Interreg North-West Europe

The project is implemented by 11 Partners from Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands:  VisitBrabant (NL), POLIS aisbl (BE), Breda University of Applied Sciences (NL), KU Leuven (BE), BENEGO –Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide (BE), National Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug (NL), Natuurmonumenten –Nationaal Park Veluwezoom (NL), Montagne de Reims Regional Park (FR), Regional Park Scarpe-Escaut (FR), Tourism Province of Antwerp (BE), Tourismus Zentrale Saarland (DE).

The total project budget is €6 million of which €3.6 million are financed by the EU.

The collaboration exists from 2023 – 2027.

Aims:

1.) To measure the impact of visitors and mobility in nature reserves and develop strategies to reduce negative consequences.

2.) Pilots in nature reserves focussing on modal shift, route networking and influences on behaviour.

3.) Sharing knowledge throughout Northwest Europe.

The project "MONA - Modal Shift, Routing and Nudging Solutions in Nature Areas for Sustainable Tourism" is an initiative within the Interreg Northwest Europe Programme with the aim of making tourism in nature areas in Northwest Europe more sustainable.

As a partner of the MONA project, the Tourismus Zentrale Saarland GmbH actively contributes to the promotion of sustainable tourism in nature areas. Together with other partners such as VisitBrabant, national parks and scientific institutions from four countries, the Saarland is working to make visitor flows in nature areas more environmentally friendly while protecting the natural environment.

The Tourismus Zentrale Saarland, in cooperation with the project participants, will collect and evaluate data to provide a solid basis for further action. It will develop a communication and marketing concept to positively influence the behaviour of tourists in terms of sustainable tourism. In addition, the TZS is testing different approaches to behaviour management and is conducting trainings and events.

The overall goal of the MONA project is to promote a modal shift by motivating guests to switch to more environmentally friendly means of transport. In Saarland, targeted measures are being developed to motivate tourists to treat nature with respect and to control the flow of visitors to the nature areas. In a pilot group with the Parc Naturel Régional de la Montagne de Reims and the Parc Naturel Régional Scarpe-Escaut, the Tourismus Zentrale Saarland is focusing on achieving this goal through nudging and communication, visitor guidance and modal shift.

Contact

Caroline Schuhmacher

schuhmacher@tz-s.de

+49 (0) 681-92720-50