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| Regional Secretariat for Tourism and Culture | |
|---|---|
| Name | Regional Secretariat for Tourism and Culture |
| Type | Public agency |
| Region served | UNECE region; EU member states; AU partner states |
| Headquarters | Regional capital |
| Leader title | Secretary |
| Leader name | Ministerial appointee |
| Formation | 20th century |
| Website | Official website |
Regional Secretariat for Tourism and Culture The Regional Secretariat for Tourism and Culture is a public regional agency coordinating tourism, cultural heritage, and creative industries across multiple states and supranational organizations. It liaises with institutions such as the UNESCO, UNWTO, European Commission, and regional development banks to align policy, conservation, and marketing efforts. The Secretariat supports programs spanning heritage conservation, destination management, cultural diplomacy, and skills development.
The Secretariat emerged from post-war regional integration efforts and transnational initiatives like the Council of Europe cultural cooperation and the European Cultural Convention. Early precursors included networks such as the ICOMOS and the ICOM, which informed regional heritage frameworks. During the late 20th century, milestones included alignment with the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics, cooperation with the World Bank on sustainable tourism projects, and engagement with the European Investment Bank on cultural infrastructure. Major events shaping its evolution were responses to crises such as the Bosnian War cultural losses, recovery programs after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, and reconstruction partnerships following natural hazards like the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
The Secretariat's mandate combines policy coordination, technical assistance, and promotion. It develops regional strategies informed by instruments including the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, and standards from the UNWTO and OECD tourism policy reviews. Responsibilities encompass advising ministers and national agencies on conservation practice established by ICOMOS charters, supporting inventories compatible with the UNESCO World Heritage List, and endorsing destination management practices consistent with European Union cohesion policy. The Secretariat also provides capacity-building with partners like UNDP, coordinates cultural routes aligned with Council of Europe initiatives, and facilitates access to finance from institutions such as the EBRD.
The Secretariat is organized into thematic divisions reflecting substantive partnerships: Heritage Conservation and Restoration; Sustainable Tourism Development; Cultural Industries and Creative Economy; Research, Statistics and Policy; and Administration and Finance. Each division liaises with external expert bodies including ICOMOS, IUCN, World Heritage Centre, UIS, and the UNWTO regional commission. Governance includes a Governing Board composed of representatives from participating ministries, regional bodies like the European Commission, and representatives from entities such as the European Cultural Foundation and regional development banks. Technical advisory panels feature specialists affiliated with universities and institutions such as Oxford University, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Harvard University, and the University of Cape Town.
Flagship programs cover heritage risk management, cultural route development, and destination competitiveness. Initiatives include joint heritage restoration with the World Monuments Fund, training fellowships modeled on the Prince Claus Fund, and cultural entrepreneurship incubators inspired by practices from the Smithsonian Institution and the British Council. The Secretariat administers grant schemes similar to those of the European Cultural Foundation and runs data partnerships with the UNWTO Tourism Satellite Account and the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Campaigns for regional marketing draw on case studies from the Mediterranean Tourism Commission and alliance projects with the European Capitals of Culture programme and the Creative Europe programme. Emergency preparedness programs coordinate with the ICCROM and the UNDRR.
Funding is multi-source: assessed contributions from member states, project grants from institutions like the European Commission and World Bank, and donor funds from foundations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Capital projects often leverage concessional loans from the European Investment Bank and the Asian Development Bank for transregional infrastructure. The Secretariat operates a budget cycle reviewed by auditors from bodies similar to the European Court of Auditors and submits financial reports to donors including UNDP and the GEF. Budget allocations prioritize staff, technical assistance, conservation grants, and monitoring systems developed with partners such as the OECD and UNWTO.
Partnerships span intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental institutions, private sector consortia, and academic networks. Key partners include UNESCO, UNWTO, Council of Europe, European Commission, World Bank, EBRD, UNDP, ICCROM, and civil society networks like Europa Nostra and the IFRC for disaster response. Engagement frameworks incorporate private tourism operators represented by associations akin to the WTTC and cultural enterprises working with entities such as the IFACCA. Stakeholder processes include policy dialogues with ministers, public consultations involving municipal authorities, and partnerships with universities including University College London and Bocconi University.
Evaluation combines quantitative metrics from sources like the UNWTO and UIS with qualitative assessments referenced in reports by UNESCO and independent evaluators similar to the World Bank IEG. Outcomes reported include enhanced heritage site conservation resembling successes at Stonehenge and Mont-Saint-Michel scale interventions, increased tourism revenues in pilot regions comparable to Dubrovnik models, and strengthened creative sector capacities reflecting examples from Barcelona and Cape Town. Impact assessments also monitor resilience improvements following frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and adherence to cultural protection standards exemplified by ICOMOS and ICCROM guidelines.
Category:Regional cultural organizations