EUTEENS4GREEN Projects

Bohemia needs sustainable tourism to change its bad image and economy. We want to promote responsible tourism that protects nature and presents opportunities for the younger generation.\nÚstecký Ka is a beautiful region that has a lot to offer. Because of the very difficult and painful history including post-war inhabitant displacement, industrial decline and social vulnerability, which has been carried over into the present, the region has consistently suffered from economic decline and a bad image. Moreover, people have not found a relationship with the land for many years. Now comes the sustainable transformation as the opportunity for an economically, socially and environmentally friendly future.\nThis bad image discourages young people to stay here and to take some transformative initiatives. The challenge is, however, to change the view of this region and to show the young generation the sustainable potential of this region that might become the reason to live and work here. \nAt this time tourism rises in my region and has great potential to transform it, especially if undertaken sustainably with respect to natural and social limits. Since 2000 has been located in a National park in Bohemia Switzerland and people have protected landscape Areas Labské pískovce (Elbe Sandstone Mountains) and Lužické hory (Lusatian Mountains). These areas contribute to the growth of tourism and create many employment opportunities in the tourism sector. However, the project wants different kinds of tourism here. The fire that swept through the national park this year showed us many weaknesses and also pointed out the climate change that is happening here. They do not want to promote mass tourism, which devastates the landscape and leaves many unwanted impacts on local inhabitants and nature itself. They have to save what visitors come here from, true nature, and at the same time present them with roots of re-newed local culture, and this leads the region to the need for a green transformation from mass tourism to sustainable tourism. It is necessary to introduce the young generation to the concept of tourism and how it should be done correctly in practice to avoid mistakes that commonly happen in many other Czech places suffering from over-tourism and local asset exploitation.

They expect a threefold impact of their project: First, the young people will raise their voices about the future of the region, will be activated via particular tools and will be connected to local stakeholders. Second, the discussion about the necessary transformation from mass tourism to sustainable tourism will be initiated. Third, the initiative to change the problematic image of the region to attract more young people to stay or to return will be launched with the great potential to evolve into a broader movement in future.\n\nProject impact will be measured by regular checking of planned indicators, such as: \n- Development of the logo, website, social media, and hashtag of the YoungFriengly region.\n- Production of podcasts (at least 10-12 podcasts during the project duration).\n- Organization of the video competition with the aim to reach, at least, 30 participants.\n- Organization of the conference with the aim to reach, at least, 40-50 participants.\n- Dissemination of all the activities on existing mass media (local newspapers, radio etc.) with the aim to produce at least 3-5 publicly spread reports.