Tourism for future generations In October 2024, the NORDIC TOURISM COLLECTIVE will host a unique event, gathering tourism suppliers and partners together with universities, higher education institutions and students for an open day of content and networking, showcasing the breadth, the culture, the excitement and potential of the tourism industry in the Nordic region. Why are we doing this? Our industry faces a continuing shortage of available and good staff. Initially, this crisis was a manifestation of the immediate port-covid environment as companies struggled to re-adjust to higher levels of business enquiries and bookings with fewer staff. It is now clear, however, that there is a longer-term infrastructural issue which sees the Travel & Tourism sector struggling to recruit and retain staff. Lockdown conditions and legislations have accelerated workplace infrastructural change with WFH now the accepted normality with new entrants to the workplace seeking a balanced work-life and flexible job roles. NORDIC TOURISM COLLECTIVE Working Groups Last year, we sought the views and experiences across a series of working groups that took place between October 2022 and Jun 2023. The working groups were made up of representatives from across different sectors of the industry within the Nordic and Baltic countries. Why does the travel & tourism industry struggle to attract, recruit and retain staff? This is understood to be for a number of interrelated reasons • Image and percep[tion of tourism as a not serious or unprofessional industry • Poor remuneration and/or perks • Very much affected by external geo-political and natural factors • Inflexible working conditions • Lack of opportunities • Lack of clear career progression • Lack of professional training • Not enough practical support from Academia for tourism? Assessing the issues - industry image? The travel industry is a rich, extensive and diverse industry but it is fragmented into sectors and interest groups and lacks a collective voice. Governments have little understanding of the extent and economic scale of the industry. The travel and tourism industry is volatile, insecure and vulnerable to external economic and geo-political factors. The industry is also poorly remunerated compared to other industries often with seasonal or antisocial hours. It is often as a tertiary service sector not as a global industry it really is. Many younger people see the industry as temporary and not as an aspirational career choice and do not understand the scale and opportunities within the travel industry. We lack young inspirational influencers and ambassadors Changing perceptions We need to define and clarify the very meaning of the tourism industry and communicate the scale, scope and importance of the industry to local and national economies. We need also to illustrate that the travel industry is rich and diverse with a wide range of roles and opportunities exciting for school leavers, apprentices and graduates alike with emphasis on "people's" skills and the diversity across the industry. In an industry that relies heavily on seasonal and shift work we must explore ways in which these working conditions can be accommodated. Workplaces must make adjustments (and sacrifices) to attract workers by offering short term financial bonuses. Tourism must become a desirable industry to enter with the opportunity of a clear career pathfor those just starting in the industry. We should consider continued training of staff for maximumretention and success. We also must offer internships/apprenticeships to school leavers and college students to attract young talent without the qualifications but who are interested in starting an exciting career. There are already a number of successful apprenticeship schemes - successful examples include Greenland Travel and Lund Gruppen A career in tourism could, in fact, be any of the following - Marketing, Hospitality, Supply Management, Operations, Customer Service, Guiding, Event Management, Legal, HR/Personnel management, Finance management/payroll, Technology, Social Media, Health & Safety, Graphic Design, PR/Copywriting Sustainable Tourism can elevate the image and perception of tourism Sustainability tourism could be a unifying message and show that tourism can be a force for good. We will need to show good examples of how sustainability is fundamental and how the Nordics are leading the way globally. We could include a timescale of how the Nordic adoption of sustainable tourism is developing. Sustainability and the importance of sustainable tourism needs to be at the heart of our strategy to attract young talent to the industry We need to explain how airline emissions do not overshadow the progress made towards sustainable tourism. Generation Z places sustainability at their core and is one of the groups we want to attract. We can showcase how far we have come already and share successes and concepts of sustainability in the region and how it is now part of the Nordic story and everyday life. The Nordics lead the way in sustainability and are a beacon for global tourism. Our recommendations • Prepare a definition of the industry and show scale and scope of the industry through infographics • Show how the business actually works through infographic • Show how working with different source markets and cultures is inspiring. •Travel also opens the minds of young people to diversity and cultural richness • Importance of life experiences in travel and how tourism makes these happen • Show how tourism is about dreams and experiences (not things) • Illustrate how tourism is all about people, connecting, partnering and collaborating together • Senior tourism stakeholders to work on positive messages - Find young inspirational influencers/ambassadors • Show the importance of sustainable tourism for future generations • Provide an explanation of sustainable tourism and how sustainable tourism can be a force for good • Examples of how tourism can help local economies (in Nordics and elsewhere?) • Illustrate how easy and open the tourism industry is to enter at whatever stage of your working career • Show how its possible to study while you are working with the varying seasonalities • Train up trainees/apprentices to enjoy seasonal work, get a taste of the industry • Qualifications that are recognised in the industry - examples • Tourism has everything (and demonstrate it has) - provide comprehensive list of career opportunities • Showcase best practice case study examples (employment, career progression, on-going education and training sustainable tourism, collaboration) • Set up a Nordic Institute of Tourism (NIT)! Conclusions and next steps - Stockholm 2024 As a result of these working groups and discussions the Collective is planning to create a unique event, gathering tourism suppliers and partners together with universities, higher education institutions and students for an open day of content and networking, showcasing the breadth, the culture, the excitement and potential of the tourism industry in the Nordic region. Learningmatters 2024 will take place in Stockholm in October, gathering academic institutions, the private and public sectors and students. By clearly demonstrating and communicating this message we can position the industry as the thriving and exciting industry it is, attracting new generations. The adoption of new technologies and sustainable practices will further enhance the attractiveness of our industry.

