Tourism accounts for 10% of Europe’s GDP, but operates on an outdated linear model that depletes resources. The VERNE project, funded by Horizon Europe, aims to tackle tourism challenges and transform this sector through circular, sustainable approaches.

While tourism is an engine for economic growth and employment, its environmental footprint continues to expand through excessive energy use, water consumption, waste production, and pollution, negatively impacting the local environments and the quality of life of its inhabitants.

How VERNE Works

VERNE implements a balanced system approach that considers economic, social, and environmental factors to counter challenges from tourism in local contexts. The project brings together city governments, tourism boards, businesses, local residents, travellers, and environmental groups.

The process begins by mapping stakeholders in each destination’s tourism ecosystem, analysing their needs and attitudes toward sustainability. Based on this understanding, VERNE designs custom circular solutions that replace the “take-make-dispose” model with closed resource loops.

“Communities of Practice” in each destination enable locals, business owners, and officials to co-create solutions, ensuring ideas emerge from within communities rather than imposed from the outside.

Real Solutions for Real Places

Real Solutions for Real Places

• Bornholm, Denmark
• Sønderjylland-Schleswig border region (Denmark-Germany)
• Santorini, Greece
• Uusimaa region, Finland
• Pomurje, Slovenia
  

Practical Tools

The project delivers actionable tools:

• Multi-dimensional Assessment Framework: A practical toolkit that helps businesses and local authorities calculate both the costs and benefits of switching to circular tourism models. It includes specialized KPIs for measuring progress across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. 
• Solutions Catalog: A comprehensive collection of over 30 proven circular solutions tailored specifically for tourism, complete with implementation guides and real-world examples from the pilot sites. 
• VERNE Ecosystem: An integrated digital platform that connects tourism stakeholders, enabling easier collaboration and resource sharing. The system includes an AI-driven assistant service and a blockchain-powered marketplace that rewards sustainable behaviors. 
• Community Engagement Methodologies: Field-tested approaches for involving locals and visitors in creating and maintaining circular tourism systems, with special focus on changing consumption behaviors. 
• Policy Recommendations: Clear guidance for governments at all levels on creating regulatory environments that support circular tourism transitions. 
  

These tools will form VERNE’s “One-Stop-Shop” for sustainable tourism: a comprehensive hub for European destinations to access knowledge and resources for their own circular transformation.

A Fresh Start for Tourism

VERNE lays the groundwork for tourism that works with nature, benefits locals, and gives travelers authentic experiences. It’s time to stop treating tourism like mining, taking without replacing, and start seeing it as a cycle where resources keep their value for future generations.