ICTP welcomes election of Schops as President of Europarcs Confederation

The president of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) Professor Geoffrey Lipman added the congratulations of ICTP on the election of Ignace Schops, as the new President of Europarc Federation – which brings together organisations responsible for the management of most of Europe’s protected areas. Currently it represents over 370 members in 36 countries.

Identifying Schops as a long time climate response activist, committed to protecting nature and the people who are dependent on it, Lipman said that he was also passionate about sustainable tourism and a close collaborator of ICTP.

Schops was one of the co-directors of the recent ICTP supported Green Growth & Travelism Summer School, where he stated “Our planet is put under ever increasing pressure, with severe damages related to climate change and biodiversity loss already visible. The (Re)connection Model can be a vehicle for sustainable tourism and help to protect and value the natural heritage. It (re)connects Society-Natural heritage, Nature-Nature, People-Nature, Business-Biodiversity and Policy-Practice.

Expert research needs to be translated into daily life tips which are understandable by all publics. A considerable amount of knowledge, technologies and solutions already exists. Even more is under research and development. This needs to be disseminated, taught and implemented.”
Schops underscored the importance of effective implementation, adding “Biodiversity & climate change are the two sides of the same coin. In the current worrying context of diminishing biodiversity, increasing nitrogen levels, extinction of species and rainforest destruction, it is vital to act now. Given that nature is a non-reproductive good, traditional tourism, where it damages ecosystems and destinations should be replaced as quickly as possible by sustainable tourism which takes and gives back in a balanced way”

Lipman said that ICTP will be working closely with Mr Schops to promote this message worldwide, as well as the policies/practices of Green Growth that underpin the shift from words into actions.

The International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) is a grassroots travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to quality service and green growth. ICTP engages communities and their stakeholders to share quality and green opportunities including tools and resources, access to funding, education, and marketing support.

ICTP advocates sustainable aviation growth, streamlined travel formalities, fair coherent taxation, and investments for jobs. ICTP supports the UN Millennium Development Goals, the UN World Tourism Organization’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, and a range of programs that underpin them.

For more information on ICTP go to www.ictp.travel