Tourism for Inshore Fishing, Food and Sustainability (TourFish)

Tourism for Inshore Fishing, Food and Sustainability – Part 1 (Dec 2013 – Aug 2014) and Part 2 (Oct 2014–May 2015) are European Interreg IVa 2 Seas programme funded projects concerned with the links between responsible tourism, sustainably sourced foods and the communities/environments that create and deliver both.

The project was led by the University of Greenwich with partnering institutions: Municipality of Middelburg (Netherlands), Flanders House of Food (Belgium), Haliotika (T2) and Naussicca (T1) (France), University of Greenwich, University of Brighton, Sidmouth Drill Hall Hub CIC (T2)/Sidmouth Trawlers (T1).

University of Brighton work in this project involved collaborating with project partners and local stakeholders (including Hastings Fishermans Protection Society, Hastings Fisheries Local Action Group, and local tourism and food actors) to research, help develop and exchange knowledge on the potential for small-scale fishing related Responsible Tourism in Hastings. The project is led by the University of Greenwich.

What do we mean by Responsible Tourism (RT)?
RT is a form of tourism concerned with helping to develop better places to live, work and visit. In contrast mass tourism has led to many cultural, environmental and social problems across the world. Instead responsible tourism tries to develop forms of tourism that maximises the benefits for local communities and visitors. Formalised through the Cape Town Declaration in 2002 RT focuses upon limiting the negative environmental, social and cultural impact of the visitor experience while creating economic benefits for local people that enhances their wellbeing.

Project aims

TourFish 1

Through TourFish 1 a Responsible Tourism conference was hosted by the University of Brighton in Hastings. At this conference the project partners brought together advocates and practitioners of RT from across Europe to discuss its value, purpose, and potential; while highlighting live examples of RT in Hastings through a themed indoor and outdoor art exhibition and Classroom on The Coast demonstration programme.

TourFish 2

Through TourFish 2 researchers helped to develop ideas for a Responsible Tourism (RT) package to be centred around Classroom on The Coast and delivered by local independent RT providers (e.g. chefs, fishers, hoteliers) to create a new tourism offer that supports community well-being, an enriched tourist experience and helps protect the natural and cultural heritage of Hastings. RT is concerned with creating better places for people to live, work and visit. The package being developed is just one step towards identifying and developing the potential for this form of tourism in Hastings.

TourFish 1
We produced the TourFish magazine (see right) with detailed findings. In addition we produced - working with the local Hastings fleet and local creatives - an animation for the Hastings fleet to use as an education resource and visual demonstration of their role in RT: view the animation.

TourFish 2
Facilitation of the creation and marketing of a food/fisheries based tourism package and associated network, centred on the Classroom on the Coast, to stimulate and provide RT experiences and learning for tourists and residents in Hastings.

To do this the University of Brighton ran three local tourism actor workshops, arranged input from experts in RT, sustainable food and education markets, together with a group scoping visit to other RT projects to develop local Hastings RT principles, plan the product and network offer, identify routes to market, and develop marketing assets to be taken forward by the stakeholders.

Through this process participants worked together to develop the product business plan, model of membership and RT standard quality kite mark.