Naturae

Projektstart: 01.11.2001
Projektende: 29.05.2004

www.naturae.org

Environmental Tourism in Germany

 

German Tourist Trends

 

After trade, tourism is the biggest tertiary branch.: it represents 8% of the GDP. In Germany, it employs 2.8 million people and offers 91,000 apprenticeships (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft 2000).

Companies in the gastronomic-hotel sector are generally medium sized, with a constant number of part time jobs available (1994: 45%; 1998: 48.5%), often run and owned by families (in 1998: 26% approx.).

On the other hand, in the travel sector, small and medium sized companies operate completely independently (organisation and sales) and hold less than 30% of the market. The position of the large companies which offer a complete tourist service is constantly increasing, in fact, three big companies account for half of the sales in this market.

Concurrent with the trend towards market concentration, the number of companies which only intermediate in travel has been in constant decline since 1996 (about 10,000 in 1998). More than half are linked to chains, franchises or the big groups.

A trend over time has developed of Germans going more abroad than staying in Germany (1998: 70% vs. 30%, Kreisel, Hoppe and Reeh 1999, pg. 61). By the end of the 90’s (ibidem pg. 62) the favourite location was Spain (14.2%), followed by Italy (9.3%), then Austria (6.9%), then Eastern European countries (6%), France (4.2%), Greece (3.4%), Holland (2.3%) Denmark (1.9%) and Switzerland (1.7%), whilst 13.4% of German tourist go outside of Europe.

Looking at the internal market, the number of bookings (from Germans and foreigners) has been constantly increasing since 1998 (294.5 million according to the National Statistic Agency) even if this trend is flattering out by 2001 (see figure 1).

From the following table, growth is occurring in two types of accommodation: residential tourism in houses or apartments and beauty centres. This trend coincides with the results of interviews conducted by the WTO with visitors of two big tourism fairs in Germany, from which it emerged a move away from mass tourism (see attachment 3, appendix 5, page 97).

Figure 1: German Domestic Tourism 1999 – 2001: bookings (in millions) / accommodation typology

 

Accommodation (9 or more beds)	1999 (millions)	2000 (millions)	2001 (millions)
Big Hotels	114.88	123.73	123.50
Hotels	20.11	20.28	19.95
Bed and Breakfast	15.34	14.92	14.65
Meublé	34.98	39.14	38.84
Total Hotel Sector (1-4) :	185.31	198.08	196.93
Holiday camps for study or recreation	26.61	25.79	26.04
Residential tourism, apartments and houses	37.02	39.41	40.59
Youth hostels, bungalows etc.	14.08	14.18	13.88
Total (1-7):	263.02	277.46	277.46
Health centres	45.01	48.89	49.18
Total (1-8)	308.03	326.34	326.63

(Data taken from Statistisches Bundesamt Deutschland 2002 )

 

The trend to preferring holidays in small groups, healthy and personalised, is reinforced by the expansion of agrotourism (Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof / Urlaub auf dem Lande). However, for this type of holiday official statistics are not available. In 1998, according to estimates from the German Minister of Agriculture, 25 million bookings were made with this type of company, which would make them one of the most popular types of Hotel organisations (ref. figure 1). According to research carried out by the same Ministry in 1999, this development, generally speaking, has been slowed down by a serious lack of marketing and pro-activity.

 

Environmental tourism in Germany

 

In the last 20 years, the concept of environmental tourism has changed, becoming a wider and more complex field.

At first the focus was on the negative effects of mass tourism on both the environment and expansion of tourist locations. A new concept of sanfter Tourismus was defined from this effect by a Austrian researcher Jungk (1980) who emphasised new trends by tourists. He identified two opposite types of travel (hartes Reisen vs. sanftes Reisen) based on dichotic variables, the desire to travel alone with the family or in small groups instead of mass tourism, using the right kind of transport which has a low environmental impact instead of just thinking about speed, individually organised holidays instead of packet holidays, long stays instead of short breaks, in family accommodation (B & B, rooms, camp sites) instead of big hotel complexes, etc. The Federal Office for Nature Protection (Bundesamt für Naturschutz ) identified the distinct characteristics of sanfter Tourisms focused on nature, the local populations, and the desires to achieve a balance between the economic results, customer satisfaction, the respect for nature and the social structures in the tourist places.

 

The Jungk’s theory was immediately criticised as a mainly theoretical idea which gave little alternatives and options towards the economical and social site (“Criticism of criticism of the tourism” –amongst others Kirstges, Krippendorf, Stasdas). Therefor it was renamed to include more detailed concepts focused on environmental tourist strategies with emphasis on having a proactive impact on local social life, local economics, local physiology and politics, hence respecting the balance between the natural beauty of the place, not destroying the social-cultural environment and obtaining a good economic growth for the tourist places (long term employment, and adequate compensation opportunities, using and maximising the traditional resources).This means the concentration is on promoting holidays which focus on tourist using there free time to enhance their own knowledge, for this reason there will be a need to develop tourist policies which not only concentrate on the market demand but also keep in mind the ethical aspect of it.

 

The continued inclusion of a visual aspect of various social and ecological needs as a purpose for tourism has brought the tourist to accept environmental tourism. This has recreated two concepts. The first integrativer Tourismus (Internationales Institut für Tourismusforschung, Vienna), which looks at the function of incentives compared to market lead economic development (promotion and sale of typical regional products, construction of plants regenerating energy, preserving and valuing cultural assets, saving and revitalising traditional professions etc.) like the various vital areas of relief for the local population (health, professional training etc) on the basis of the principle of sharing the social responsibility. The second concept is sustainable development. Regarding the conditions to guarantee future generations that their needs are met:

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs (W.C.E.D. 1987)

This vision through the generations influenced by the concept of nachhaltiger Tourismus together with specific care towards ecological, social-cultural and economic needs and potential of the tourist location (v., among others, Becker, Job and Witzel 1996; Hein 1997; B.f.N. 1998). The objective of creating of value added through tourism, contributes towards regional development. This constitutes a distinct, pro-active element both strategically and operatively and is more relevant with respect to the sanfter Tourisms original formula which was more restrictive and with a tendency to react.

