Current projects

Goals

Results

Co-financedby

Back to nature; Training of Trainers on Rural Tourism (2012 - 2014)
(2012-1-TR1-LEO05-35140)

Aim of the project is to adapt former project results, develop new curricula, training modules and case studies, and thus create a complete course material on rural tourism which will be delivered on-line to the target population of VET teachers, tutors, tourism enterpreneurs and managers.

1. Virtual Comunication Platform
2. Curricula on Rural Tourism Training
3. Training Modules on Rural Tourism
4. Case Studies
5. Local Trainings of VET Teachers, Trainers and Tutors
6. E-learning Platform

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation.

Corporate Social Responsibility Training and Certification in the Travel Sector (2012- 2014)
(2012-1-HR1-LEO05-01703)

To introduce Corporate Social Responsibility in the vocational knowledge and skills of current and future European travel professionals in order to secure environmental, social and economic sustainability of the European travel industry. It aims to transfer an established innovative CSR training, assessment and award system collaboratively developed by UK and Dutch travel associations, to other European countries.

Information about sustainability system for Tour operators and Travel agencies here.

1. MoU between VET institutes and Associations indicating a mutual recognition of the CSR training
2. Translated web-site regarding sustainability standards, self-asessment and self-training for accommodations
3. A "CSR for travel companies" virtual learning environment
4. A set of web tools for "CRS in travel companies"
5. A "CSR for travel companies" training handbook
6. A "CSR in Tourism" course for VET institutes
7. A country-specific CSR standards grading and award system for travel companies
8. Auditing and control standard of each importing association
9. Train the trainer workshop aimed at training travel company staff and VET tourism students about CSR in tourism companies
10. A Communication startegy for each country
11. National training workshops for CSR coordinators
12. Integrated CSR training into VET curricula resulting in first group of VET students certified
13. Travel companies coached and awarded for CSR quality standard
14. Information brochure for accomodation suppliers
15. Accommodation sustainability audits

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation.

SAFETUR (2012 -2014)
Practice based training tool for safety and security in European rural tourism (2012-1-LV1-LEO05-03389)

Provide a practical and efficient, continuosly updated life-long learning opportunity for tourism micro-SMEs in Europe through improved training accessibility in the field of Safety and Security at workplace and for clients, leading to compliance with cross-european standarts, an increased professionalism, competitiveness through trust and reability and through these, stability and sustainability of rural tourism initiatives in Europe.

1. Handbook "Your rural tourism business- run it smart"
2. Web tool - online self evaluation
3. Web tool - Inspection manual
4. Web tool - Virtual training in Safety and Security (SECTOOL)
5. European Rural Tourism Workshop on Safety

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation.

HERITAGE TOURISM (2011-2013)
Promoting the use of cultural heritage in service design of rural tourism (CB54)

To increase the competitiveness of Estonian and Latvian rural tourism businesses through product development and design of tourism services using national cultural heritage.

1. Skills and knowledge of 350-400 rural tourism providers improved.
2. Development plans created and partly implemented in ca 15 rural tourism businesses in Latvia for using national heritage in their service design with support of experienced designers, archiects and tourism consultants.
3. The logo of cultural heritage tourism products designed in Latvia, the products promoted in touring routes, in the web, printed publications and travel fairs.

European Nature System: An ECVET process to put in transparency and recognise across Europe the learning outcomes and the qualifications of the professional figures in the nature-based tourism sector
( LLP-LdV-TOI-11-IT-685)

To put in transparency and recognise the learning outcomes characterising the nature-based tourism professions, applying and implementing the European tools and frameworks EQF and ECVET.

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Definition of an action plan for the ECVET process to be activated in the field of professional figures in nature-based and rural tourism.
2. Design of professional figures in nature-based and rural tourism in terms of activities, tasks, knowledge, skills,competences, certification objectives, units of learning outcomes and related ECVET credits.
3. Definition and signature of the Memorandum of Understanding - MoU ECVET for the professional figures in nature-based and rural tourism.
4. Pilot test on the enforcement of the Memorandum of Understanding - MoU ECVET for the professional figures in nature-based and rural tourism.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation.

Active Tourism for Sustainable Development – transfer of innovative job-related vocational training and methodology (2011-1-BG1-LEO05)

1. Transfer of innovative vocational training solutions in active tourism based on labour market needs and skills identification and facilitate the creation of national qualification standards in active tourism in the countries involved.
2. Foster the involvement of employers, continuous vocational training representatives and stakeholders at cross-sector level to make the new professional profile and attractive occupation in rural areas.
3. Increase accessibility to active tourism for the disabled and seniors.
4. Integrate the green tourism philosophy into vocational training solutions in active tourism.

