Description
The project will establish institutional cooperation, develop joint research program, and build capacities for cooperation in teaching. The partners will sign an Agreement of understanding; jointly develop a methodology to assess potential for sustainable tourism and use it in CR national park Sumava. This region will be explored, local stakeholders contacted and interviewed, data analysed and case study written which will serve for comparison with similar cases in Iceland. Research report will be produced (basis for joint article published beyond the scope of the project); case study will be elaborated into the teaching case and used in an international online course which will be taught in WS/2016. The project outcomes and gained expertise will be presented to local stakeholders who will become more informed about sustainable tourism, its benefits and means to achieve this sustainable path. The theme of the project is innovative in CR in the sphere of research and higher education.
Summary of project results
Project fulfilled all expectations. The first aim of this project was to introduce participatory methods of data collection and decision making to support democratic environment in CR, and to promote sustainable development that includes the community perspective. The Czech (staff from Charles University) and Iceland team (University of Iceland) collaborated on development of participatory methods in the field of sustainable tourism, and used research results to communicate with local stakeholders in a region of nature protection conflicts with local inhabitants. They developed thus a model example how to deal with social issues in this area. During the process both partners gained valuable skills and knowledge concerning sustainable indicators; strengthened their mutual relationship; and decided on future cooperation in research and potential other projects. Results of this project serve as a case study for teaching – available as an open education resource:
http://vcsewiki.czp.cuni.cz/wiki/Sustainable_tourism_in_%C5%A0umava_nat…. This case study is offered to the students of the international European Virtual Seminar. Research part has been summarized in the Research Report (attached). Process of communication with local actors was underway in summer 2016 and included the “public hearing” in the studied village (Prášily) where Czech and Iceland team presented and discussed research results with those concerned (often respondents questioned within the research). Final dissemination event for the academic community where methodological issues were discussed and justified has been organized after this event (both teams involved). In addition, development of the peer reviewed article is anticipated after the project finalization, as well as continuing communication with local actors in Šumava.
Summary of bilateral results
Ecologically sensitive regions are under pressures of growing tourism industry, its vulnerable natural assets thus being in danger. The project was based on similarities in natural environments of the partners - vulnerable natural parks - and similar growing tourism interest in them. Project partners shared experiences with use of participatory methods of analysing social environment (actor analysis, participatory action research), and developing sustainable tourism indicators to preserve natural sites and support local communities and their long term economic sustainability. They have cooperatively developed the method that served for exploration of the Sumava national park, used it for collection of data on site, and discussed results with local actors. Both teams thus established cooperation in research, and provided valuable input for policy debates underway in CR from which local communities can benefit. They also engaged in joint production of teaching materials.