At the start of the nineties, many new tourism organisations started up, companies that looked after the environment (TUI, DEHOGA, regional consortium for tourism, etc.) that are involved in political decision making. Therefor, already in 1992 Wolf Michael Iwand responsible for this sector in TUI intervened in the parliamentary debate on brands for guarantees, he reaffirmed a concept of environmental tourism that brought together the characteristics of integrativer Tourismus with that of nachhaltiger Tourismus outlined previously.

Ecological tourism, Ökotourismus , represents a specific segment from this category. It is evident through its focus on the final pedagogic and experience, less important in environmental tourism organisations (Viegas 1998). It also works especially hard towards saving the ecosystem. Infact, ecological tourism

„ein natur- oder umweltorientiertes Urlaub- oder Freizeitangebot mit einem deutlichen Informations- und Erziehungsanspruch, mit einer umweltpädagogischen Komponente„

(ibidem pg. 3).

According to pre-set aims, such a educational vocation is created in various fields of environmental interest that Viegas (1998) has put together to a style of Naturtourimus, of Agrotourismus, of Geotourismus, of Bioparktourismus and of Wissenschaftstourismus.

Following the categorisation proposed by Viegas (as above mentioned) the motivation draw in Naturtourimus warms to the desire to understand and experience natural phenomena’s in intact, original ecosystems (for example, this type of tourism can offer an important supply of wealth in the 11 natural parks and in the national parks or in developing villages in Germany). Uncontaminated nature is the key (wildlife watching). This type of tourism doesn’t necessarily have superior accommodation but the focus is more on the excursions which sometimes include soft sports (horse rides, canoeing etc.). Not to be confused with outdoor sports which are very demanding. This leaves space for training and educational activities concerning the local nature. Extreme sports represent a big disturbance which is contrary to Naturtourimus which characterises respect to the ecosystem.

Different from the previous type of tourism is Agrotourismus, environmental interests become domesticated to man, considering economic and social-cultural interests with a strong focus on the typical farmer infrastructures. In Germany the network of active structures in agrotourisms is 20,000units. They are organised in regional consortiums, and with federal representation by Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof und Landtourismus. La Deutsche Landwirtschaftsgesellschaft (DLG) creates a catalogne with a list of the known establishments, which satisfy the ecological criteria set by the DLG. It also offers useful information to help understand agricultural traditions, wine-tasting, craftsmen (markets, festivals, museums, etc.) also the local characteristic floral and fauna. The added value from this style of tourism can include all the different forms of regional productivity and creativity.

Places which are particularly important  from an geological and / or geographical point of view (orographical phenomena, deposits of fossils, thermal springs etc.) constitute the scope of Geotourismus. Highly specialised guides are fundamental in order to identify and understand pre-selected natural phenomena. They are also important to respect the local environmental equilibrium. With this type of tourism informative and pedagogical components are centrally important and require multifunctional commitment to offer useful support to the visitors (publications, seminars, museums, pre-set trips etc.). In Germany, the Eifel region is rich with fossil and volcanic examples vulcaniche (Vulkaneifel between Cologne and Coblenza, with a Vulkanmuseum, a co-ordinated Geo-Zentrum and various Geo-Routen), or the Alb-Donau-Kreis, trips to numerous grottoes. These are among the most significant areas of such a tourist nature.

Flora and fauna are on the other hand the main attraction for lovers of Bioparktourismus. This includes exotic examples found in parks ad hoc, and local specialities. As with the previous case this type requires a level of knowledge and experience to analyse without creating any adverse damage, an essential role. The core of Bioparks is that of showing off different forms of life in their natural inhabitant instead of fause buildings (loos, aquariums). This offers a strong teaching vocation (as in the case of Wissenschaftstourismus which focused on the interaction between science, technology d nature). Once environmental understanding grows between visitors, ideally translatable into work for training and study centres and / or observation centre for natural species. In Germany there are thirteen protected biosphere’s recognised by UNESCO.

Based on the previous information, research should be based on the concept of environmental tourism mainly divided into German literature specialist with a strong focus on the principles of ecological sustainability and social responsibility. Forms of ecological tourism will be taken into consideration stricto sensu, which represents a significant specification.

The complexity of the variables which influence the transposition in this holistic formation practice creates problems and in fact it is narrowly available to create company tourism strategies and policies that satisfy fully the summarised principles: the companies committed with more consistency in this field (for example Wikinger Reisen or the forum anders reisen ve. underneath) are few and operate in specific market segments.

On the other hand, companies active in tourism tout court are numerous, as many in the public sector (due to federal German State arrangements, the tourism policy, also for the point of view of safeguarding the environment are mainly the responsibility of the single Länder) as in the private sector. Above all regarding the latter, in recent years many new development initiatives have been proposed with the direction towards safeguarding the environment.

