil their potential in the tourism industry; Linz ...............11 4.1.1.3 Barrier free digital accessibility of the city’s offers; Helsinki .............................................12 4.1.1.4 The smart city cards; Copenhagen; Ljubljana; Lyon; Tallinn ............................................13 4.1.1.5 Visitors with disabilities; Brighton; Málaga; Valencia; Bari; Cascais; Gothenburg; Lyon; Ravenna; Tallinn; Venice ............................................................................................................15 4.1.1.6 Theme cruises for specific target groups - Fjord Flirt Tour; Kiel .....................................21 4.1.2 ACCESSIBILITY OF INFORMATION ...................................................................... 22 4.1.2.1 Personal City Helpers; Helsinki; Lyon; Nice ..........................................................................22 4.1.2.2 Lowering barriers for communication with Chinese tourists – ‘Chinavia Project’; Copenhagen .................................................................................................................................23 4.1.2.3 A collaborate platform for sharing information on accessibility in tourist destinations – ‘Tur4All Programme’; Valencia ..............................................................................................24 4.1.2.4 Using innovative signage in historic sites; Lyon ..................................................................25 4.1.2.5 Annual Accessibility Guide; Nantes ........................................................................................26 < 3 4.1.2.6 Accessibility App for GotEvents; Gothenburg ......................................................................27 4.1.2.7 Blind Walls; Breda .......................................................................................................................27 4.1.2.8 Accessible information offices; Innsbruck ............................................................................28 4.2 BEST PRACTICES IN SUSTAINABILITY .................................................................... 29 4.2.1 COMBATTING OR ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE ........................................ 29 4.2.1.1 Carbon Neutrality Initiative; Copenhagen, Darmstadt; Helsinki ......................................29 4.2.1.2 Smart city lighting; Breda ..........................................................................................................30 4.2.1.3 Integrate ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ into public policy; Helsinki ........................31 4.2.1.4 City tours and environmental volunteering; Copenhagen ...............................................31 4.2.1.5 Green Belt Project; Palma .........................................................................................................32 4.2.1.6 Málaga’s Integrated Sustainability Strategy; Málaga ..........................................................33 4.2.1.7 Sustainable tourism tax; Palma ...............................................................................................34 4.2.1.8 Micro-tunnel; Tallinn ..................................................................................................................34 4.2.1.9 Closing down the city centre to cars; Ljubljana ...................................................................35 4.2.1.10 Strolls through Salamanca with locals; Salamanca ..........................................................36 4.2.1.11 Cycling in the city; Breda; Helsingborg; Kiel .......................................................................36 4.2.1.12 Sustainable transport; Málaga; Nice ....................................................................................38 4.2.1.13 Sustainable Food and Drinks; Bratislava; Vilnius; Zagreb ...............................................39 4.2.1.14 Karlsruhe’s Energy Hill; Karlsruhe.........................................................................................40 4.2.1.15 Sustainable Culture; Gothenburg; Innsbruck ....................................................................41 4.2.2 PRESERVING AND ENHANCING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ..................... 42 4.2.2.1 Introducing local environmentally friendly labels; Gothenburg; Helsinki; Lyon; Tallinn; Nantes ...........................................................................................................................................42 4.2.2.2 Valuing natural heritage sites; Liège; Tallinn ........................................................................45 4.2.2.3 The Fächer-Becher reusable cup; Karlsruhe .......................................................................47 4.2.2.4 Smart waste management; Ljubljana ....................................................................................47 4.2.2.5 Involving visitors in a city’s sustainability; San Sebastian; Venice ....................................48 4.2.2.6 Sustainable Event of the Year 2018 - Gothenburg Culture Festival; Gothenburg ......49 4.2.2.7 Sustainable Beaches; Ravenna ................................................................................................50 4.2.3 SPREADING THE FLOW OF TOURISTS ................................................................. 50 4.2.3.1 MIXITY walks to all city districts; Brussels ..............................................................................50 < 4 4.2.3.2 Off-season travelling incentives; Lyon; Poznań; Sintra; Tallinn ........................................50 4.2.3.3 Showcasing new areas; Gothenburg; Valencia....................................................................52 4.2.3.4 Gourmet Ljubljana; Ljubljana ...................................................................................................54 4.3 BEST PRACTICES IN DIGITALISATION .................................................................... 56 4.3.1 FACILITATING INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC TARGET GROUPS ....................... 56 4.3.1.1 WeChat mini program to attract Chinese tourists; Helsinki .............................................56 4.3.1.2 Tourism sales presentations via an app; Copenhagen .....................................................57 4.3.1.3 Create your own digital travel itinerary; Nice; Málaga .......................................................58 4.3.2 COLLECTING INFORMATION FOR SMARTER MANAGEMENT ........................... 59 4.3.2.1 Understanding visitors via elaborate data; Cascais; Lyon; Málaga .................................59 4.3.2.2 Smart traffic control for tourists and locals; Aix-en-Provence; Karlsruhe; Málaga; Nice ................................................................................................................................................61 4.3.2.3 Examples of digital hubs: digital tools and local businesses; Brussels; Copenhagen; Linz; Ravenna; Valencia .............................................................................................................62 4.3.2.4 Event Impact Calculator; Gothenburg ...................................................................................65 4.3.3 PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH INNOVATION ... 66 4.3.3.1 Virtual reality programme Helsinki2020; Helsinki ...............................................................66