Acknowledgements. We also thank each other just for being together, learning and having fun. Agnieszka Angelika Maria Vitaliy

Transcription

1 Acknowledgements We would like to thank Ms. Aleksandra Mikucka, president of Sopot Tourist Association, for the time devoted to meet us, providing valuable information and her openness to new ideas. We would like to express our gratitude to the staff of the Sendzimir Foundation for their support and guidance. Special thanks to Tomasz Bergier, Jakub Kronenberg and Wojciech Rośkiewicz for endless reviewing our drafts, smart, ironic and inspiring comments and continuous support through the whole week of this business project. We also thank each other just for being together, learning and having fun. Agnieszka Angelika Maria Vitaliy

2 Table of Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Introduction - The Tourist Cluster Concept Background information 2.1. Sopot Tourist Association (STS) 2.2. Sopot Tourist Cluster (STK) 2.3. Sustainability in the city of Sopot Chapter 3 Problem analysis 3.1. STS & STK Merger 3.2. Review of the Analysis of STK Potential 3.3. Sustainability at STS 3.4. SWOT-Analysis Chapter 4 Solutions - transition paths to sustainability 4.1. Highlighting the Cluster membership benefits 4.2. Sustainability matters 4.3. Certifications 4.4. Other possible incentives creating the value of the brand 4.5. Promotion & communication Chapter 5 Final remarks 2

3 Chapter 1. Introduction - The Tourist Cluster Concept This report was produced by the participants of the XV Summer Academy Challenges of Sustainable Development for the Tourist Association in Sopot. The Summer Academy is organized by the Sendzimir Foundation every year since The main objectives of the Academy are to promote sustainable development, to teach through practice and to facilitate use of innovations both in governance and research. One of the course parts was devoted to the issues concerning sustainable business. The participants took part in the Business Project, which required consulting companies for implementation of sustainable development issues into their businesses` practice. The aim of this report is to present to the Sopot Tourist Association, that understanding sustainable development principles and implementing them into the tourist cluster can enhance the attractiveness of this organization. The report is divided into five chapters. The first chapter consists of the introduction and the presentation of the concept of tourism cluster. The second chapter presents some background information on the Sopot Tourist Association, the Sopot Tourist Cluster and sustainability in the city of Sopot. The next chapter provides the review of the Sopot Tourist Cluster s potential and its SWOT analysis. The fourth chapter presents solutions for the development of the cluster in accordance with principles of sustainable development and the benefits arising from it. The last chapter presents the summary and conclusions on the main findings of the report. The concept of business cluster, defined as a geographically proximate group of companies and associated institutions in a particular field, linked by commonalities and complementarities was introduced and popularized by Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter in The Competitive Advantage of Nations. 1 The tourism cluster definition adapted by Montfort from that of Porter highlights the characteristics and components of a cluster: A complex group of different elements, including services carried out by tourism companies or business (lodging, restoration, travel agencies, aquatic and theme parks, etc ); richness provided by tourist holiday experiences; multidimensional gathering of interrelated companies and industries; communication and transportation infrastructures; complementary activities (commercial allotment, holiday traditions, etc.); supporting services (formation and information, etc); and natural resources and institutional policies. Another definition of the tourism cluster, offered by Beni 2 highlights the cohesion between agents and cooperation by creating company nets: Tourism cluster is a group of highlighted tourism attractions within a limited geographic space provided with high quality equipment and services, social and political cohesion, 1 Porter, M.E., The Competitive Advantage of Nations, The Free Press, New York, Beni, M. C., Globalização do turismo: megatendências do setor e a realidadebrasileira. Aleph, SãoPaulo, 2003, p. 74 3