2023 has been a busy year for us all. Tourism is thriving again with many destinations and operators enjoying excellent numbers. Whilst some regions in the East are still below pre-pandemic numbers due to lingering effects of the Ukraine conflict, there are destinations in the West and across the North Atlantic in particular struggling with a lack of capacity and record demand. At the COLLECTIVE, our efforts have reflected this pattern, culminating with our events in Riga and on the Baltic Sea, where we discussed existential changes to our industry; the development of Cold Tourism, attracting new generations to tourism and, of course, the advance of technology.  Our community grew in 2023 with many new supplier and buyer members and, importantly, so has our partnership-reach and collaborative efforts. The global travel industry is predicted to represent a US$15.5 tn economy by 2033 and while there will be many obstacles to overcome along the way, together we can build a responsible and robust industry for the future. We look forward to the opportunities and to the challenges in 2024 and we invite you to join us on the journey. Membership  Almost 100 Nordic businesses now form the Collective supplier membership network with a good spread across both country and sector.   In 2023 a particular effort was made to increase the number of European buyers adding 60 new European specialists to the community. Partnerships Significantly we have also secured a number of new collaborative partnership agreements and strengthened existing ones.  Our partnership with ETOA remains strong and we continue our joint membership arrangement with access to all ETOA European events, many of which are well attended by our Nordic and Baltic suppliers.  Webinars Our webinar series aims to inform and stimulate debate across a range of topics • China • India • UK • Japan • Sustainable Nordics • Nature Tourism • Sustainable accommodation Tech:matters Embracing and challenging technological advancements and exploring the opportunities for our businesses • Techmatters- Technology evolvement • Techmatters - distribution  • Techmatters - Martech • Techmatters - Tik Tok Working groups Multi-desination and sector discussion • Tourism resources • Sustainability Events NordicMarketplace 2023 Tivoli Hotel & Congress Centre and Welcome Reception at the National Museum of Denmark.   B2B workshop with over 200 delegates Baltic Sea Region Tourism Forum & Workshop Conference and B2B workshop for businesses based in and around the Baltic Sea.   120 delegates Captains Cruise Conference and Networking  event for 60 delegates on Tallink Silja. Membership  Continue our drive for an increase in members.  The greater the membership, the more influence we have in public-private sectors and the greater number of opportunities we can generate for our members through our communications, webinars, working groups and events.   We will continue our focus on growing the number of European specialist buyers in our Nordic community Webinars Our webinar programme will continue and evolve with more source market and thematic webinars to include as large a cross-section of the Nordic community as possible Working Groups We will continue to develop the themes explored in 2023 looking specifically into the implications of Cold Tourism and developments within the educational sector, working with educational institutions to create a road map for young people considering Travel and tourism as a career choice. Goal for 2024 Our ambition in 2024 is ‘to become ‘a leading voice for Nordic tourism’. Events The Nordic Marketplace returns to Copenhagen in February 2024 with the inclusion of more European special buyers particularly from DACH and Benelux. NORDICMARKETPLACE 2024(https://www.nordictourismcollective.com/nordicmarketplace2024) Captains Cruise Following the success of the Captains Cruise 2023, this special networking event will be epeated in late August 2024, Date TBA  CAPTAINS CRUISE 2023(https://www.nordictourismcollective.com/captainscruise) Tech:matters  There has been much interest in our Techmatters projects in 2023 and so, for 2024, we will host a dedicated technology event to explore some of the issues and opportunities in greater detail. Dates, format and location TBA Building Nordic Tourism for the Future We will organise an educational event and open day incorporating tourism businesses, educational institutions and school and college students with the aim of showing students the breadth of opportunity within the Tourism industry  Late May, Stockholm Format TBA

