Sustainability Council begins work

Sauerland-Tourismus e. V. and Touristikverband Siegen-Wittgenstein e. V. are in the joint certification process for "Sustainable Destinations" with the aim of achieving the renowned "TourCert" seal.with the aim of achieving the prestigious "TourCert" seal. The process is being supported by a sustainability advisory board, which has now held its first meeting - a hybrid event consisting of face-to-face and online meetings. The two sustainability officers of the regions, Anna Galon (Sauerland) and Jule Kampen (Siegen-Wittgenstein), presented the status quo and the upcoming milestones.

A lot is already happening in Siegen-Wittgenstein and Sauerland that has a lasting impact and combines economic, ecological and social aspects. As part of the certification process, the aim is to make this visible and continuously expand it.

"We don't see sustainability certification as a project, but as an ongoing process to make tourism in our regions fit for the future," says Jule Kampen. Anna Galon adds: "A particularly important part of the process is the establishment of a sustainability advisory board to assess and steer sustainable development in Siegen-Wittgenstein and the Sauerland."

The sustainability advisory board will spread the understanding of sustainability across the region and in various areas of action - the living space, economic space and natural space - and support the networking and coordination of sustainable efforts in the tourist regions. It therefore has a diverse membership and will meet twice a year in future.

Sauerland-Tourismus is represented by Managing Director Dr. Jürgen Fischbach (Sauerland-Tourismus) and Chairman Philipp Scharfenbaum. The Siegen-Wittgenstein Tourism Association is represented by Managing Director Monika Dombrowsky and the Head of the Department of the District Administrator of Siegen-Wittgenstein, Steffen Löhr.

The following have been appointed for the tourist locations: Andreas Bernshausen (Bad Berleburg), Annette Baumeister (Arnsberg) and Winfried Borgmann (Winterberg). Detlef Lins (Naturpark Sauerland Rothaargebirge) will represent all three nature parks, while Stephan Britten (IHK Arnsberg, Hellweg-Sauerland) has been appointed to represent the chambers of industry and commerce. Elke Stahlmecke (Die Sterne im Sauerland), Steffen Braukmann, (Gästeappartements Mechels) and Arndt Brüne (Graf Stolberg Hütte Willingen) speak for the regions' hosts and excursion destinations. Nina Dahlhaus represents the Landesverband Tourismus-NRW e. V. and Mario Ziogas the Südwestfalen Agentur.

The tourism associations discussed the status of the certification process with the Sustainability Advisory Board: Sauerland Tourism and the Siegen-Wittgenstein Tourism Association take on the role of knowledge brokers, idea and impulse providers. They are building a network of tourism businesses that make sustainability tangible for guests with their offers. As the process continues, they are also developing improvement measures in order to gradually coordinate and strengthen a common understanding of sustainability and action with all committed stakeholders.

"We were able to take away a lot of great ideas from the Sustainability Advisory Board's discussions," says Anna Galon, summarizing the meeting, and Jule Kampen agrees: "The members' suggestions will help us to draw up our comprehensive sustainability reports and define our individual measures for the next three years."

The process will continue with the aim of obtaining the prestigious "TourCert" seal for the two regions in spring 2024.

Contact for the press:
Anna Galon, Sauerland-Tourismus e. V.
Johannes-Hummel-Weg 1, 57392 Schmallenberg
Tel.: 02974-969850, e-mail: anna.galon@sauerland.com