4 linkage between productive chain and associative culture, and excellent management in company nets that bring about comparative and competitive strategic advantages. The relations between enterprises, institutions and a tourism cluster can be understood in two ways 3 : Horizontal - by the creation of strategic alliances, where agreements can be of two kinds: on one side, the agreements between enterprises that have the same principal activity, i.e. among enterprises that deal with lodging, entertainment, transport and catering. On the other side, the agreements between enterprises working with the same group of customer satisfaction, but offering different product components to the customers (tourism service); Vertical - by the creation of strategic nets, where there is the establishment of a unilateral supplier-customer relation among the partners in such a way that the object activities of the agreement are fulfilled by one of the parts, which gives its output to the other in exchange for a payment. A tourism cluster is a group of companies and institutions bound up to a tourism product or group of products. Such companies and institutions are spatially concentrated and have vertical (within the tourism productive chain) and horizontal relationships (involving factor, jurisdiction and information exchange between similar agents dealing with a tourism product offer. Chapter 2. Background information 2.1. Sopot Tourist Association (STS) Sopot Tourist Association (in Polish Stowarzyszenie Turystyczny Sopot, STS) was created in 1997 and in 2003 has taken the role of the Local Tourist Association according to the Polish Tourist Organisation management system 4, which has raised its importance in the local area and created new possibilities. This has also allowed the Sopot Municipality to join the Association. The main activities of the STS are focused on: promotion of the local products and tourist attractions; integration of the local community, mainly self-government units and tourism sector; creating and developing the tourism products for Sopot; gathering and updating information on tourism issues; running four Tourist Information Points Sopot Tourist Cluster (STK) In 2007, the project titled "From cluster initiatives to Sopot Tourist Cluster - support and development program" was prepared by the Sopot Municipality and received funding 3 Rodrigues, A. B.,Turismo rural, Contexto, São Paulo,

5 from the European Regional Development Fund within the Regional Operational Programme for Pomerania District for years (value of ,32 PLN) 5. The cluster initiative has gathered 101 (31 October 2011) local businesses and individuals with different roles and levels of involvement, like: businesses / enterprises in tourism sector; education and administration organizations; institutions helping the sector (supplies & service providers, banks). A detailed map of the Cluster members and the main external stakeholders is provided below. City Hall Accommodation Catering Sports and Recreation Culture Health Advertising GOVERNANCE BUSINESSES EDUCATION AND RESEARCH UNITS Trade Schools Complex Sopot University of Gdansk University of Technology Academy of Physical Education and Sport College of Tourism and Hotel Industry in Gdansk European School in Sopot RELATED BUSINESSES Sopot Tourist Association Association "Free Enterprise" business consulting Fig. 1. Map of the Cluster members and the main external stakeholders The main aim of the STK is to build partnership between local business, educational and research units and representatives of local government. All members including those from private and public sector work together for the most effective use of the tourist potential of Sopot

6 The Cluster was established to: create common products or services; make joined purchases of materials, services or technology; create common brand and undertake promotion of the region; use subsidized advisory services and encourage participation in the trainings. The four key features of the Cluster were identified as: 1. cooperation; 2. competition 3. trust; 4. networking opportunities. Since the beginning of the STK initiative two main products have been created. Firstly, the online calendar 6, which also plays the role of a platform for the receptionist to improve the information flow about the diverse offer of events in the city and the activities for children. Secondly, the promotion of Sopot as a business destination for conferences and congresses, of which the core was the multimedia presentation Sopot a recipe for meetings during the EIBTM 2011 business tourism fair in Barcelona. Moreover, under the Cluster initiative a promotional action of three themed weeks (the family, the prestige, and the culture week) has been undertaken in April Other activities discussed during the Cluster monthly meetings included tourist packages preparation and online sales (in assistance with Sopot s company Aktywator) and improvements of internships programs for Tourism and Hospitality students Sustainability in the city of Sopot Sopot is the leader city in Sustainable Development strategies implementation in Poland. The city has gained twice (2011, 2010) the first place in the Sustainable Development of Local Government Units Ranking created by the Department of Administration and Social Sciences, Warsaw University of Technology in cooperation with Polish promotional emblem Teraz Polska Foundation 7 and is the winner of this year s contest named The City of Opportunities The City of Sustainable Development run during the Third Congress of the Regions by the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) consulting company in cooperation with the Newsweek Poland. 8 The ranking prepared by the Warsaw University of Technology is based on 16 indicators listed below: 1. investments per capita; 2. expenditure on transport and communications per capita;