 

Private organisations on a national level

 

- In 1995 the organisations and the main companies in the sector of German Tourism founded the Bundesverband der Deutschen Tourismuswirtschaft (BTW.). This took on the role of federal co-ordinator and representation at the E.U. for German companies in tourism. From this new category association which superseded the previous Präsidium der Deutschen Fremdenverkehrwirtschaft, in part organises Hotels and restaurants (Deutsche Hotel- and Gastättenverband: DEHOGA ), travel agencies ( Deutsche Reisebüro-Verband: DRV), air navigation companies (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Luftfahtunternehmen: ADL ), the average travel agency (asr), agencies with offer national trips and international in a coach, and finally State Railway (Deutsche Bahn AG), Lufthansa, Hapag Lloyd, Karstadt, NUR-Touristik, the LTU, the TUI, the insurance company Europäische Reiseversicherung, INFOX, START Holding and Deutsche Messe Berlin.. The promotion of environmental tourism is not included in the confederation’s objectives. However, various organisations and companies that are a part of it, have included in the actual program for years the principle of ecological and social sustainability. In 2001 the BTW created the environmental quality mark Viabono.

- Among these, DEHOGA, which represents more than 100,000 restaurants and hotels, has answered to an environmental committee for a long period and at the beginning of the nineties it created a category of forty points for the ecological management of companies in this sector, added to in 1997 with a contribution from the Minister of the Environment (So führen Sie einen umweltorientierten Betrieb ). This offered privileges for the use of this instrument for auto-control for restaurants and hotels. The DEHOGA considered for a long period about the participation of Öko-Audit and on the opportunity for introducing the environmental quality mark. In 2001, at the end, it contributed to the creation of the environmental quality mark Viabono.

The DRV which represents around 3,500 travel agencies also had for a while (from 1998) an ad hoc commission to look after the environment and culture (Ausschuß Umwelt und Kultur). This created strategies for damage reduction of the environment, actively interacting with the operators and with the scope of the tourism decisions process. They spread  between travellers informative documentation on the theme of ecological and social sustainability and also participate in the formation of law concerning safeguarding the environment. In 1987 a prize was on offer for exemplary pilot-projects in the environmental tourism field and tertiary under the Öko-Audit  European directive

The Bundesverband mittelständischer Reiseunternehmer (a.s.r.), that accounts for around 1,800 supporters (firstly travel and air navigation agencies), chased for years the adoption of rigorous criteria to look after the environment regarding tourism, of which systematic applications of instruments to control environmental impact (Umweltverträglichkeits-prüfungen) and asks that tourism prospects contain complete information on the environmental situation of the proposed aim. In 2001 it contributed to the creation of the environmental quality mark Viabon.

Founded in the 1990s the “anders risen” forum continuously committed itself to the sanfter Tourismus with the objective to promote forms of environmental tourism which correspond to the principles of ecological sustainability and social responsibility. At present the organisation brings together tens of small companies which co-operate towards common marketing strategies and work policies to defend the interests of small business especially with regard to environmental tourism. The participants offer trips for small groups instead of in mass and utilising means to reduce the environmental impact of transport. It offers family accommodation organised according to the ecological sustainability criteria. This forum fits into Umweltbundesamt consultants and the German Ministry of the Environment for the creation of quality marks recognised across the whole federal territory. In this function, “anders reisen” has continuously reinforced the need to apply rigorous and complex  criteria which corresponds to the catalogue contents from the participants themselves. In 2001it contributed to the creation of the environmental quality mark Viabon.

 

In recent years the German tourism industry has generally re-dimensioned its activities in the field safeguarding the environment. With this in mind, the biggest companies in the sector in Germany have applied different ways to develop;

The Deutscher Reisebüro  (DER) also includes safeguarding the environment among its basic principles. This is the responsibility of a purpose made commission and is responsible for imposing this principle throughout the company

The Touristik Union International (TUI) makes environmental tourism a main battle horse for which they invest millions of Euro every year to create a thematic network ad hoc ( TUI-Umwelt-Netzwerk, TUN!) that includes all of the representatives in all sectors (commission for company planning, environmental agency, presidency, workers and clientele etc.) to create alternative strategies which meet pre-set standards based on the principles of ecological and social sustainability

Since 1992 the LTU has had an ad hoc company commission to safeguard the environment and it expresses a commitment towards the minimisation of ecological, social and cultural risks brought about by tourism in this field. It co-operates with the German Environmental Federal Minister and with the Europäische Reiseversicherung to safeguard protected species. There relationship with the Environmental Minister of the Maldives they work towards eliminating waste and with the WWF regarding training in ecology

In the ITS Reisen part of the Umwelt und Kultur commission of DRV, measures for restructuring which were put into place at the end of the nineties, brought about the closure of their environmental protection department and a reduction in activity in this field, but now the re-launch of this department is forecast in a development program

Even Neckermann Reisen (NUR) is present in the Umwelt und Kultur commission of DRV. It slowed down its attention towards environmental tourism in the nineties like the vast majority of the German Tourism Industry. It has put into place a company system of ecological management and intense care which has contact with local entities, organisations and companies which operate in the field of safeguarding the environment

 

Amongst the other companies with a relevant role in the German tourist industry, Wikinger Reisen has stood out for some time for the range of offers of “Active” holidays in Europe and in other Continents. These can be personalised or in small groups in areas of particular natural interest. In the eighties the principle of sharing social responsibilities with the population of the tourist resort, focused on organised trips, was translated in Ecuador by Wikinger Reisen while promoting a foundation with humanitarian aims and which brings to life plans directed towards the preservation of traditional culture (courses in the profession of typical crafting and / or socially useful training). Their aim was to improve living conditions from an economic point of view(implementing of ecologically sustainable activity etc.) and hygienic-sanitary (creation of remedies, teams for dentist work, vaccination campaigns and information campaigns etc.).

