Culture & Tourism Group

Annual Report 2003-2004

Fact file:

Co-ordination:

Chair: Baroness Ros Scott, Suffolk County Council

Vice-Chairs:

Ms Annelie Stark, Västra Götaland Region

Mr Jacques Suurmond, Province of Zeeland

Co-ordinator: Mr Geir Sør-Reime, Rogaland County Council

Member regions with active participation (attending 1 or 2 meetings):

Aberdeenshire, Eastlothian, Norfolk, Suffolk, Zeeland, Ringkjöbing, Västra Götaland, Vestfold, Telemark, Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sør-Trøndelag.

Meetings 2003-2004:

XXI Meeting, Middelburg, Province of Zeeland, 2-5 October 2004

XXII Meeting, Seefeld (Wesermarsch), Lower Saxony, 2-3 May 2004

(the latter meeting also included the joint conference on culinary heritage, 'Old Tastes, New Ways, 30 April-2 May, co-organised with the Education and Research, and Economic Development Groups)

Major items on the agenda:

- North Sea tourism framework project, linked to Interreg IIIB North Sea Region

- The Role and Value of Non-material culture in Spatial Development

- Action plan 2004

- Project presentations and updates

The tourism framework item was based on a scooping study on sustainable tourism development in the North Sea region, prepared by the Interreg IIIB North Sea Region secretariat. Based on initial discussion at the XXI meeting in Middelburg, a letter was sent from the Chair of the group to the Interreg IIIB secretariat, suggesting a closer co-operation between our group and the secretariat on this issue. In its reply, the Interreg IIIB secretariat responded positively, and a staff member of the secretariat attended the XXII meeting in Wesermarsch. Here, the opportunities and possibilities of working together on a tourism framework project were discussed, and a timetable was agreed upon.

The work of the group throughout the last years have been excellently summed up by member Keith Newton from Aberdeenshire, and all delegates will be presented with a copy of his paper.

Please Click Here to view the Paper.  Requires Acrobat Reader.