7 3. share of the investment in the municipal budget; 4. share of expenditure on transport and communications in the municipal budget; 5. share of own revenues in the budget of the municipality; 6. number of businesses per 1,000 inhabitants; 7. number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants; 8. number of unemployed per 1000 inhabitants; 9. influx of people per 1,000 residents; 10. outflow of population per 1000 inhabitants; 11. number of graduates of secondary schools per 1,000 inhabitants; 12. number of computers in schools with Internet access per 1,000 population; 13. proportion of councilors with higher education; 14. percent of the population covered by water supply services; 15. percent of the population covered by sewerage services; 16. percent of the population covered by the services of the sewage treatment plants; The study is based on data of Central Statistical Office, that guarantees the independence and integrity of the ranking. The main purpose of this ranking is to present and reward the most developed cities and towns in Poland and to analyze the main triggers of their development. Efficient use of municipal resources, multi-annual plan for the development, and its implementation s control together with a declaration to respect the natural environment are one of the fundamental tasks for every local government. The aim of this year s competition The City of Opportunities The city of Sustainable Development prepared by PwC was to choose the leader in implementation of Sustainable Development principles. The goal of the competition was to identify good examples, share experiences and encourage other cities to apply those principles into practice. Activities evaluated for the competition included: environmental protection (e.g. rehabilitation of degraded areas); energy efficiency (e.g. the abolishment of mercury lighting programme); life quality (e.g. cultural enrichment, public transport efficiency and accessibility). It is also worth to mention The Integrated Plan for Sustainable Development of Sopot for Local Revitalization Program of Sopot for The document is the result of an earlier public consultation and is associated with the use of JESSICA tool, "Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas, under the Regional Operational Programme for Pomorskie Voivodeship the years 2007 and 2013 (RPO). The aim of the program is to increase the socio-economic potential of cities by investing in the development of transport and infrastructure. Sustainability development in Sopot is focused on spatial planning. Particular attention is paid to urban space due to the limited capacity of infrastructure investments. Due to the shape of the terrain, the presence of dense forests and the coastal zone, urban development of the city is limited. Therefore, it is important to take care of the current state of the city's architecture because it takes into account citizens and tourists health, security and comfort. One of the strategic objectives of that document relates to the maintenance of a healthy city in which the natural and landscape advantages are preserved and used in order to develop the resort features aimed at improving conditions of work and life. 7

8 Tourism, having the highest potential for the development of the region, has to be controlled and the direction of its activities depend on the way local stakeholders are organized and interact to achieve common goals. Here the role for the Sopot Tourist Cluster emerges. Tourism should be one of the main sources of sustainable regional development, with positive effects on the creation of jobs, generation of income and improvements in the quality of local life. This also requires reduction of negative impacts on the environment, community and cultural integrity. Chapter 3. Problem analysis 3.1. STS & STK Merger The Cluster Initiative project has come to its completion phase and Sopot Tourist Association takes over the function of the cluster project office. Entities that so far are not the members of the Association, and want to use the cluster activities can join the Association upon payment of an annual fee. STS, due to becoming the coordinator of the Cluster, faces new responsibilities, among which main are focused at: implementation of the Cluster strategy; animation of the activities in the cluster; planning and carrying out further joint actions; acquisition of new entrants to the initiative; organization of additional financial resources; integration of the environment. Some structural changes proposed in the Sopot Tourist Cluster Development Strategy for will need to be incorporated in the Association in order to cope with the growing number of new tasks. Figure 2. Proposed future structure of STS. Source: Strategia rozwoju klastra turystycznego w Sopocie. 8

9 3.2. Review of the Analysis of STK Potential In 2011 the Analysis of the Sopot Tourist Cluster Potential has been conducted. A representative amount of the businesses from the entire tourism industry was examined (101 surveys, random-quota sampling) in order to prepare an inventory of this sector. The research has included: a desk-study research; secondary analysis of statistical data; surveys; direct interviews; and covered areas like: companies structure (employment rate, profits); cooperation level; future goals (investments); potential areas for future cooperation. The findings have shown that only 22,8% of the respondents are members of some kind of a tourist association, what gives a big potential for cooperation improvement. The analysis also revealed the lack of a distinguished leader of the sector (only 10% of respondents voted for STS, 20% for Sopot Municipality) and listed the main barriers for the tourism development, which are shown in the figure 2. Fig. 3. Main barriers to the tourism development. Source: Analiza potencjału Sopockiego Klastra Turystycznego. From the research some of the preferred areas for cooperation between tourism sector organization and companies have emerged and are listed in the figure 3: 9