National level public sector entities

On a federal level, tourism returns to the field through political mediation by entities and institutions from the public sector. Such fragmentation of the duties does not help, above all for the creation of systematic strategies and brings with it the risk of a superimposition and a vacuum on the decision level.

- In the German parliament the duties concerning tourism and sustainable development are dealt with by the Fremdenverkehr und Tourismus. commission. The fact that it is a single commission together with the agriculture one and for post and telecoms indicates the level of attention given to this field of mediation, which deals with just one area of the economy. It has consulting duties with regard to the assembly and faculty of initiatives.

- The programmed lines of intervention from the German government in this sector are agreed in periodic reports on tourism from the Ministry of the Economy. Th these reports the space set aside for the topic of sustainable and ecological development is progressively increasing. In the document from 1975 safeguarding the environment was marginally mentioned and the need to improve conditions for stays and / or holidays was identified among the tourism objectives. Maintaining agreed values to contain the environmental impact on the more popular resorts and to apply measures to safeguard the ecosystem and typical countryside. Regarding the other identified aims (growth of the services and performance throughout German tourism, increasing the enjoyment of the tourist offer, intensification of the international co-operation in the tourism sector, improve co-ordination of the Bund and Länder policy) the theme is not taken up again. (Tourismus in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland – Grundlagen und Ziele, BT-Drs. 7/3840 of 1.7.1975)

Some twenty years later, the Government report identifies a fundamental principle for tourism as “safeguarding the environment, nature and landscape”( Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft 1994, pg. 36 and seg ). Then, the document from 2000 dedicates two chapters to the question of sustainable development and of the social responsibility (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft 2000, pg. 45-60 ).

With the law on Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfung (UVP) from 12.2.1990 the German government implemented the European directive 85/337/CEE, introducing for certain public and private projects the obligation to value environmental impact. The more important fields of tourism for the laws application are construction, preparation and setting up of tourism villages, hotels and other types of residential complexes for holidays (see attachment § 3 UVP, No. 15). Other types of infrastructure of potential ecological risk like are for example, tourist ports, golf courses are excluded. The working definition of the overall meaning (including the interaction between the results concerning the different bases for estimates like water, air, climate, flora, fauna etc.) is so far lacking. The point regarding prevention is included in the UVP law, where the application of control procedures is established even in inquiry stages for a project.

The German Constitution allows Länder the responsibility for tourism, just like the other sectors of the political economy (see Grundgesetzt, art. 91 a ), drastically reducing the likelihood of action from the Bund. Nevertheless tourism comes back into the various mediation fields of Ministers from many directions even for safeguarding the environment (Referate für Tourismus e/o Fremdenverkehr ),generally offering resources restrictively (human and financial):

the Economic Minister (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft, BMWi ), mainly the Referat Tourismuspolitik, defined the political objectives concerning tourism , also avoiding the observers (see the summarised government periodic report). They are to represent the interests of Germany in international organisations, push to develop tourism in the ex-DDR (around half the human resources are committed to this job of the Referat) and promote together with Länder foreign inward tourism towards Germany and internal tourism. Marketing German tourist resorts closely follows the Centre for German Tourism, Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus e.V., (DZT) , which in recent years has taken on a more and more important role in the sector, organising among other things training. The DZT and the BMWi contributed to the creation of the tourism-environmental quality mark Viabono in 2001. The BMWi also financed tourism seminars to up-date and train (see Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft 1996). It also supervised and co-ordinated assistance in the fields of safeguarding the environment, of agrotourisms, area planning, of bringing people up to date and professional training, managing rehab centres, thermal spas, infrastructure, for family based tourism, for young people and for the disabled;

the foreign affairs minister(Auswärtiges Amt, AA ) carried out valuation work (for BMWi) on tourist interest from other countries. It formulated and divulged guide lines for tourist safety abroad. It also spread up to date documents with useful advice for travellers and through its actual own representation abroad information on tourist attractions in Germany;

The German transport minister (Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Bau- und Wohnungswesen)has, among other things, the responsibility for promoting transport means with low environmental impact, developing infrastructure and divulge information concerning traffic in the tourist area. On top of that, responsible for the tourist construction policy (for example, through definitions of hotel construction criteria) and for the implementation of urban cleaning up as agreed by Länder and Bund

The Minister for the family, old people, women and young people (Bundesministeriun für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend, BMFSFJ ) widened the tourism policy ad hoc for  the groups under his responsibility ( important for these are the government program and growth as indicated in the annual tourism report). It offers contributions and organises onlus for constructing and setting up family tourism facilities and plans to create and maintain youth hostels throughout Germany and abroad. It also monitors and incentives (together with marketing work by DZT) this segment;

The agriculture minister (Bundesministerium für Verbraucherschutz, Ernährung und Landwirtschaft; BML) has federal level duties for agrotourism (Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof in the old Länder and Urlaub auf dem Lande in the new) and carries out functions addressed towards social-economic regional development through actioning ideas concerning agriculture (for example, supporting the integration of agriculture into tourism). Since 1996 it has organised the every four year competition with the prize of exemplary camp site (Vorbildliche Campingplätze ). The management of which passed to BMWi in 2000;

The training and research Minister (Bundesministerium für Bildung, und Forschung)is responsible for training, professional up dating and research in themes relevant to tourism. They also regulate the hotel-gastronomy exams .

