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EUROPEAN UNION FEDERATION OF YOUTH HOSTEL ASSOCIATIONS |
EUFED e-bulletin
We are pleased to send you the new edition of the EUFED e-bulletin, with latest information from the Federation, a summary of relevant EU developments and a selection of news items from our member Associations.
Sue Cassell, Secretary General
Michèle Obert, Administrator
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EUFED submits response to European Commission on "a renewed EU Tourism Policy"
Following the speech given by Günter Verheugen (Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner responsible for Enterprise and Industry) at the 4th EU European Tourism Forum, 19th-21st October 2005, Malta (pictured left) on the subject of a renewed EU Tourism Policy ("Towards a Stronger Partnership for European Tourism"), EUFED has responded to the European Commission's follow-up consultation.
In the Federation's response, EUFED welcomes the European Commission's commitment to promote emerging sectors, including youth tourism and tourism for people with disabilities. EUFED also welcomes the emphasis by the European Commission on supporting actions that promote Europe as a travel destination. EUFED also calls for EU financial support for the not-for-profit tourism sector to be enshrined within the EU Financial Perspectives for 2007-2013. www.eu.int/comm/enterprise/services/tourism
EUFED hosts meeting of the European Travel and Tourism Action Group (ETAG)
EUFED hosted the 77th meeting of the European Travel and Tourism Action Group, which took place at Bruegel Youth Hostel on 12th January. The meeting was attended by key representatives of the European Tourism sector (including the Head of the European Commission Tourism Unit, Francesco Ianniello).
Issues discussed included an industry-led joint approach to crisis and risk management in the tourism sector; vocational training in tourism; and preparations for the 2006 EU European Tourism Forum (which will take place in Cyprus in October). www.etag-euro.org
EUFED participates in European Commission Conference on "Tourism for All"
The EUFED Secretary General participated in a Conference organised by the European Commission on the subject of "Tourism for All: State of Play and Existing Practices in the EU", which took place in Brussels on 17th January. The Conference was opened by Francesco Ianniello, Head of the European Commission Tourism Unit and Norberto Tonini, President of the Bureau International du Tourisme Social (BITS). The Conference addressed the issue of under-representation in tourism by certain social groups, looked at a series of best practice examples within the field of social tourism, and made recommendations aimed at strengthening the social tourism sector within Europe. www.eu.int/comm/enterprise/services/tourism
The EU Council of Ministers, meeting in Brussels on 15th-17th December 2005, reached an agreement on the EU Financial Perspectives for 2007-2013. The overall budget for the seven year time period has been set at EUR 862.3 Bn (or 1,045 per cent of EU Gross National Income) and focuses on sustainable growth and competitiveness.
Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Austria took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from the United Kingdom on 1st January (and will be handing it over to Finland on 1st July 2006). The priorities for the Austrian Presidency are:
- Economic reforms, growth and employment;
- Bringing Europe closer to its citizens;
- The EU's enlargement strategy; and
- EU external border control.
This event, organised by the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, is intended to initiate a broad public debate on the meaning and role of Europe, and to look at the tensions within the EU and propose practical solutions. At the invitation of Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, representatives from the world of politics, diplomacy, the arts, culture, science, the media and business will meet in Salzburg on 27th January to debate these issues.
www.eu2006.at/en/The_Council_Presidency/Conference_The_Sound_of_Europe
European Conference on "Challenges and Innovations in Environment, Transport and Tourism", 30th-31st January, Vienna
This event is being held within the context of the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and is being organised by the Federal Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry, Environment and Water Management; the Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology and the Federal Ministry for Economy and Labour. The Conference will be preceded by a European contest for best practice examples in the field of "ecologically sound travel in Europe". www.eco-travel.at
The European Year will be officially launched at a major Conference in Brussels on 20th and 21st February. The Conference will provide the opportunity to launch the new EURES portal, which will provide all European citizens with direct access to all job vacancies published by the public employment services. It is expected that the Conference will attract about 450 participants from public authorities, NGOs and civil society, businesses, academia and the media. europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/workersmobility2006
The Peloponnesian city of Patras is the European Capital of Culture for 2006. Opening events for the Year included the inauguration of the exhibition "Leonardo da Vinci: Scientist, Inventor, Artist" and a concert by the Symphony Orchestra of Patras. The Year will unfold with a major Carnival, poetry and music events, live drama and cinema events, religion and art days and special events for children including an art festival.
http://patras2006.gr/en/
This event, organised by the European Commission, served to give visibility to the EU YOUTH
Programme and to EU youth policy. The concurrent "Youth takes the Floor" event also offered an
opportunity for debate among young people on projects on the theme of the future of the European
Union, and European youth policy. More than 200 participants debated and produced
recommendations on three main themes: the future of Europe; active citizenship; and the European Youth Pact. The conclusions were presented to European Commissioners Figel', Špidla and Kovács.
