"The ERNEST “European Research Network on Sustainable Tourism” project will address the issue of sustainable development in tourism through coordination and collaboration among regional research programmes. ERNEST will be a horizontal ERA NET action, not directly linked to one specific cooperation theme but with much European added value. The overall objective is to develop and strengthen a framework for coordinating regional research programmes on sustainable tourism. Within this platform regions will share and build on research work already underway at regional level, making it more productive and efficient through exchange and planning and implementation of joint activities. The specific objectives are as follows: • identify and exchange information and knowledge on research programmes that regions wish to coordinate; • identify within the research programmes elements related to social dialogue (participative processes for programming including all relevant stakeholders) and measurement of tourism impact; • define and prepare joint research activities on tourism research; • implement joint activities in these fields according to common needs, particularly concentrating on training, exchange and evaluation at an interregional level; • fund joint interregional research on sustainable tourism through joint calls; • promote productive cooperation and collaboration in research both in terms of interregional cooperation and cooperation at regional level, including public private partnerships; • allow partners to define together long-term and ambitious strategies in line with the European Union policy of sustainable development that each region could not easily reach on its own."