The Nordic Tourism Collective has partnered with TerreVerde Sustainability to help provide a practical first-step pathway for destinations and SMEs seeking to embark on their first stages of their sustainable tourism journey Whilst much progress has been made in the development of sustainable tourism, particularly in the Nordic countries, there is still much more work to be done and much of the rhetoric around sustainable tourism needs to be turned to action. The Nordic Tourism Collective & Terreverde Sustainability share a common belief in the pursuit of sustainable tourism and together can help provide the tools to make this happen TerraVerde is a boutique sustainability consultancy dedicated to travel, tourism and hospitality, driven by a passion for our sector and with a deep appreciation of its benefits to people and places. With practical, business-friendly advice, TerraVerde supports its clients at every stage of their sustainability journey; helping them create compelling strategies in environmental and social sustainability, as well as decarbonising their operations and products. Its mission is to ensure that the industry we love continues to thrive, whilst minimising the impact on the natural resources upon which we all depend. Sustainable tourism Whilst much progress has been made in the development of sustainable tourism, particularly in the Nordic countries, there is still much more work to be done and much of the rhetoric around sustainable tourism needs to be turned to action. Sustainable Tourism refers to sustainable practices in and by the tourism industry and is an aspiration to acknowledge all impacts of tourism, both positive and negative; to minimise the negative impacts and maximise the positive ones. It’s worth remembering that sustainable tourism includes more than environmental concerns and normally includes four-separate considerations or pillars, as defined by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, these are: (A) Sustainable management; (B) Socioeconomic impacts; (C) Cultural impacts; (D) Environmental impact. Demand-push vs supply-pull The path to sustainability and sustainable tourism is a long journey that will last forever with new approaches, new technologies and ecological realities ever changing. Consumer demand for sustainable products and services will increase as more sustainable products become available. However, as representatives of our industry, we need to do more to make these products available for customers. The Booking.com 2023 Annual Sustainable Travel Report found that, “74% of respondents want travel companies to offer more sustainable travel choices.” The spotlight is on us all to take the lead by improving our own positions on sustainability and sustainable tourism and developing great products and services and at the same time, making them easy for the consumer to find and buy. Then let’s add our voices to the debate by communicating with our customers and building the demand for sustainable products and services. Nordic Tourism Collective & TerreVerde The Nordic Tourism Collective & TerreVerde Sustainability share a common belief in the pursuit of sustainable tourism and together can help provide the tools to help make this happen. We help develop robust strategies and recommendations that consider all elements of sustainable tourism practices including the establishment of a sustainable tourism management and reporting structure, the evaluation of socio-economic factors relevant to local businesses and destinations and the recognition and protection of culture and cultural heritage. We provide carbon measurement tools to accurately measure the impact of your company, travel products or events to produce transparent, science-based carbon reports. to global standards, help reduce carbon and waste, control consumption and costs, engage with your investors, suppliers and employees as well as building trust in your consumer communications. First steps and measurement Many businesses can be overwhelmed by the complexity and proliferation of criteria and certifications that surround sustainable tourism and often feel that embarking on the road to sustainability is an ‘all-or-nothing’ leap into the unknown. Many also believe that taking such a step is expensive and can also, in some cases, lead to accusations of greenwashing. The easiest way to get started on any path is to find out where you are at the start You can’t reduce or improve what you can't measure and so establishing a rigorous and credible protocol of impact-measurement is an efficient and cost-effective way to start. To explore any of the steps to sustainable tourism with us, please drop us a mail and we will be happy to take a call at any time - with no commitment to you.

