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Sustainable Destination Management

Strategies in the OIC Member Countries

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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A

“Methodological Handbook” dealing with product and project management for sustainable

tourism was also produced to disseminate knowledge and promote capacity building.

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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.

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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

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Please refer to the Greater Mekong Subregion tourism corridor case study for references and more details.

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UNWTO (UNWTO) and European Travel Commission. 2017. Handbook on Marketing Transnational Tourism Themes and

Routes.

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UNWTO (2015), Affiliate Members Global Reports, Volume twelve – Cultural Routes and Itineraries, UNWTO, Madrid.

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Council of Europe. 2018. Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Programme: Activity Report.

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WellOlive.eu

Website.

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Council of Europe. 2018. Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Programme: Activity Report.