A regional development association provided two online trainings in spring 2021 to nine event organisers, a study visit to a green festival and up to ten hours of mentoring each. The river operators then drew up a plan covering waste, food, materials, transport, energy, communication and organisation, and agreed a shared checklist. Between 1 July and mid-August, four trips were run with separate waste collection, local fresh food with vegetarian options, reusable tableware, free drinking water instead of bottles and public transport and cycling promoted for getting to the boats. A follow-up training in autumn 2021 gathered feedback from all nine events.

For operators, the main costs were staff time, two extra bins and a freshwater tank, and the regional programme of training and communication cost around €10,000. The communication around the trips reached about 180,000 people, and the approach builds on guidelines developed for Tartu’s European Capital of Culture 2024 programme. For small excursion and event providers, it shows that a simple, shared plan with training and mentoring can deliver visible results without ongoing costs.

#WasteReduction #GreenHospitality #SustainableTourism #SlowTravel