Many new locations have become integrated within the Italian Youth Hostel Association.
Some of these are in beautiful, and often hidden, corners of the country. Other are situated in famous historic Italian cities, or in wonderful natural locations.
The new Hostel in Rivalta sul Mincio “Ostello del Mincio”, is such an example. It is in the center of the Pianura Padana, in a picturesque village, rising just a few metres from the river Po and very near to the Natural Park of Mincio.
In the vicinity, there is a rich birdlife, expanses of marshy reeds and myriads of canals. Lake Garda is 35 km away. Apart from Mantova (10 km), it is possible to visit other important historic cities such as Verona (40 km), Cremona (50 km), Brescia and Parma (60 km). www.ostellionline.org
The year 2005 showed positive results for the Youth Hostels in Germany. DJH President Angela Braasch-Eggert and General Secretary Bernd Dohn are expecting final results to show an increase of overnights of one percent. That means again more than ten million overnights in total. The DJH President stated self-critically that less hostellers from abroad and less young people have been recorded in the 554 German Youth Hostels. Angela Braasch-Eggert and Bernd Dohn hope that particular projects related to the FIFA World Cup and the new Youth Hostel profile for international guests are able to stop this trend.
www.jugendherberge.de
"Democracy and civil society" was the motto of a Youth programme held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 23rd November until 7th December 2005.
DJH invited five German and five South African young people. During the two weeks they gained an insight into the daily life and sensed the cultural differences.
The Vietnamese Youth Hostel Association (VHI) would like to contribute to developing their country as a touristic destination. In November 2005 Mr. Burkhard Fieber and Mr. Hans Düsel of DJH met the VHI board in Hanoi.
The Association was founded in June 2005 and runs seven Hostels. VHI is an accredited agent of the Internationl Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF). The bilateral talks also included some first thoughts on how DJH could possibly support VHI.
www.jugendherberge.de
A big party with more than 150 people finished the "working-life" of Mr. Friedrich and Mrs. Renate Walcher as the managers of Villach Youth Hostel in Austria.
The Member of the Government Mr. Rohr presented an Order of Merit to the succesful managers who increased overnights from 13.000 to more than 18.000 within a couple of years.
EUFED President Peter Kaiser and the ÖJHV President of Carinthia Wolfram Wiegele thanked Mr. and Mrs. Walcher for their work and wished the new manager Mr. Andreas Malle the best of luck. www.oejhv.or.at
A City Adventure Centre (CAC) will open its doors on 4 February next to the Youth & Family Guesthouse Graz in the southern Austrian province of Styria. It will set new standards in indoor-climbing, adventure and recreation, not only in Austria but across Europe.
The centre will offer a large variety of activities, from sports climbing to a children’s creative world, team building activities, Internet café, skywalk, children’s playgrounds, event rooms and a DJ-area connected to the Youth radio station already existing in the Youth & Family Guesthouse.
Work on a £650,000 revamp at the flood-ravaged Youth Hostel in Boscastle will get under way later this month after YHA agreed to double its contribution to the scheme.The charity agreed to contribute £100,000 towards construction costs following a highly successful fund-raising campaign.As owners of the Youth Hostel, the National Trust will be funding the rest of the restoration work, which amounts to £500,000.
Like many buildings in the Cornish village, the Hostel was severely damaged in the flash flood that hit in August 2004.The property will be sensitively restored using traditional materials and methods. At the same time, the facilities will be updated to provide more modern accommodation.
Work on the project is set to begin on January 30 with completion due early in August and the Hostel scheduled to reopen soon after. www.yha.org.uk
YHA achieved a major landmark on 14th December 2005 when the total number of
overnight stays recorded in Youth Hostels in England and Wales hits 100 million.
The mammoth figure was achieved as YHA celebrated 75 years of providing
budget accommodation.
Overnight stays recorded at the network of around 220 country, coastal and city
locations topped 2 million in the last financial year - 3,5 per cent up on the
previous 12 months and the best for five years. www.yha.org.uk
EUFED
Hoogstraat 25, rue Haute
B-1000 Brussels
Tel.: +32 (0)2 502 80 66 - Fax: +32 (0)2 502 55 78
info@eufed.org - www.eufed.org
Hoogstraat 25, rue Haute
B-1000 Brussels
Tel.: +32 (0)2 502 80 66 - Fax: +32 (0)2 502 55 78
info@eufed.org - www.eufed.org