 

The Minister for co-operation and development (Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung, BMZ) is responsible for policies concerning tourism for countries in the process of development. Within the entity is a ad hoc committee on ecological tourism (Arbeitsgruppe Ökotourismus )which carries out research on environmental tourism;

At the Ministry for the Environment (Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktionssicherheit, BMU ) they carry out a role which is central to the policy linking tourism with safeguarding the environment. They collaborate with organisations and companies. These entities produce catalogues for tourists (with travel agents) which provide a behavioural guide line to conform to the principle of ecological sustainability or they develop a list of ecological criteria to follow in he management of the company from the sector. Regarding national tourism, the BMU sorts, together with the BMWi, the DFV when organising a regular competition with the prize for the most worthy German tourist resort from the point of view of protecting the environment (Bundeswettbewerb umweltfreundliche Fremdenverkehrsorte in Deutschland). It is committed to the debate of identifying the different criteria for the definition of the environmental quality marks (see Hamele 1996). Regarding the extension to all tertiary of Öko-Audit and to Councils to promote tourism in the national parks and in the bio-parks and in the implementation of types of ecologically sustainable transport. The BMU and numerous other organisations have contributed to the creation of the quality mark Viabono to co-ordinate research in tourism-environment issues, for the promotion of pilot projects, for the spreading of information and for initiatives to improve public awareness.

 

The Deutsche Fremdenverkehrverband (DFV), the association of German sea resorts, Deutscher Bäderverband (DBV), the company Deutschland Tourismus Marketing (DTM) and the Deutschland Informations- und Resevierungsgesellschaft (DIRG) all operate on a federal level on the bases that public and private subjects participate. The last are in the marketing and promotion focused on environment field within Germany. The DFV is a representative organisation which includes more than 6,000 cities, communities and seaside resorts. Also, gastronomic companies and hotels are looked after by the legislative and executive entities. It has a commission Umwelt und Tourismus, that among other things consults regarding ecological quality marks and co-ordinates environmental projects relevant between Länder and regions. Regarding treatments the competition organisation is Bundeswettbewerb umweltfreundliche Fremdenverkehrsorte in Deutschland. The DBV regroups five federations in the treatments and sea resorts category which represent and supports the various interests planned around safeguarding the environment (for example, reducing traffic and noise pollution)

 

Public incentives for the tourist industry

 

With the exception of the program by the Economics Ministry for regarding the implementation of tourism services – ( Leistungssteigerung im Fremdenverkehrsgewerbe ), which subsidises consulting, training and up-dating for specialists and managers mainly for medium sized companies, there are no public incentives ad hoc for the tourism industry. The last one is among the benefits of various incentive programs. To be more specific, it derives from a stabilised public fund allocated to help regional development and for medium sized companies which makes it a relevant factor for German tourism.

This program of commitment linked (Bund and Länder ) to improvements in regional economic structure (GA Verbesserung der regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur, GRW) focuses on compensating the disadvantages of under developed areas (listed in a catalogue which is regularly up-dated). It supplies financial assistance for investments that produce added value which produce long term growth in regional income. To meet the condition the company sells its services or products mainly to other regions. Small and medium sized companies can access funds from the GA in the sectors of consulting, training, acquiring human resources, research and development. The minister for the economy of the single Länder or companies of of its choosing are responsible for the program. With the funds available, it is possible to finance (up to 15% of the forecasted value, extra is available in the ex DDR area) creations, modernisation, expansion of tourist facilities, like projects accepted by local entities to improve infrastructure (up to 60% of forecast expenses). The criteria is fixed by the regional development objectives (generally this does not include safeguarding the environment). Based on total volume in 1991 to 1998 financing to companies in tourism and tourist infrastructure were, respectively 7.5% and 16.5% aprox. Regarding the number of projects financed, 17.3% and 32.1% (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft 2000, pg. 22 and segg ) The investment financed in the objective areas of the program for medium sized companies was contributed by ERP a special fund with a specific regional program (ERP - Regionalprogramm).

Bund e Länder together agree to the creation of a program committed to improving agricultural structures and to protecting coast lines (GA Verbesserung der Agrarstruktur und des Küstenschutzes, GAK ) where finance is available even for entrepreneurial projects in the field of agritourisms, as they meet the condition of contributing to agricultural economic improvements.

 

Along side this incentive from Bund and of Lände there are other federal finances available for small and medium enterprises. These can be help to access credit, to create a business, for innovation, for research into safeguarding the environment, for attendance, for professional training and for , in particular, looking after the environment. The state has also put into place a system for PMI regarding the push by the federal office for work ( Bundesamt für Arbeit) in favour of employment, apprentices, training and re-training.

Most of these incentives are described in the national programs of the ERP fund (ERP - Sondervermögen managed by the Economics Minister) for medium sized companies. Two of the biggest credit Institutes contribute regarding outlined agreements: the Institute of Credit for Reconstruction (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau ) and the Deutsche Ausgleichsbank . The access to these lines of credit is mainly aimed for the agricultural companies (see AAVV 1999).

Regarding the special fund for economic development ERP, it originates from a current reconstruction plan by Europe after the second world war (European Recovery Program). Is includes 17 credit programs and participation in different sectors, from which eight concern the PMI. ERP funds are available where you show that the money is fundamental to carry out the project and the finance is used to reach established objects from the economic-ERP. The programs in ad hoc operation are published in the official federal journal (Bundeanzeiger ).

Traditionally, ERP credit programs for medium sized companies, from which the tourism companies consistently draw off, are those concerned with setting up and consolidating the activity (EKH and ERP-Existenzgündungsprogramm ). In 1998 the volume of direct incentives to this sector , from hotels to restaurants, was 640 million German marks and more than a billion marks in investment.

-The regional program ERP (ERP – Regionalprogramm) allows as per its objective, mortgage benefits to create, expand, rationalise and diversify that contribute towards improvements in the economic structure of the region in disadvantaged areas (GA Verbesserung der regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur ), according to the established criteria in the Directive for this area (Richtlinie für ERP-Darlehen an kleine und mittlere Unternehmen in regionalen Fördergebieten - ERP-Regionalprogramm).If the requested help is financed to expand an existing activity, permitting the mortgage is of secondary importance to the creation of new jobs.

