PAN Parks is a European organization focused on protecting wilderness areas through sustainable tourism. It applies an integrated approach to mobilize sustainable tourism to strengthen wilderness conservation. PAN Parks certifies local tourism businesses and partners with international tour operators. This tourism model benefits protected areas through better management and promotion, local partners through more clients and product development, and tour operators through association with a wilderness brand and network. The funds raised also support conservation projects in PAN Parks areas.

1. Soomaa NP © Arne Ader

2. Wilderness Tourism in Europe
The PAN Parks Tourism Model
Zoltán Kun, Executive Director
PAN Parks Foundation
Paanajärvi NP © Viktor Gritsuk

3. Is this what we want?

4. What is PAN Parks?
The only
European-wide
organisation
focusing on the
protection of
wilderness areas
Central Balkan NP ©CBNP
Appenine Chamois © Bruno D’Amicis

5. What is PAN Parks?
Applies a truly integrated approach to
mobilise sustainable tourism
development for strengthening
wilderness conservation
Borjomi-Kharagauli NP © Kote Gabrichidze

6. What is PAN Parks?
The
European
Wilderness
Preservatio
n System

7. The PAN Parks Concept
Retezat NP © Andreas Beckmann

8. The PAN Parks Concept
An area of at least 10,000 hectares of
land or sea, with its native plant and animal
communities and their associated
ecosystems, in an essentially natural state
Oulanka NP © Hannu Hautala

9. The PAN Parks Concept
We help to increase the management effectiveness of
the areas through third party audit based on Principles
and Criteria
Central Balkan © Nanko Minkov

10. The PAN Parks Concept
We help develop these areas through
• active promotion of local and sustainable tourism and
• raising awareness and creating positive perception of
wilderness
Oulanka NP © Michael Hennemann

11. The PAN Parks Concept
Visitors have the opportunity to enjoy PAN
Parks Wilderness!
Paanajärvi NP © Minna Koramo

12. The PAN Parks Concept
TOURISM
• Promotion of sustainable
tourism
• Certification of local
businesses
• Cooperation with international
tour operators
Borjomi-Kharagauli NP © Kote Gabrichidze

13. The PAN Parks Concept
Sustainable Tourism Development
• stimulates local cooperation
• involves local stakeholders
• aims for synergy between conservation and tourism
• improves the quality of tourism products
• improves the visitors experience
• includes local standard for businesses

14. The PAN Parks Concept
Partnership with Local
Businesses
• ensures the strategy is implemented
• partners are committed to the park
and PAN Parks
• different tourism service providers
• 88 partners
Oulanka NP © Paavo Hamunen

15. The PAN Parks Tourism Model
Retezat NP ©Falk Kienas

16. Our challenges
Tourism vs wilderness!
1. Wilderness is un-known in Europe – the role of branding
& network
2. Destination management (12 destinations) – the role of
incoming operators
3. No marketing budget for strong communication – social
media
Archipelago NP © Seppo Keränen

17. The PAN Parks Tourism Model
Tourism as a tool for wilderness
conservation:
• creates local support
• raises awareness
• supports lobbying
• generates income
Majella NP © Bruno D’Amicis

18. The PAN Parks Tourism Model
Building a strong network including :
• Local Partners
• Incoming Operators
• International Operators
PAN Parks adds value:
• certified local and selected incoming
partners
• supports product development
• supports promotion
Majella NP © Barbara Mayer

19. The PAN Parks Tourism Model

20. The PAN Parks Tourism Model
International tour operator
partners
Yule Reisen
EXODUS

21. The PAN Parks Tourism Model
Benefits for Protected Areas
• helps to better control sustainable tourism
• better cooperation with local partners
• promotion of their areas
Benefits for Local Partners
• included in packages
• more clients through operators
• cooperation with other local partners
• incoming operators help to develop their products

22. The PAN Parks Tourism Model
Benefits for International Tour Operators
•they support a good case, by doing what they are best in
•pre-selected local suppliers and Incoming Partners
•educational trips, help in product development
•brand building and help in promotion
•networking and cooperating with similar companies
Benefits for Incoming Tour Operators
• link with International Operators
• better cooperation with protected areas
• associated with a wilderness brand

23. The PAN Parks Tourism Model
Benefits for our Foundat ion
• it bring benefits to the local partners
and parks
• generates income for our foundation
• creates better local cooperation
• raises awareness
• educates the visitors
▶▶▶ supports wilderness
conservation
©iStock/Graeme Purdy

24. The PAN Parks Tourism Model
Case study - Oulanka National Park
•
Finnish Wilderness Week package
•
sold by Exodus (UK) – developed by
Basecamp Oulanka (FI)
•
•
23,000 € raised in 4 years
•
Oulanka NP © Hannu Hautala
contribution to PPF after each client
local project supported in 4 PAN Parks
o visitor centre – Retezat NP
o eco-trail – Rila NP
o information boards –Borjomi NP
o photo project – Majella NP

25. The PAN Parks Turism Model
2013 and beyond
www.wilderness-travel.org
Launch our series of e-books
increase the number of
international operators
integrate service element
stronger at local business
partner
Rila NP © Nicolas Cegalerba

26. PAN Parks works to protect Europe’s
wilderness, the continent’s most
undisturbed areas of nature
www.panparks.org