10 Fig. 4. Potential areas for cooperation. Source: Analiza potencjału Sopockiego Klastra Turystycznego Sustainability at the STS Sustainability, playing an important part of the city development and being an important possible factor for city s promotion, so far is not introduced and highlighted in the activities performed by the Cluster. This problem has two main aspects: 1) although the statutes of the STS mentions sustainability as one of the core principles, the activity of the cluster does not reflect this declaration; 2) introducing different energy, environment and human wellbeing oriented measures members of the cluster don t talk much about their achievements SWOT-Analysis On basis of online reports and provided earlier stakeholder map we conducted SWOT- analysis of STS. An important issue is the level of uncertainty towards future management of the cluster initiative and its formalization. The fragile form of the cluster s organization and the lack of models for future funding are the main problems. The choice of the STS as the coordinator of the cluster also brings some doubts and concerns. The unfavourable evaluation of STS previous activities by the current cluster members creates a threat for their future membership in this project. 10

11 The cluster is presently going through many structural changes, which, along with highly probable upcoming funding shortages cause the need to reconsider the use of available resources or come up with new sources of income. One of the most pressing issues for the cluster is keeping it together. The sources of income include: membership fees (400 zl. for companies and 10 zl. for individuals with planned rises), local budget funding and some other contributions (e.g. souvenirs sales). To keep up with the rising sophistication of coordination activities and demand for information supply other sources of funding will have to be found. It s hard to bring up low level of engagement, search for new solutions and facilitate projects if employees are overloaded (there are only 7 people doing all the coordination work in the organization) and incentives do not reflect the amount of responsibilities. Estimation of tourist occupation seasonal dynamics in Sopot is another issue, that hasn t yet been resolved. Indicators based on comparing products consumption, nights spent in hotel etc. provide only approximate numbers. Still, the biggest issue is cooperation and communication within the cluster due to lack of mutual understanding about common benefits and opportunities. Cluster also lacks cooperation with local NGOs. Strengths Weaknesses Attractive natural conditions for tourism Strong brand in the domestic market Sopot is perceived as one of the most sustainable cities in Poland The tourist season lasts all year. Decision process is simplified due to the fact that the main coordinator of activities for the cluster is a single board Searching for innovation through sustainable development and the ability to use the growing consumer awareness of environmental protection Introduction of member cards which enable to receive discounts. A significant number of entities that have joined the initiative (more than 100 participants) Well integrated transport system Members of the initiatives represent all sections of the sector and a wide range of subjects from related and complementary industries Launch of the first joint projects (Sopot calendar of events, visiting the fair in Barcelona, the questionnaire for pupils and students engaged in the practice, conference folder, implementation of the Pomeranian Cluster Sailing) Expectations of immediate benefits from cooperation (when visible outcomes arise in the meanwhile) The need to increase premiums for being in STS Participating in international exhibitions and events causes less opportunities for promotional activities on local level Generated income and purpose-specific contributions from local government provided to sustain basic activities of STS (salaries for employees, the fee for renting the premises) is not enough to carry out any additional activities (even to employ IT specialist for web-support) Tourist packages development process is still at the very begging Low media engagement into promotion of the achievements (Sopot calendar of events) Lack of thematic meetings and lack of work in thematic teams Lack of consultation in developing standardized methods for solving problems in the industry Low acquaintance about methods for coordination stakeholder dialogue Stakeholders have different expectations 11

12 Effective communication platform for the industry interested in developing sectors (improving the flow of information between businesses and local authorities) regarding their participation in the cluster Uncertainty towards further management of the initiative and its formalization Introduction of membership fees made some of the previous members leave the cluster, and as well may demotivate potential members to enter Some of the cluster members are not fully satisfied with vision and initiatives of the current cluster coordinator. Opportunities Threats The growth of tourism industry worldwide Positive expectations about the development of local tourism market Significant investments in tourism infrastructure in the city. For instance, in 2012 a storage reservoir in order is going to be built to improve quality of water in Sopot seaside resort 9 Creating a strategy for sustainable development of Sopot tourism industry. The growing number of events taking place in Sopot and nearby cities not depending on seasonality Availability of public funds for human resources development in the industry and transnational cooperation Availability of funds for the development of clusters in the next period of EU funding Increasing emigration of professionals from different fields. Citizens of Sopot are mainly adults with limited or no Internet access. This is a barrier for attracting more tourists using innovative approaches and opportunities offered by modern communication technologies Bigger companies suppress possibilities of smaller ones to make most of their participation in the cluster Increase in tax burden imposed on business operators in the world (eg. pair taxes and surcharges for air tickets) Lack of effective methods for estimation of annual (seasonal, monthly) number of visitors The uncertainty of the development of tourism in the context of the intensification of economic crisis. 4. Solutions - transition paths to sustainability 4.1. Highlighting the Cluster membership benefits As it was mentioned in the previous chapter, one of the main problems the cluster faces is that the members lack the sense of belonging to it. A possible solution to the unwillingness to be affiliated or cooperate within the cluster, lies in raising the level of