The two leading specialists in Northern European tourism join forces We are delighted to announce the signing of a Nordic Partnership Agreement between NordicMarketing GmbH and the Nordic Tourism Collective. With this partnership, two leading specialists in Northern European tourism are joining forces, offering service providers in the North an even larger international network and contacts to tour operators in Europe. Paul Wagner, Jan Badur and Andy Fairburn in London 2023 Based in Germany, NordicMarketing GmbH (https://www.nordicmarketing.de/)is the leading tourist marketing agency specialising in tourism services for suppliers in the Nordic region, connecting them with tour operators, travel agencies and incentive agencies in the DACH speaking countries and Benelux. Based in the UK, The Nordic Tourism Collective is an independent, not-for-profit and collaborative network for the Nordic travel and tourism industry. Its aim is to assist in the sustainable development of tourism in the Nordic and Baltic regions. Its marketing arm, Nordic Travel Solutions, also offers tourism and representation services for individual partners in the Baltic and Nordic region for the B2B trade in the UK and Ireland. By focusing on common synergies, the partnership enables the development of common Marketing services and promotional activities in the two leading European tourism source markets. DACH/Benelux and UK/Ireland for destinations and suppliers across the Nordic and Baltic region.This includes collaboration on cross- branded newsletters, webinars, workshops, Familiarisation trips and other proactive promotional activity. The partnership also focuses on building and growing a Nordic buyer community in Europe, exclusively for operators, travel agencies and other buyers promoting the beautiful and sustainable Nordic and Baltic regions. A commitment to the National tourism offices Both organisations commit to supporting and complementing the work of all the National Tourist Boards, only hosting events which can enhance and support those activities undertaken by the individual countries and always with a pan-Nordic or pan-Baltic approach. This agreement will further enable the development of the Nordic and Baltic region as a whole, adding another layer to the extraordinary work carried out by the individual Nordic and Baltic tourist offices.The partnership will encourage collaboration and dialogue wherever there are opportunities to create multi-country and multi-destination activities across the region. A commitment to sustainable tourism The partnership is committed to sustainable tourism development and to the further adoption of sustainable principles and practices by all suppliers and operators working in the region. Mutual Support NordicMarketing acts as DACH and Benelux representative for the Nordic Tourism Collective and informs and updates the DACH and Benelux buyer network on all relevant activities. The Nordic Tourism Collective supports NordicMarketing in the promotion of their events, roadshows and FAM-Trips across the Nordic region. NordicMarketing Managing Director Jan Badur is "delighted to announce this partnership, after 20 years in business in the region, we have found an excellent partner with whom we can expand our activity towards the Nordic and Baltic region, offering additional services to our clients". Andy Fairburn and Paul Wagner from the Nordic Tourism Collective commented "The DACH and Benelux markets are so important to the development of tourism in the region and it's a dream scenario to collaborate with NordicMarketing. With their wealth of experience and reputation for their quality of tourism services, there is so much value we can give to our tourism friends and colleagues in the Nordics and Baltics by joining forces and collaborating together."

Ryanair has announced its biggest ever Swedish winter offering as it continues to strengthen its presence in the Swedish market. The Irish low-cost carrier will launch thirteen new direct routes from Stockholm Arlanda Airport this winter. Six of them are all new routes, half of which are brand-new European destinations. Altogether, the airline has launched 44 new direct routes from its new base at Arlanda since it opened a year ago. Source https://www.dailyscandinavian.com/ryanairs-largest-winter-schedule-for-sweden-in-its-history/

Join us at the NORDIC TOURISM COLLECTIVE Pavilion at the new Global Travel Marketplace in London - there are just a few places left! Together with our partners Jacobs Media Group the Global Travel Marketplace brings together decision-makers from top buyers and operators from the UK and across the globe and offers the opportunity to network, and expand business opportunities. With a format that encourages longer discussions with added value, GlobalTravel Marketplace is already attracting different, niche and up and coming buyers, many different to those you meet at other events with UK buyers making up 60%. Dates: 27 - 29 September 2022 Venue: Royal Leonardo Hotel St Pauls, London Format: Prescheduled 1:2:1 meetings + Content and Networking sessions Audience: Leisure Travel Trade: UK Senior Level Decision Makers - CEO, Managing Directors, Product Managers Included: Full attendance at Global Travel Marketplace A meeting diary of pre-scheduled appointments & experiences for the 2 days event Comprehensive content & educational programme Lunch & evening networking reception It's an event not to be missed if you are looking for new business for 2023 and beyond! Come and meet new and fresh buyers of Nordic and Baltic products! REGISTER NOW

The Nordic Tourism Collective (NTC) and the World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH) have partnered to help build the awareness and value of the unique cultural and heritage assets in the greater Nordic and Baltic region. NTC and WTACH will work together to provide a range of expertise to lead discussions and training modules on culture and heritage tourism at NTC workshops and events, advancing responsible tourism that preserves, respects and promotes heritage in tourism settings, including those related to indigenous groups. WTACH will be speaking for the first time at the NTC’s 5 October 2022 online webinar on Nordic cultural heritage. The webinar will address the importance of preserving unique northern cultural traditions and look at ways to boost tourism through promotion of cultural heritage. The webinar will address the importance of Pan-Nordic and Pan-Baltic traditions for future generations of travellers and native communities. “We are delighted to be associated and working with WTACH” adds Andy Fairburn, “The preservation of Nordic culture and heritage is a fundamental element in our drive to build sustainable tourism in the region and we look forward to developing and building on our joint initiatives” “The training modules will help NTC members think differently and creatively about their cultural attractions,” said Nigel Fell, CEO of WTACH. “Local communities already play a significant part in tourism in the region and our hope is that our protocols will help propel culture and heritage to form a bigger part of Nordic and Baltic tourism itineraries, For more information see WTACH https://www.wtach.org/

Inga Hlin Palsdottir, Director of Visit Iceland, talks about crisis management and communications in tourism destination marketing.