ALPINFONET TOOLBOX

Newsletter No. 3 / June 2014
4th AlpInfoNet partner meeting
in Bregenz (Austria)
AlpInfoNet is now in the middle of its project duration and
the project partners met in Bregenz from 28th to 29th of April
2014 for the 4th transnational project partner meeting. The
two days in Bregenz were very important for the project
work, as crucial decisions were taken concerning the final
outputs of the project and the concrete implementation of a
sustainable mobility information network in the 5 pilot
regions. Experiences and findings from the project will be
summarised in a handbook providing guidance for
followers on how to set up a sustainable mobility
information (SMI) system.
4th partner meeting in Bregenz
(source: LKZ Prien GmbH)
Furthermore, a marketing strategy for tourism operators
will be produced, providing concrete examples of good
practices and guidance on how to encourage tourist and
commuters to leave their car and travel sustainably.
The AlpInfoNet Toolbox
Within the project, we distinguish two main types of online
information systems. The first are touristic websites like
hotel and booking websites which are called tourism
information systems (TIS). The second are the mobility
information systems (MIS) which provide mobility related
information. An example of such MIS are journey planners
that inform the user how to travel from A to B. Often
journey planners cover different transport modes such as
walking, cycling or public transport. With the tools from the
AlpInfoNet toolbox these existing information systems can
be enhanced, and connections between two or more of
these systems can be built.
The AlpInfoNet toolbox contains detailed descriptions and
directions for the following ten tools:
Smart Links
AMS /
Last Mile
information
Widget
Connection
of two journey
planners
POI data
adaptation and
completion
ALPINFONET TOOLBOX
The main aim of AlpInfoNet is to provide people with better
information about sustainable mobility. By better
information we mean information that is easy to find, easy
to use, accurate and comprehensive, and covering all
kinds of sustainable transport modes. This aim cannot be
reached with one single solution. In fact we need a couple
of different technical solutions. In AlpInfoNet these
technical solutions are called tools and together they form
the AlpInfoNet toolbox. At the moment, ten tools are
available in this box and the number will increase during
the project lifetime.
Time Table
completion
Enhancements
of journey
planners
Maps
Web Service
Editorial
information
AlpInfonet toolbox
Smart Links
Smart links on websites lead the user to relevant information on another website in a smart
way. For example, a hotel website can offer a smart link to a journey planner, where the
hotel is already suggested as destination.
Newsletter No. 3 / June 2014
Widget
Small entry masks on a website, called widgets, offer a comfortable possibility for the user
to retrieve information directly from another website. For example, a hotel website can offer
a widget as access to a travel planner, where the user can enter the desired travel time and
obtain the trip information directly.
Connection of two journey planners
Each journey planner covers a certain region. By connecting two neighbouring journey
planners, each of them can offer travel information in the whole “combined” area spanned
by the two journey planners.
POI data adaptation and completion
TIS and MIS often offer information about hotels, sightseeing points, stops and other point
of interest (POI). By adapting, completing, and harmonising the POI information in all
systems, the systems can offer more accurate, consistent and actual information, and avoid
delivering contradictory information, which confuses the user.
Time Table completion
Whenever there is some missing information in public transport journey planners, these
gaps should be filled by completing the data.
AMS / Last Mile information
Additional Mobility Services (AMS) are mobility offers, which complement conventional
public transport. Such services comprise for example tourist buses, cableways, taxis, or
bike rental. These mobility offers are suitable to manage the “last mile”, i.e., the way from
the last public transport stop to the final destination. Although AMS are often found in tourist
regions, usually they are not covered by the existing information systems. Where AMS
information is missing in the existing information systems, it should be added.
Enhancements of journey planners
Conventional journey planners, which are not able to deal with AMS information, should be
enhanced and made capable to do so.
Maps
Maps are powerful means to provide additional geographical information to the user.
Existing map services such as Open Street Map for example may be used to give e.g. POI
information.
Web Service
A web service fetches information from several TIS and MIS, combines this information in a
suitable way, and presents it to the user. Web services can offer information to the user in
the most comfortable way, but web services are a very expensive tool.