13 knowledge regarding the benefits of the membership. Some of the benefits of being an active member of the Sopot tourism cluster might be: 1. The ability to reduce risks and deal with unexpected events by creating a shared mass of technical competencies, market intelligence, as well as human and financial resources. Facing a major crisis, a wide pilot strike in Australia in 1989, the cooperation between the members of the Tropical North Queensland Cluster and the supporting industries resulted in strong, collective international promotion activities and marked the beginning of growth of the tourism business; 2. The possibility to block or co-opt competition because the access of competitors to strategic resources is curtailed, thanks to a great operative strength of the cluster. An example can be identified also in the Australian cluster, where some tourism operators were forced to start partnerships in order to remain competitive on the market; 3. The possibility to create economies of scale inside the cluster, due to the fact that the more areas of activity are covered, the incidence of unit costs is smaller; at the same time, a greater cohesion inside the cluster results in a greater capacity to negotiate with intermediaries; 4. The opportunity to develop other type of activities, because there is more space for operating in market niches, thanks to less internal competition; 5. The opportunity to obtain a greater market control, because companies joined together in partnerships can become actors in larger markets much easier; 6. The opportunity to grow the technical and organizational know-how of the cluster and of its members; 7. The opportunity to develop projects for the education of the employees. Such an example can be the hospitality school that has been established in the Napa Valley (Napa Valley wine cluster, USA) with a training program launched in January 2001; 8. The reinforcement of image and notoriety is a very important benefit, because brands are reinforced at company level and at destination level, both towards the customers and the suppliers. Moreover, for small and developing businesses locating in a cluster near competitors and related industry may aid the firm in faster growth, recognition and status within the market; 9. The opportunity for the company to grow both in terms of product quality and process efficiency, because operating in collaboration generates a healthy competition among companies that tends to raise both product quality and management skills; 10. The opportunity to create an effective marketing for the area due to an integrated and coordinated supply system. Such an example is the Tropical North Queensland Cluster - in the 80 s, people representing different industry sectors (e.g. accommodation, restaurants, transportation and activities) were able to unite and promote the region in a cooperative and well-organized way with the mission of marketing holiday packages; 11. The opportunity of creating synergies, because partnerships and the distribution of functions allow to create innovative products, renew production processes and give life to new creative skills; 13

14 12. The capacity to induce positive effects on the territorial economy, because it is known that the strong inter dependence between tourism and all economic activities enhances the diffusion of the acquired benefits to the entire territorial economic system; 13. The common understanding of the need to collaborate among the tourism actors in North Queensland resulted in the area becoming one of the most highly competitive and internationalized regional economies of Australia; 14. And above all of those benefits, the ability to have an important contribution on the protection of the environment and the sustainable development of Sopot area should be highlighted. The Sopot Cluster members should communicate, cooperate and agree on the fact that a high quality of the area s natural attractions is a strong competitive advantage, that constitutes the key strength of the area. Such an example of cooperation on the protection of the environment topic is the cluster Tourism Tropical North Queensland from Australia Sustainability matters The cluster s mission included in the Strategy 10 is fostering socio-economic development of Sopot by improving activities occurring in the tourism sector. This is possible by applying principles of sustainable development into all levels of cluster functioning as it gathers main tourism businesses and other organisations working in close relation with tourism sector. Both, winning of the contests and actions taken on sustainable development, confirm the validity of efforts to make the city friendly to residents, tourists and enterprisers. This idea will bind efforts to create a balance between environmental, social and economic aspects of regional development of Sopot. Still a lot of effort is needed for gaining knowledge about sustainable development among entrepreneurs and the local community before actions in this direction are taken. Sopot Tourist Association, which manages the Sopot cluster may play an important role in this process. Since the Association brings together representatives of businesses, the cluster can become a platform for introducing sustainability to local entrepreneurs. It s easier to facilitate the promotion of sustainable development in Sopot, because the city has already done a lot in the field of sustainability. The benefits coming out of applying the sustainable development into functioning of a company are vast. The list provided below covers most important benefits: acquisition of new clients due to the green trend in the industry by creation of green brands/labels to stand out; easier founding from EU if the Sustainable Development principles are being applied into companies strategy; lowering the cost of the companies activities by improving their efficiency; encouraging qualified employees to join the companies as there are becoming more attractive; 10 Strategia rozwoju klastra turystycznego w Sopocie. 14

