How tourism becomes sustainable

Münsterland e.V. is a project partner of the nationwide tourism sustainability workshop

The state of North Rhine-Westphalia wants to be climate-neutral by 2045. The tourism industry is also called upon to take a sustainable path - with a view to environmental and climate protection aspects as well as economic and social contexts. Tourismus NRW e.V. is addressing this issue with the NRW Sustainability Workshop and is joining forces with Münsterland e.V. as one of 16 project partners. The project aims to define strategic guidelines for the key future task of sustainability in NRW as a travel destination.

A team from Münsterland e.V. has now met with representatives from Tourismus NRW at the Grothues-Potthoff farm in Senden to discuss the approaches of the NRW sustainability workshop. Grothues-Potthoff combines a farm shop, café, hotel and bakery on an almost 800-year-old estate. Owner Elmar Grothues, who is also a board member of Netzwerk Münsterland Qualität e.V., gave an insight into the philosophy of his company. The products are home-grown and the most innovative technology is used. "Everyone is talking about sustainability, but as a region we are still at the beginning. Individual businesses are already certified or, like Grothues-Potthoff, are committed to sustainability," said Michael Kösters, Head of Tourism at Münsterland e.V. "We are very pleased about the nationwide cooperation on this topic. For the future, it will be crucial to launch and implement a sustainability concept for the Münsterland. This can only be done together - with all stakeholders, beyond the region."

With the NRW Sustainability Workshop, Tourismus NRW e.V. wants to make tourism regions fit for the development of sustainable tourism products and offers and support them in marketing to specific target groups. Tourismus NRW e.V. is receiving around 1.5 million euros in EU and state funding for this purpose as part of the ERDF/JTF NRW 2021-2027 programme.