At the Caravan Salon trade fair in Düsseldorf, the Sauerland-Wanderdörfer were once again awarded the coveted "Quality Region Wanderbares Deutschland" award by the German Hiking Association (DWV). The association of eleven Sauerland municipalities with a total of around 280 districts and villages thus continues to exemplify the high quality of hiking in "Germany's inspiring outdoor region" and nature experiences in a class of their own.
"We are delighted about the renewed certification and the resulting confirmation of our good work with all partners in hiking tourism," emphasizes Sabine Risse, Hiking Manager at Sauerland Tourism. "Particularly due to the environmental influences of recent years, such as the bark beetle calamity and the associated impact on our local forests, this was not a matter of course and could only be achieved through an incredible feat of strength."
43 quality criteria were reviewed by the German Hiking Association in order to ensure the continued high quality across the board. In addition to factors such as an "uninterrupted" hiking trail network, a uniform trail and signposting concept and a minimum number of certified quality tours, these included a wide range of accommodation and catering options, environmental and nature conservation aspects, digital and analog information materials (dedicated website, brochures and interactive hiking maps) and close integration and cooperation between regional partners.
In addition to the Sauerland-Wanderdörfer as a quality region, the two multi-day hiking trails Uplandsteig and Diemelsteig as well as the Grönebacher Dorfpfad and Blick-ins-Land Kahle Pön trails were also recertified as quality trails at the Caravan Salon trade fair and are therefore among the top hiking trails in the region. While the 66-kilometre Uplandsteig runs around the municipality of Willingen and connects all nine districts, the 63-kilometre Diemelsteig leads over the ridges around the idyllically embedded Diemelsee. The 11-kilometre Grönebacher Dorfpfad near Winterberg runs almost exclusively along meadow paths and trails, while hikers can experience the special features of the rare Hochheide areas in the Sauerland on the 7.7-kilometre Blick-ins-Land Kahle-Pön Rothaarsteig trail.
Contact for the press:
Rouven Soyka, Sauerland-Tourismus e. V.
Johannes-Hummel-Weg 1, 57392 Schmallenberg
Tel.: 02974-969830, e-mail: presse@sauerland.com
Freuen sich im Rahmen des Sauerland-Zukunftsforums gemeinsam über die erneute Zertifizierung als Qualitätsregion Wanderbares Deutschland: die touristischen Vertreter der Sauerland-Wanderdörfer.
Foto: Sauerland-Tourismus e.V. / Bladevision Filmproduktion