15 higher competitiveness; long-term development of the region; more advanced technologies. The STS main task should be assisting the implementation of proposed principles and their promotion among cluster members Certifications Creating common certification for members can be a useful tool for incorporating sustainability into their activity and, thinking from outside - powerful benchmark of devotion to the sustainability idea, as one of the core principles for cluster existence. Such a system of certification would be build on basis of best practices experience from abroad and adapting them to local conditions. Some basic requirements for current members and newcomers can be set in the beginning the ones that are not so hard to implement, but enough to start the process. Ranking system and diversified requirements for different kinds of organizations would help the process of change run smoothly and effectively. The basic practices may cover everyday activity of organization in different fields: reducing usage of water, energy, refusing plastics, conducting workshops or employee health and environmental awareness, promoting sustainable consumption patterns (e.g. vegetarian day) among customers. A good first step may be adopting the 5-R practice as a common approach. 5-R 11 stands for: Re-think uses and attitudes; Refuse products hazardous to health and environment; Reduce generation and discharge; Re-use to extend the useful life of products; Recycle and transform them in a new product. More profound activities could be introduced to companies as obligatory, but within a scope of time few months or a year after introduction. Those may include: improved environmental management systems, calculating the environmental footprint of each member and creating common goals for lowering it (with monitoring system), offering opportunities for members and customers (during stay at the hotel or flat) to offset their emissions or reduce environmental impact of their activities, introducing alternative energy solutions, creating green job opportunities and incorporating sustainability principles into personnel training etc. Wiser and more efficient resource consumption would bring economic savings, while from the marketing point of view, members of the cluster could cooperate on creating the common green image. This would also facilitate better communication, trust-building and innovation

16 Sustainability certification schemes for tourism sector exist on many levels international (Green Leaf, STEP, Green Globe), national (Green Tourism Business Scheme, The Host Respects Nature), local.. etc. Unfortunately there is no one size fits all 12, when it comes to green certification of diverse facilities all over the world, hence we consider creating qualitative and prestigious, local certificate a good first step towards building cooperation within cluster and brand image in the city and on broader scale. A good example of international green certification scheme is Green Key a voluntary eco-label for tourism facilities, promoting sustainability by educating, awarding and empowering tourism actors. Beginning in 1994, it has now spread to 28 countries and continues to grow in numbers. The criteria for this label have been designed to be easily understood by tourists, feasible for sector and proper monitoring. Green Key uses an environmental rating of one to five Green Keys. Members are then given guidance on how to reduce operating costs and environmental impacts and in turn earn more keys. Access to Green Key management tools and services is considered to be one of the top benefits Other possible incentives - creating the value of the brand This part includes other possible suggestions for improvements: Changing the perception With the aim to develop better public perception of the cluster brand it is important to choose the right starting points. Creating its image on basis of common values, supported by activities and reflected in policies helps to build cooperation and positive public perception. Some of the basic ideas may be: social corporate responsibility, vitality, local culture, environmental education, etc. These values have to be visibly distinguished and can be incorporated into certification scheme or general agreement about cluster. Learning from the world There are many good examples of sustainable tourism clusters around the world like Partners for Sustainable tourism 13 for Latin America and Caribbean or The Cluster Consortium in South Africa. We consider it worthwhile not only to read reports about best practices (though that is also a very useful experience many good examples are provided at The Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism), visit exhibitions around the world and watch the trends, but also to actively communicate and cooperate with tourism clusters and partnerships abroad. This, for example, could include visiting foreign tourism clusters on terms of internship or organizing few-weeks exchanges. Celebrating differences and diversity Diversified membership fees could be used as a tool to provide current and potential members with different income opportunities to participate and motivate a wider range of