- For companies with an annual turnover less than a fixed ceiling (aprox. a billion marks), less for freelancers, mortgages are available from the Programma KfW (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau ) for investment programs that require an appropriation of capital in the long term. Since 1996 the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau , regarding its program for medium sized companies, has also extended financing to lower credit costs for working capital (only available for the new Länder ), even in regions of Western Germany, with the main objective being to help companies promising growth.

- Bund and Länder both work towards helping existing companies or those in the start up phase as guarantor for banks (Bürgschaftsbanken). They take on the part which honour the mortgage. This can only be used for new activities or put together reinforcing measures and consolidate competitive capacity of the company. Today, Land has allocated guarantor banks for the area, and as a rule for small to medium sized companies.

- Finance to set-up or to stabilise an autonomous activity (within their first eight years of business) supplied by Deutsche Ausgleichsbank (DtA) which co-finances not just the initial necessary investments but also those to strengthen the company through product and process innovation, through the acquisition of other companies (or in part) regarding privatisation, through expansion or diversifying goods or services, re-location etc. The Deutsche Ausgleichsbank , like the KfW, since 1996 has had the availability widened to Western Länder for lower credit costs for working capital regarding its program for medium sized companies with the main objective of helping strong growth.

- The ERP Program to support the start-up capital to promote autonomous activities (EKH: Eigenkapitalhilfeprogramm zur Förderung selbständiger Existenzen ) supplies mortgages to support the start-up (guaranteed by the federal government) for finalised projects for autonomous activities about to be started-up with good development prospects or in the first two years of their initial phase. The physical person can access the EKH mortgages that offer the right qualifications regarding the nature of the project presented. The program is financed by Deutsche Ausgleichsbank based on requests received by the credit institute before the projects start-up.

- Regarding the projects to set-up small companies, since 1999 the Deutsche Ausgleichsbank has also widened access to low cost finance to the tourism sector through the program DtA-StarGeld (max credit volume :Euro 50,000).

-with the mortgages from the ERP program for the creation of companies (ERP Darlehen zur Förderung der Existenzgründung) setting up the company can be financed (for up to three years) or when the company buys or part buys another activity. Mortgages can be accessed for projects that are autonomous and represent the main income of the person requesting.

- since 1997 the new entrepreneurs can also take advantage of beneficial situations by accessing fiscal help regarding depreciation (Sonderabschreibungen, § 7g EStG ) included by the State and by Länder  for SME. Similar benefits refer to company profits, so the acquisition of mobile fixed assets from fixed capital, extra to variable or fixed depreciation, you can allocate special depreciation of 20% for 4 years from the moment of purchase.

- Public money from the ERP (Beteiligungsprogramm) program can contribute to the increase or consolidation of capital for SME to encourage private participation into co-operative projects, into innovation, into diversification and rationalisation. This needs to follow the criteria set by the corresponding Directive (Richtlinie für ERP-Darlehen zur Förderung von Beteiligungen an kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen - ERP-Beteiligungsprogramm ).

 

Public incentives to safeguard the environment in small businesses

 

Companies (mainly small and medium) can also access assistance for investments focused at safeguarding the environment and in improving the quality of the environment, included in federal government programs.

The ERP funds make investment finances available to purify waste water (ERP - Abwasserreiningungsprogramm ), to protect the environment from pollution (ERP-Luftreinhaltungsprogram ), and the economy from rubbish (ERP - Abfallbeseitigungsprogramm). Mortgages are available through Deutsche Ausgleichsbank. Regarding the first program, finance is available for connecting to the public utilities, systems to purify / treat waste water, systems to largely avoid or reduce the latter and systems to help save water. Similar help will be available from the second program for adapting measures such as to protect the air from pollution, to reduce the polluting factors, and to contribute to reduce or eliminate noise, odours and vibrations. The program for the economy of rubbish already includes contributions for the implementation of a recycling system. In addition, through the ERP plan there are also some contributions and reductions for investments on energy reduction of consumption systems, i.e. the usage of regenerating energy systems. The relative clauses to the ERP grants to safeguard the environment and save energy are available in the federal directive (Richtlinie für ERP-Darlehen zur Förderung von betrieblichen Investitionen zum Zwecke des Umweltschutzes und der Energieeinsparung).

The Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KFW Umweltprogramm) program has similar contributions and reductions in the operating field like the ERP however there are more focused production plans for innovative ecological products. In addition there are also support projects which safeguard the environment in neighbouring countries with the condition that it will also improve the situation in Germany. The following people can access the grants; foreign companies, agricultural and forest companies, owners of companies for the rubbish

Different to the credit available through KfW, are mortgages from the finance program for safeguarding the environment by Deutsche Ausgleichsbank(DtA) they are cumulative (according to pre arranged percentages) with similar mortgages to the ERP. High priority is given to integrated prevention protection projects. The interventions need to be able to carefully reduce and with a long term vision damage to the environment. The lower cost mortgages are available mainly for projects that correspond to the final ERP program for the environment and for saving energy and / or pilot projects that the federal Minister for the environment values as particularly deserving for support. For investments finalised for the use of regenerating energy supplies even single families can apply for which there are very important benefits. There is a link in this program between a guarantee system for the investments in products or ecological production facilities based on the Deutsche Ausgleichsbank taking on the risk of honouring the credit towards the third party for an amount of 80%. The requisites for this are that the products or production systems in question are able to immediately or in the long term avoid or limit the damaging effects to the environment. They also need to be ready to be launched into the market and have long term commercial feasibility.

