Motivations
The specific significance of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (ECST) depends on the natural and human characteristics of the Park, its management and development model and the structural situation of the territory concerned.
The Park decided to join the ECST on the basis of three considerations:
1. In areas exposed to heavy environmental stress deriving from skiing infrastructure and associated building development, concern for the environment is now so intense that it has become necessary for the responsible institutions to intervene. In the minds of local residents, the environment as a resource has therefore become something which requires safeguarding and the Park must take great care not to disappoint this expectation.
2. In areas where the pressure from tourism is lighter, the Adamello Brenta Nature Park is seen as a possible promoter of development. Residents are proud to have a chance of making their still largely unspoilt nature a potential product for promoting tourism. In these areas, the Park is therefore seen as a great opportunity and this role does not meet with resistance from the other existing tourism promotion and development institutions.
3. Before initiating the Charter procedure, opportunities for dialogue between operators and the Park were infrequent and the Park's communications activities were addressed mainly towards initiatives for tourists. In other words, considerable energy was invested in communicating with the end user, without considering certain forms of indirect communication which could heighten awareness of the Park among operators and local residents. The way in which the Park communicates with hoteliers and other tourist service providers does not induce the latter to actively promote organised initiatives among their customers. Direct contact with providers could on one hand improve legitimisation of the Park and, on the other, reach customers indirectly. These reflections suggested the need to define a sustainable tourism policy. It is also part of a park's work to improve tourism management by encouraging good sustainable development practices. The Park cannot escape dialogue with the tourism sector which represents the main socioeconomic growth factor for many municipalities in the area, with great potential for supporting traditional economic activities and improving the quality of life for residents.
Tourism is also a valuable tool to make large numbers of people (from visitors to residents, tourism service provides and the institutions) more aware of the need to respect the environment.