Amapola with Courmayeur for the Integrated Strategic Plan for Sustainable Tourism
The agency’s practical structured engagement project.
Amapola is working with the Courmayeur Services Centre, the body tasked by the Courmayeur Town Council with developing and drafting an Integrated Strategic Plan for Sustainable Tourism and the stakeholder engagement activities for its implementation.
An international reference model for sustainability
Courmayeur is working to become an international reference model for sustainability and resilience to climate change, and enhance its appeal for tourists and travellers looking for genuine experiences that respect the environment and local communities. The development of the Strategic Plan is based on a concrete, structured stakeholder engagement path. Amapola has presented a medium-term activities plan designed to engage tour operators and residents on a continuous basis, encourage their participation and develop measurable projects to be included in the Strategic Plan in which the stakeholders will themselves be partially involved.
The Amapola project
The activities plan envisages an engagement process in three stages (creative, transformational, implementation): the participants were invited to think about ideas and projects relating to priority issues such as the enhancement of the Ferret and Veny valleys, conservation of water resources, recovery of abandoned paths and land, celebration of local traditions and customs. The people who took part attended a series of meetings – plenary sessions and workshops – conducted by Amapola expert facilitators. Work has begun on the ideas identified during the group immersion to develop the projects to be included in the Strategic Plan. The agency will also be responsible for editing the content and paging the document.
«By definition, a strategic responsible tourism project involves joint planning with the community and local area,» comments Amapola partner Alberto Marzetta. «Working together on draft projects generated through direct participation generates empathy, establishes a spontaneous and collaborative relationship, and strengthens the global sustainability journey of the area concerned.»
Picture credits: COURTESY OF COURMAYEUR MONT BLANC.
