Berlin Gives Local Residents a Say in Tourism Planning
Photo Credit: Pariser Platz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany Unsplash / Claudio Schwarz
Skift Take
Berlin has given a formal seat at the tourism development table to its citizens. That's nice but it's important how selected citizen representatives will vocalize new feedback and whether tourism officials will respond to it.
In Berlin, locals will have a formal voice into the development of tourism in their city under a new initiative called the Citizens' Advisory Council. They will have an opportunity to preserve their city’s authenticity and character as it emerges as one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations.
Under the initiative, two selected representatives from each of Berlin's 12 districts will form an independent council that will meet four times a year and advise tourism officials on how to develop tourism for the city sustainably. The council application process ends in October.
The initiative underscores a 2022 Skift Megatrend "Communities Are No Longer Spectators in Travel."
“We would like a citizens’ advisory council that, as an advisory body, reflects what is happening in tourism from the point of view of the population in the industry and politics and actively helps to develop impulses for tourism that is compatible with the city,” sa