Editorial information
Websites can add simple text or graphical information to enhance the mobility information
for tourists or inhabitants. Such editorial information is just a very simple but most effective
tool.
All these tools included in the AlpInfoNet toolbox fit to each other and can be combined. Like
a craftsman chooses the right tools for each job out of his toolbox, each region can select
those tools from the AlpInfoNet toolbox, which will be most helpful and suitable for the local
framework conditions.
A draft version of the toolbox is now available on the project website
> www.alpinfonet.eu
Newsletter No. 3 / June 2014
News from AlpInfoNet pilot regions
Lake Constance
In January 2014, representatives of the Austrian and
German part of the Lake Constance pilot region met in
Bregenz to discuss approaches and planned activities on
both sides of the border as well as possible interfaces.
The International Lake Constance Tourism Association
(IBT) is in charge of marketing the region on a regional and
international level. It represents 10 regional institutions,
including municipalities, counties and regional tourism
associations. During a meeting in January 2014, Ifuplan
met with representatives of the IBT to discuss hosting
options for a database of regional additional mobility
services. An upcoming meeting with local tourism
representatives will explore dissemination options of
project results among regional tourism operators.
Piedmont, Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur and
Rhône-Alpes pilot region: let the concrete job begins!
It took almost a year for the French and Piedmont partners
of AlpInfoNet to define the transnational and practical
activities they could implement jointly towards the
interoperability of some tourism and transport information
systems and tools. The precise description of the
respective technical specifications was an important
precondition for defining the framework of the common
work. It was quite a time-intensive but indispensable job to
ensure the contribution of the pilot region to the
implementation of a sustainable mobility information
network for the Alpine Space.
Lake Constance boat trip
from Bregenz
(source: Vorarlberg)
The Sacra San Michele abbey,
symbolic heritage site of the
Piedmont Region
(source: Piedmont Region)
Thanks to these common transnational efforts, a public
tender for the technical development of a mobility
information network has recently been published under the
responsibility of the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur Region.
The first concrete developments are expected next autumn
in order to provide new and efficient information services to
tourists for Christmas holidays and the forthcoming winter
season.
In line with the experimentations to be done within the
AlpInfoNet project, the information systems in the pilot
region are continuously improving. Systems such as
Pronto TPL, Itinisère or MobiSavoie are currently moving
towards new versions. Moreover, some of them have been
accorded an award, such as Paca Mobilité which received
a few weeks ago the price “TER 2.0” from a national
refereed journal in transport for its quality and relevancy for
the users. With such dynamism, let’s expect the best for
the pilot region!
More information about the pilot regions:
> www.alpinfonet.eu/pilot_regions
The Galibier pass (2642 m) a key link between the Rhone-Alpes
and Provence-Alpes-Cote-d’Azur
Regions and one of the famous
passes of the pilot region
(source: Flickr CC, Will_cyclist)
Newsletter No. 3 / June 2014
ZOOM – Province of Gorizia – Goriška
pilot region
Thanks to the rich history, natural beauties and
gastronomy, the Province of Gorizia-Goriška is a very
attractive touristic destination during the whole year. The
small cross-border area is covering only 2,792.14 km2. The
pilot region has more than 2.4 M overnight stays per year
and a large amount of day trippers.
One of the most distinctive and recognisable sights of both
regions is the emerald river Soča/Isonzo, being a paradise
for water and adventure sports in the Alps and a natural
Mouth Reserve in the Trieste gulf.
The Dobrovo Castle
(source: Tatjana Lampreht;
www.heritaste-project.eu)
Additionally, the attractiveness of recreational and sports
tourism increases thanks to many hiking and biking trails
(www.hiking - biking - slovenia.com) such as the “Alpe
Adria Trail” (across the Slovenia, Italy and Austria) or the
historical walk “The Walk of Peace” in the memory of the
First World War.
Moreover, in this time, you can experience a special
excursion with the Museum Train riding through Alpine
landscape along the Bohinj Railway.