Active Tourism Skills Map – graphic illustration of the major skills to match labour market needs;
- Updated and improved Active Tourism Training Guide and Curriculum;
- Web site and interactive Web Learning Tool in Active Tourism;
- Online database of international stakeholders in Active Tourism.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation.

ROUTES 4 (2010-2012)
Mentor-supported E-Learning in rural tourism (2010-1-ES1-LEO05-20971)

The project focusses on four aims:
A. define the needs of training for mentors in an E-Learning environment. This will take into consideration different
realities for distance- or internet-based learning in Andalusia, Estonia, Latvia, and Bulgaria.
B. create training materials for future mentors and students
C. test the outcome on five local training activities
D. use state-of-art WEB 2.0 to create a virtual community for mentor supported E-learning.

Outcomes include a need analysis for qualifications of mentors in E-learning invironment; teaching materials for the training of mentors; guidelines for adaptation of existing courses to match with the mentor support; a Handbook about introducing mentor support in E-learning; and interactive thematic website with Web 2.0 structure; an international workshop; and the proposal for a new formal vocational qualification as mentor.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation.

AKTOS (2010 - 2012)

To carry out the transfer of a tool that integrates innovative contents and results and transfer these materials to rural communities in need of a specific training related to the exploitation of the endogenous resources.

Association "Lauku celotajs" is partner in this project and is developing training material "Active tourism handbook". You can follow latvian partner project activities here

The main result that will be transferred within the AKTOS project will be the Good Practises Guide of the previous FONTES project, that intends to inform the users target groups, about the employment possibilities generated by the different endogenous resources of the rural areas, which in many cases are not yet properly exploited.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

Agora 2.0 (2009 - 2012)

The project focuses on fostering the common identity of the Baltic Sea Region by highlighting, developing and marketing substantial parts of the Baltic Sea Region natural and cultural heritage as business environment and outstanding strength of the region

Developed database of forest areas
Developed new active tourism products - hiking, study trails, bird and animal watching, mushroom and berry picking etc.
Develop learning material for rural tourism providers on new forest tourism product development
Map of forest sites including new active tourism products

This project is partly financed by the European Union (ERDF) within the Baltic Sea Region Programme

Parks & Benefits (2008-2011)

The aim of project is to generate socio-economic effects for the region by a sustainable management of protected areas by using European Charter as instrument, by linking protected areas to their regions (accessibility, services, economic links), by establishing public-private partnerships between administrations of protected areas, local SME's and regional planning authorities to create new tourism products and increasing the quality of eco-tourism by establishing a BSR quality standard.

Developed new nature friendly tourism pilot products in the territory of Kemeri National Park - walking, cycling, water tourism, bird and animal watching.
Published brochure of national parks of Latvia, gathering information on tourism offers within 4 national parks in Latvia.
Organized seminars and prepared seminar materials for distribution according to seminar themes – Activities of tourists in nature, Tips on sustainable use of nature resources, Biological diversity and it's protection.
Provided input for guidelines on health and nature tourism.
The results of project widely disseminated across Europe.

This project is partly financed by the European Union (ERDF) within the Baltic Sea Region Programme

Baltic Green Belt (2008-2011)

The aim of this project is to facilitate the preservation of biological diversity in the Baltic Sea Region by establishing the Baltic Green Belt as a permanent network of co-operation.

Database of military heritage sites.objects based on existing sources, recorded local information about the sites/objects and their influence on the local life and nature.
Recomendations for sustainable use of military heritage sites/objects in Natura2000 and other protected nature areas in tourism.
Developed walking, cycling, driving and/or combined touring routes including military heritage sites and protected nature areas in Baltic states.
The results of project widely disseminated across Europe.

This project is partly financed by the European Union (ERDF) within the Baltic Sea Region Programme

POLPROP-NATURA, 2009-2012 (LIFE07 ENV/LV/000981)

The purpose of this project is to draft proposals on how tourism can be developed and environmental protection policies can be documented on the basis of realistic and long-term tourism targets. The focus would be on the “Natura 2000” territory that is the Slītere National Park.

Environment and tourism policy proposal document on sustainable tourism for biodiversity in Latvia.
Sustainable tourism management model of a Natura 2000 site developed, based on 5 new sustainable nature tourism products and their marketing module.
Positive awareness of Natura 2000 among all target groups reached through dissemination/communication campaign.

With the contribution of the LIFE financial instrument of the European Community

Co-financed: