Providers of services and events in sustainable tourism are often small. In Snæfellsnes regional park they are learning to work together in order to develop their products and make the visitors stay longer.
By: Ragnhildur Sigurðardóttir – Snæfellsnes Regional Park
Throughout 2019 Snæfellsnes regional park have been hosting a series of workshops for local providers of sustainable tourism services. The aim of the workshops has been to strengthen co-operation between companies and their networks, thereby supporting the companies in product development in their own area as well as developing the region as a whole.
Developing the coastal trail
In early spring about 25 people attended a workshop on designing local experiences and on how to promote them. The workshop was primarily connected to supporting the coastal route on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The ideas and methods of nature interpretation were discussed – a good and practical tool for designing a tourism experience. Emphasis was placed on reviewing how individual companies can work together to strengthen their own product development and at the same time strengthen collaboration between companies to develop older and new travel products.
Workplace training and hospitality management
The attractions are important, but so are the services you deliver to your visitors. The Icelandic Skills Centre has developed tools to help companies work on education within their companies and thereby strengthen quality in their work. Continuous workplace training will keep everybody on their toes and help sustain professional hospitality management.
Key learning from the workshops has been that cooperation is important in order to find ways to get visitors – foreign and domestic – to stay longer and enjoy what Snæfellsnes has to offer.
SHAPE is a three-year Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme (NPA) project promoting the development of ecotourism initiatives. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter.