Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
48
management and promotion of the corridor. Representatives of all corridor countries’ NTOs
are members of the GMS Tourism Working Group, while the private sector is involved through
representation in the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group. The Asian Development Bank (ADB)
provided the initial support for the development of both the economic and TC and continues to
play an important role in supporting both corridors. Bilateral donors, such as GIZ, and
Swisscontact, have provided technical and financial assistance to support multi-country
product development, capacity building, and knowledge sharing on good practices. 130
The best practice examples show a high level of collaboration between various stakeholders
and their contribution to the effective management of MDTCs. The existence of formal
platforms, as shown in the case of the GMS TC, can facilitate the collaboration between the
various stakeholders, ensuring timely and efficient interaction and involvement in the
management of the corridor as well as ensuring support their support for the policies and
strategies related to the corridor.
Best Practices in Capacity Building
Capacity building for the various stakeholders in MDTC member countries is also crucial for
the effective management of MDTCs as it ensures standards are unified and maintained to
provide a seamless tourist experience.131 Universities and training centers need to be involved
in planning and delivering relevant and continuous training. In Europe, the Heritage and
Cultural Tourism Open Resource (HECTOR) project for innovative training associated with the
Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe benefits from the collaboration of the tourism research
centers of several European universities, including France’s Pantheón Sorbonne University and
Spain’s University of Barcelona.132
In the case of the Routes of the Olive Tree, one of the Council of Europe’s certified cultural
routes, “Experience Labs,” focusing on the design and management of “experiential” tourism
products, were organized to improve skills of tourism professionals in five countries. 133 A
“Methodological Handbook” dealing with product and project management for sustainable
tourism was also produced to disseminate knowledge and promote capacity building.134
The French Federation of European Cultural Routes organized sessions for the exchange of best
practices among tourism stakeholders frommore than 15 cultural routes. The sessions covered
best practices in physical and digital accessibility, local community involvement, and social
inclusion. The sessions were supplemented with filed visits and chances for interaction with
local stakeholders. The information about best practices produced in the context of these
sessions is intended to be shared through an online publication.135
In Scandinavian countries, St. Olav Ways corridor, comprising of historic pilgrimage routes
ending at Nidaros Cathedral in Norway, is managed by a non-profit organization but dependent
on services provided by local businesses including local guides and pilgrim hostels. The St. Olav
130 Please refer to the Greater Mekong Subregion tourism corridor case study for references and more details.
131 UNWTO (UNWTO) and European Travel Commission. 2017. Handbook on Marketing Transnational Tourism Themes and
Routes.
132 UNWTO (2015), Affiliate Members Global Reports, Volume twelve – Cultural Routes and Itineraries, UNWTO, Madrid.
133 Council of Europe. 2018. Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Programme: Activity Report.
134 Website.
135 Council of Europe. 2018. Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Programme: Activity Report.