Similarly to the last case, small and medium sized companies have a priority when allocating funds to create exemplary projects to reduce damage to the environment from the federal environmental office (Umweltbundesamt v. 2.2). This latest project is for adapting to high technology facilities to reduce environmental damage and combinations of processes to contain environmental damage and  projects concerning the production and use of raw materials with low environmental impact. The foreseen objectives include; reduction, recycling, and breaking down of rubbish, make fit old discharge systems, energy saving, using energy rationally and using regenerating energy supplies, protecting the air from pollution, purifying waste water and plumbing work, provision and supply of such energy to not damage the environment, protecting the soil. The financial help comes directly from the federal office for the environment on condition that at the moment of application the project has not been launched.

 

Public incentives for the innovation, research and development for safeguarding the environment are available only indirectly.

Research financed for product development, services or innovative working processes is co-financed using a program of mortgages ERP for innovation (ERP-Darlehen zur Förderung der Innovationsdynamik in der deutschen Wirtschaft - ERP-Innovationsprogramm), which contributes also towards keeping down the initial costs when entering into the German market. Priority is given to certain technologies concerning Part 1 of the program (information and communication, materials, biotechnology, genetic technology). Finance will be given as much for projects conducted on their own as in co-operations. Beneficiaries of Part II of the program are SMEs in the introductory phase into the German market, self employed or in partnership, of innovative products, processes or services. All activities to open into a new market or to introduce new production technologies (training, up-dating, consulting, information supply etc.) are supported. Requests for co-financing goes via Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau. The Directive on ERP mortgages which promotes innovation in the German economy, regulates the program (Richtlinie für ERP-Darlehen zur Förderung der Innovationsdynamik in der deutschen Wirtschaft - ERP-Innovationsprogramm ).

- The Federal Ministry of Training and Research contributes with various financial programs researching to technological sectors chosen time by time. To access these funds it depends on the adequacy of the objectives of the presented project and the availability of human resources and techniques. It also needs to be a project that evidently would not be possible to approach without the economic support offered.

- Promoting the transfer of technology and co-operation between companies, or even companies and research institutes, regarding research and development, is the main objective of the federal co-operation program for R & D (Forschung und Entwicklung ). Exchanges of personnel and research trips are valid parts of the co-operation program. The Training and Development Minister is in charge of the program Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen “Otto von Guericke“ e.V. (Berlin)

- The federal program for innovative companies focuses mainly at promoting innovation in small companies  (BTU) that finances a part of innovative activities in small companies, supporting R & D projects and helping towards the investment for the launch. This is available for companies with less than 50 employees and companies active for less than 10 years.

1.3 Prizes and marks for environmental quality

In the 1990’s the interests to safeguard the environment regarding tourism were channelled into various prizes and marks for environmental quality. (see AAVV 1992; Hamele 1996). Even after long discussions to introduce a single quality mark for the sector they had not reached a significant agreement. The only agreement they found was on general guide lines of ecological labeling, which contains a comprehensive guarantee, based on the high profile principles for safeguarding the environment, the transparency of the proposed application to labeling, a high level of satisfaction between destinations – companies and individuals. Since then, there has been a vast number of marks (about 50) and in 2001 numerous organisations involved in tourism and in safeguarding the environment worked together to create a single mark, the result was Viabonoa mark for tourism-environment quality (the following participated in the initiative; the Automobile Association for Germany: ADAC the Bundesamt für Naturschutz: BfN, Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus e.V.: DZT, Bundesverband der deutschen Tourismuswirtschaft e.V.: BTW, Bundesverband der Campingwirtschaft in Deutschland e.V: BVCD, the federation of the consumers association - Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentrale und Vderbaucherverbände e.V.: BVZV-, German Railways: DB, Deutscher Naturschutzring: DNR, DEHOGA, the Federation of medium sized travel agents: a.s.r., the forum anders reisen, the associationÖkologischer Tourismus in Europa: ÖTE, the automobile club VCD, Internationale Bustouristik: RDA, Deutscher Tourismusverband: DTV, the federation the city and community of Germany: DStGB, the committee of the German area : DLT, the association to thermal locations: DHV, the committee of Germany unilaterally the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of the Economy).

The Viabono mark is based on a catalogue of ecological criteria with eleven categories: elimination of rubbish, utilise climatic energy and facilities, water management, transport means, noise pollution, client comfort, information flows (clientele and collaborators), respect nature and country side, a synergy with an internal system of the local economic structure, management.

The licence is assigned in three distinct fields (each with its own check-list): natural parks, tourist villages, hotels and restaurants.

According to the organiser’s intentions, the mark is given to those who

“adopt a behaviour which is aware of ecological management, that use resources sparingly, co-operate with initiatives to safeguard the nature and environment, that consider base biological – or an essential part - products for their cuisine, that manage information of their own collaborators or of the guests”.

