On 4 June 2025, MONA held its third webinar, welcoming partners and stakeholders from across north-western Europe to discuss how smarter routing and improved accessibility could promote more sustainable tourism in natural areas.
As visitor numbers continue to rise, it is becoming increasingly important to manage access to nature while safeguarding ecological integrity. The session explored how rethinking transport routes and promoting alternative mobility solutions could mitigate environmental pressures without compromising the visitor experience.
Fabio Tat, representing Brabant Partners, opened the webinar by sharing the regional strategy adopted to cope with the growing popularity of hiking. He presented a comprehensive strategy combining spatial planning, innovation, nudging and data-driven monitoring. Findings from pilot areas revealed that most hikes are short and local, typically concentrated at weekends and on public holidays, with visitors tending to stay near the edges of nature reserves — an encouraging trend in terms of ecological preservation. The region is continuing to investigate how visitor flows impact biodiversity and how data can inform better policy decisions.
Cristina Căluianu of Accessible Romania then gave a presentation on making rural and nature-based tourism more inclusive. Drawing on her organisation’s work within several European projects, such as GREEN4C and Access IT, she emphasised the importance of designing tourism offers that cater to individuals with specific access needs. The initiatives support tourism providers in becoming both more accessible and more sustainable, from training materials to self-assessment tools.
Next, Aiga Meri from the Kurzeme Planning Region presented a cross-border initiative aimed at promoting accessible tourism in Latvia and Estonia. Her team is developing 30 short routes spanning coastal regions, lakes and cultural landmarks, supported by tactile installations, audio guides and improved infrastructure. These are shared on a platform offering accessibility information for destinations across the Baltics. A particular highlight of the initiative is the 'Travelling Museum', which is designed to make inclusive cultural experiences accessible to a wider audience.
Agathe Daudibon, Director of EuroVelo and Cycling Tourism at the European Cyclists’ Federation, concluded the session by presenting the federation’s vision for a connected, low-impact cycling tourism network across Europe. With 17 long-distance routes spanning 38 countries, EuroVelo promotes active travel as a means of reducing emissions and increasing access to tourism. Daudibon showcased two key projects: ICTr-CE, which supports cycling infrastructure and sustainable business models along the Iron Curtain Trail; and CycleRight, which focuses on policy improvements to make cycle travel safer and more inclusive.
Presentations from the session are available here:
Monitoring recreational pressure - Fabio Tat, Brabant Partners
Accessible tourism (Access IT, Green4c, WeNaTour Project) - Cristina Căluianu, Accessible Romania
Development of accessible tourism routes - Aiga Meri, Kurzeme Planning Region
Inclusive and sustainable cycling tourism and cycle routes - Agathe Daudibon, ECF