NALAS Task Force on Sustainable Tourism met in Sveti Kriz Zacretje, Croatia on 27-28 March 2013. During the meeting, the cooperation with the National Association of Italian Communes (ANCI) has been re-integrated into the activities of the Task Force. The group drafted the content of the NALAS Position Paper “SEE Tourism Goes Local”, which aims to build a common NALAS position on what sustainable tourism at local level means, why is it important, what are the main principles that need to be followed, who are the main stakeholders, and what are the preferred actions and recommendations.

Representatives of the NALAS Task Force on Sustainable Tourism participated at the conference “Destination Management and Branding in the Mediterranean Region: Sustainable Tourism in Times of Crisis”. Many subjects such as marketing, management and ecological & social effects of tourism were discussed within the framework of destination management. Special focus was put on the strategies in branding efforts and successful applications of the tourism destinations located in the Mediterranean Basin and the question how the region can receive a larger share from the tourism cake. Other topics discussed within the context of the Conference are: new trends in sustainable tourism (eco-tourism, creative tourism, agro- tourism), adaptation to environmental challenges, tourism network development, the roles of local community, social effects of tourism (ethical codes etc.)

The members of the NALAS Task Force on Sustainable Tourism spent the week of 11-15 June 2012 in Brussels planning their work in the next 18 months and learning about the EU policies on tourism and the involvement of the local authorities. The planning meeting of the Task Force (11-12 June) set future actions aiming at: a) Improving the strategic planning for sustainable tourism at the local level in SEE; b) Development of NALAS Charter on Sustainable Tourism at the Local Level; and c) Identification of available funding for sustainable tourism at local level.

The Task Force on Sustainable Tourism had its founding meeting in Sarajevo, together with the first NALAS Municipal Fair NEXPO 2011. The meeting was hosted by the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SOGFBiH), which is also the host association of the Task Force. This Task Force is supported by the National Association of Italian Communes (ANCI), and the SEE Net Programme.