In addition to regular public transport such as national
Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, Slovenske železnice and
main regional bus operators as Avrigo d.o.o. and APT
Gorizia, a wide range of last mile sustainable mobility
offers like call-on-demand services (taxi drivers, MIVAX,
GoOpti, Vinetou…) and rental bikes are available. In April
2014, Slovenske železnice launched a mobile application
“Grem z vlakom / I go by train” providing to public transport
users information about train timetables and delays during
the whole trip.
Information on touristic attractions and beauties are
available at the regional sites (as Agenzia Turismo Friuli
Venezia Giulia, Consorzio Turistico Gorizia e l'Isontino,
Smaragdna pot/Emerald trail and at many local Tourist
Information Centres) and at the National Tourist Boards (I
feel Slovenia - Official Slovenian Tourist Board Information
Portal, Turismo FVG, Movimento Turismo del Vino…).
Tolmin, Soča Valey
(source: Matevž Lenarčič;
www.dolina-soce.com/alpe_adria_trail)
Gorizia Caste
(source:Turismo FVG;
www.turismofvg.it)
The AlpInfoNet project partners already cooperate with
transport and tourism stakeholders, trying to find out a
technical solution to connect sustainable mobility offers
with point of interest on the cross border area.
Museum Train across the
stonebridge Avče on the Soča river
(source: Slovenske železnice,
www.slo-zeleznice.si)
Newsletter No. 3 / June 2014
AlpInfoNet at SWOMM workshop in
Vienna (Austria)
11th December 2013, in the framework of the International
Day of Mountains launched by the General Assembly of
the United Nations, the 9th edition of the Scientific
Workshop on Mountain Mobility (SWOMM) was held at
the Vienna International Centre.
The event was co-organized by the Italian Presidency of
the Alpine Convention and the University of Camerino, with
the support of the Austrian Environment Agency, EURAC
Research and the Interim Secretariat of the Carpathian
Convention (UNEP Vienna - ISCC), which also hosted the
event. The workshop was focused on mobility and
sustainable tourism, with a special focus on the
accessibility of mountain areas in the Alps and the
Carpathians.
SWOMM, Vienna
(source: R. Vergnani)
Mr. Harry Seybert from the Bavarian Ministry of the
Interior, Building and Transport, lead partner of AlpInfoNet,
presented the objectives and the current ongoing activities
of the project. The workshop was attended by more than
fifty experts and representatives from ten countries of the
Alps and the Carpathians.
AlpInfoNet at
Regional information days in France
In January 2014, AlpInfoNet was presented at two regional
information days about “Climate and Spatial Planning”
organised by the regional department of the French
Ministry of Ecology and the University of Toulouse-Le
Mirail. These exchanges intended to share knowledge and
experiences about climate and spatial planning, combining
scientific contributions and operational field experiments.
They offered an opportunity to gather various stakeholders
and different points of view: researchers, professionals,
citizens, associations, public authorities and others.
Regional information days, France
(source: MEDDE/DREAL M.P.)
AlpInfoNet at the Assembly
of the European regions in Brussels (Belgium)
On the 30th of May 2014, Federico Cavallaro (EURAC)
presented the project AlpInfoNet in Brussels, at the
Assembly of European Regions (AER) during a working
group meeting & stakeholders roundtable. AER is the
largest independent network of regional authorities in
wider Europe, bringing together nearly 230 regions from 35
countries along with 15 interregional organisations. The
meeting was an occasion to discuss with European
stakeholders, technicians and politicians about the
sustainability of alpine transport and the role of AlpInfoNet
towards this goal.
Assembly of European Region
in Bruxelles (source: EURAC)
Newsletter No. 3 / June 2014
Partnership
Contact
Lead Partner
Bavarian Ministry of the Interior,
Building and Transport
Harry Seybert,
Deputy Head of Division II E1
T: +49 (0)89 2192 3814
F: +49 (0)89 2192 13814
E: [email protected]
Project Management
LKZ Prien GmbH
Karl Fischer, General Manager
Nicola Neumeier, Project Manager
T: +49 (0)8051 901 217
E: [email protected]
E: [email protected]