After its introduction there was a concern towards the growing lack of interest for the environmental issue, also found amongst tourists. According to results of a research undertaken by Umweltbundesamt(see Kreisel, Hoppe and Reeh 1999), actually the theme of safeguarding the environment seems to be less and less visible for travellers. There is more inclination to associate the idea of travelling as the maximum of freedom and that with restructuring shifting to a senses of environmental responsibility for nature and society at the location. Making the best out of these thoughts, Viabono presents its ideas positively towards the destinations creating

The licences last three years. For renewal, further checks are carried out which need to satisfy set criteria. The consumers point of view enters among the priorities through management issues like complaints and assuring the travellers of typical regional cuisine tasting, availability of transport with a low environmental impact (shuttle-bus), non-smoking rooms and wellness centres (for information www.viabono.de). The adopted questionnaire for assigning marks to hotels, bed and breakfasts and restaurants include, for example, criteria for the use of recyclable materials and containers, reduction of noise pollution, saving electric energy, using regional products particularly biological, regenerative energy and electric heating systems (the last three items have a bigger weight of importance). Associations for ecological tourism that is ÖTE (Ökologischer Tourismus in Europa e.V.) can see with the creation of Viabono a first step towards the practice of sustainable tourism (nachhaltiger Tourismus, see. cap. 1 ). The first version of the catalogue (added to periodically), above all doesn’t take into consideration the environmental impact of vehicles used for trips or the need to invest in the future. Also the mark is concentrated only on national tourism in Germany and does not include mediation of holidays abroad (see AHGZ 2001).

Recently it was considered to extend the environmental mark for agrotourisms. But there are awards available DLG  - Landhotel bzw. Landpension des Jahres both for play annually at the Deutsche Landwirtschaftsgesellschaft, based on a list of tourism-environmental criteria. These concentrated above all on offering regional cuisine and information regarding the local agricultural economy, the quality of accommodation, the opportunities to get to know the social and nature environment, not to mention the real hospitality from the agricultural company.

The following tables explain the exemplary titles, some are more important labels. They concentrate mainly on hotels and have federal (Bund), regional (Länder) and local authorisation

 

Sector	Definition	Promoter	Criteria / fields for application
Hotels	Umweltschnecke Nordseeinsel Borkum	City of Borkum	Catalogue of criteria with 47 points concerning the elimination of rubbish etc. and a catalogue of advice for restocking
Hotels	Grüne Sterne	Society of Tourism Companies in Uhldingen Mühlhofen	Hospitality, safeguarding the environment, entrepreneurial spirit (the criteria are added to and widened annually)

 

 

Sector	Definition	Promoter	Criteria / fields for application
Hotels	Umweltbewußter Hotel- und Gastättenbetrieb	Government of Bavaria	Elimination of rubbish, energy, water, criteria for reconstruction, transport means / connections, making collaborators and guests aware of the environment
Hotels	Wir führen einen umweltfreundlichen Betrieb	Hotel- u. Gastättenverband Baden-Württenberg	DEHOGA catalogue of criteria plus a further questionnaire
Hotels	Der umweltfreundliche Hotel- und Gastättenbetrieb	Hotel- und Gastättenverband Hessen.	Water and systems for purification, reduction of and separated collecting of rubbish, energy saving etc.
Hotels	Der umweltorientierte Hotel- und Gastättenbetrieb	Hotel- und Gastättenverband Schleswig-Holstein	Water and systems for purification, reduction of and separated collecting of rubbish, energy saving etc.
Hotels	Umweltfreundliches Gastgewerbe	Association of tourism Mecklenburg-Vorpommern	Questionnaire based on DEHOGA catalogue

 

 

 

Sector	Definition	Promoter	Criteria / fields for application
Tourist location	umweltfreundliche Fremdenverkehrsorte	DFV (in collaboration with BMWi and BMU)	Traffic, elimination of rubbish, infrastructure, countryside and nature, ecological management
City	Bundeshauptstadt für Ntur und Umweltschutz	Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V.	Environmental planning, agriculture and forest, water, traffic, elimination of rubbish, energy, protected species
Community of new Länder	TAT-Orte-Gemeinden im ökologischen Wettbewerb	Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik	Urban projects, safeguarding the countryside and environment from examples of economic recession and social relapse
Natural parks	Bundeswettbewerb Deutscher Naturparke	BMU	Quality of the comfort offered to visitors and the protection of the environment
Tourist zones	Umwetlgerechte Ferienstäten, Ferienparks und Ferienzentren	ADAC e.V.	Elimination of rubbish, quality of water, purification techniques, energy, countryside, traffic, and professional training.
Hotels	Wir führen einen umweltorientierten Betrieb	DEHOGA	Application of criteria from the 40 point DEHOGA catalogue with introduced variations from the individual Länder
Restaurant areas on the motorway	ADAC-Eichhörnchen: umweltgerechte Autobahnrastätte	ADAC e.V.	Elimination of rubbish, purification systems, energy

 

Tourism in Protected Natural Areas

 

Germany

 

The natural parks or the national parks represent a focal point of important attractions for ecological tourism in Germany. The German law sets out a wide public access ( § 14, 2nd paragraph BnatSchG), different to the protected natural reserves for which there are rigorous restrictions imposed necessary to safeguard the ecosystem. One of the most popular natural parks is Harz, and attracts more than 10 million visitors a year. Just as intense is the tourism at the Mecklenburg Vorpommern, that, with the Vorpommerschen Boddenlandschaftnational park it constitutes (after Bavaria) the second tourist objective in Germany(see attachment 3:WTO report). According to the results from research conducted in 1993, most visitor to this park (aprox. 70%) stay for more than five days (on average twelve), and it offers natural characteristics and a quite place (see Köhn, pg. 52 and segg.)

 

Excursus: il Biosphärenreservat Rhön

 

The possibility to enter directly into a natural environment is at the top of the list of things to do for one in thirteen German visitors : Biosphärenreservat Rhön. The last part (includes Bavaria, Assia and Turingia) up holds exemplary character for the tourist programming included when it started up, strongly inspired by the principle of ecological and social sustainability. When it started in 1991 a comprehensive tourism / regional development project was designed  which followed an holistic format, with aspects of agriculture, craftsmen, productive and commercial activity of, of the tertiary sector and of culture.