17 organizations to get involved. For example establishing cooperation with local NGOs can organize projects on volunteer exchange between countries (European Commission Youth in Action Program is a good source to apply for a project). Companies could also benefit from being able to choose different ways of engagement into cluster activity. For example one group of members can facilitate discussion on common issues related to waste management, while others can come up with new tourist packages, creatively combining hotel accommodation services and regular guided tours with possibilities to get real life experience from cooking with chief from local restaurant. Members should be motivated to look for non-casual links and combinations Promotion & communication Due to the fact that the Association has limited funds for promotion some proposed activities to support communication within the association are listed below. These proposals can be implemented with low costs and help to achieve the purpose of building trust and cooperation between members of STS. The following table presents a list of proposed promotional activities together with an indication of their purpose and method of implementation. Indication precedes the list of the main aim of activities, target groups and key messages. The direct targets building cooperation between participants raising awareness about benefits for stakeholders developing brand prestige of STS in Sopot (for potential members and local customers) and on international scale (for international partners and customers) The indirect target promote sustainable development among participants of the cluster The direct target group members of association The indirect target groups tourists who want to use services and products from the members of the cluster Key messages Together for Sopot tourism, If we are together in the cluster, we can do more for Sopot and our businesses Activity Aims Application A weekly presentation of companies on Facebook Sub-tab on the website of the Association, which will be a link to the description of the Additional channel for promotion of members; popularization of the STS Additional channel for promotion of members and popularization of sustainable Choose two or three companies a week and put a brief description of them on Facebook. This post could contain the motto of the company, specialization and logo with a link to the website. In the case of individuals belonging to STS their short answers on the Sopot can be uploaded The sub-tab on the website would act as a business card for the entities. In the description would 17

18 company (now companies are development be included their contribution to only mentioned by name) the sustainable development of Sopot. It can present the initiatives which support green solutions. Breakfast for Sopot business Questionnaires for members Sopot and Sustainable Development. Review of good practice - a competition Code for the STS and mission of the Association Opportunity to meet with members and strengthen the cooperation ; through mutual knowledge of their specialization members can recommend their services Occasion to know the expectations of members and a source of inspiration to changes in the organization; a pretext for establishing contacts Education for sustainable development; popularization of sustainable development; encouraging changes in the area Focus around common principles, thereby strengthening the cooperation Evaluation increase in member activity measured by participation in events completed questionnaires activity on the website and Facebook level of knowledge about sustainable development Breakfast is organized by the example of Business Networking and Referrals. Breakfast would be held at a restaurant in Sopot and the cost would be covered by the participants. Once a month, a breakfast for sustainable development of Sopot would be organized. Breakfast would be an opportunity to exchange business cards and get to know various services. Surveys may be conducted once a year. Before receiving questionnaires organization may be notified by phone and in each company a responsible person may be assigned to ensure high response rate. Sample questions: 1) Why do you participate in the cluster? 2) How much engaged into cluster activities do you feel? 3) Are you satisfied with the current situation in the cluster? if not - what s wrong? 4) Which benefits would like to acquire, how much more would you pay for new benefits? The competition would gather examples of good practices in the area of sustainable development which were organized during the year. Good practices would be voted by members of the Association and residents of the city on the STS website Such a code should be developed jointly, for example, by voting for the three most important principles of operation for members / values. 18

19 5. Final remarks Looking at the result of conducted research we assume to have completed the main aim to show STS that introducing sustainability as the core of all activities is timely and effective approach for cluster development. Insights into modern interpretations of tourist cluster concept, provided in the introduction, along with further analysis of Sopot Tourist Cluster short history and sustainability issues in the area helped to understand current challenges and cluster potential. On basis of mentioned research, the SWOT-analysis has been conducted, concluding most relevant points on each issue. Presented solutions highlight the importance of concentrating on sustainability, as the priority path in cluster development. Solutions are presented under 3 viewpoints: promotion of current benefits for members of the cluster; discovering unobvious benefits within the current resources; acquiring more resources to facilitate new projects and initiatives. Throughout the whole report high emphasis was made on establishing effective communication and cooperation, building trust and developing understanding of opportunities for cluster development. We hope that this report will help STS to build a strong community that shares a common vision of Sopot, as center of sustainable tourism in Poland. 19