Project Summary
AIM:
Created on the continuation of the BlueTourMED project, The MED Sustainable Tourism Community is the second generation of an horizontal project aiming to find solutions for the protection and promotion of natural and cultural resources in the Mediterranean area through a coherent strategy of Community Building, Communication and Capitalisation.
What is the goal of the MED Sustainable Tourism Community?
"Despite its economic and social importance, tourism development is exerting undue pressures on natural and built environment. These pressures may threaten the quality of life of local populations, degrade the tourism assets and, by consequence, affect negatively future tourism developments. Exploiting the full potential of tourism requires an innovative approach and sustainable basis. Therefore, effective strategies and targeted integrated actions should be developed and implemented across the Mediterranean region."
Created in November 2016 within the framework of the Interreg MED Programme, the MED Sustainable Tourism Community has been renewed for a three-year period till June 2022 to make tourism a real driver for inclusive and sustainable growth.
Since 2019, five new territorial cooperation projects have joined the Community that now gathers 22 projects co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), almost 300 organisations (public authorities, private companies, universities, NGOs and international organisations) active in 12 European-Mediterranean coastal areas. Besides, two Strategic Projects, approved in October 2019, focusing on governance of sustainable tourism will join forces with the Community.
Role of NECSTouR:
The project partners are the Deputacion of Barcelona (DIBA), Arco Latino, the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED), Plan Bleu, University of Thessaly (UTH), the Adriatic Ionian Euroregion (AIE), the Regional Development Agency of Green Karst (Slovenia) and NECSTouR.
NECSTouR permanent secretariat is one of the new partners in the community, leading the work package aiming for the capitalisation of the knowledge generated by the modular projects into tourism and cohesion policies at different level of decision (local, regional, national and European). The capitalisation will be made through cooperation events and regional working groups.
STC Handbook on EU Funding
The Handbook informs public authorities and tourism stakeholders in the Mediterranean about funding opportunities for projects contributing to sustainable tourism using two of the most important EU funding instruments, the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). They offer important funding opportunities for tourism at local and regional level. The guidance aims to inspire and advise readers to best prepare for absorbing these funds at regional and local levels.
News and Best Practices
NECSTouR Activity Report 2020
Together with our members and partners, we have successfully accomplished our strategic objectives. Our work has led to important achievements in 2020. Relive them through our freshly published activity report.
European Green Deal: Developing a sustainable blue economy in the European Union
On 17 May, the European Commission proposed a new approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU for the industries and sectors related to oceans, seas and coasts. A sustainable blue economy is essential to achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal and ensuring a green and inclusive recovery from the pandemic.
HERIT-DATA : Innovative solutions to manage tourism flows through technologies and big data
The Interreg MED project Herit-Data is celebrating is mid-point with an online conference on the mornings of the 9th and 10th of June: "Innovative solutions to better manage tourism flows impact on cultural and natural heritage sites through technologies and big data"
EU Green Week Partner Event: Sustainable Tourism solutions to reduce pollution in the Mediterranean area
For the next EU Green Week, NECSTouR is organizing a webinar along with its partners in the Interreg MED programme on June 3rd. The goal of this webinar is to present solutions from a selected number of projects aiming at reducing pollution with an ethical and sustainable consumption of tourism: Ecotourism (DESTIMED PLUS), Cycle tourism (MEDCYCLETOUR), Waste management (BLUEISLANDS) and Water Management (CASTWATER).
Tourism in the Adriatic Ionian Euroregion and COVID-19 crisis: measures and opportunities towards sustainability
On-line webinar with the support of MED Sustainable Tourism Community in the framework of XVII AIE General Assembly
16 December 2020 – time: 11.00 - 12.30 (CET)
Committee of Regions: Regions and cities use the COVID-19 crisis to spark a debate on resilience and sustainability in the tourism sector
On 8 December, an opinion drafted by Manuel Alejandro Cardenete Flores (ES/Renew Europe), Deputy Minister for Tourism, Regeneration, Justice and Local Administration of the Regional Government of Andalusia and the Vice-President of NECSTouR, was presented during the plenary session of the Committee of Regions.
BEST MED: Data Management for Sustainable Tourism
The online workshop on Data Management for Sustainable Tourism is the first technical event organized by the Interreg BEST MED project, to share the results of its study activities, coordinated by the Regional Tourism Agency of Lazio Region, a NECSTouR region.
Report: Interreg MED Conference on Governance
The conference “Past, Present and Future of the Interreg MED and governance in the Mediterranean” happened on a dedicated website to enhance virtual exchanges. Who is it for? Every NECSTouR members interested in the future of the Interreg Med programme and the next programming period.
Smart Tourism Tools in the Mediterranean Destinations
Promoted at the CETT Smart Tourism Congress, the online workshop showcased smart tourism tools developed by three different projects dealing with Mediterranean destinations. Two of them were represented by NECSTouR members: Andalusia and Veneto.
Interreg Call for Sustainable Urban Mobility in the Mediterranean
The Interreg MED Urban Transports Community offers a mentorship opportunity to Mediterranean Cities and Regions engaged in the development of sustainable urban mobility solutions in their territories. An opportunity for NECSTouR Mediterranean regions.
CETT Smart Tourism Congress
The Sustainable Tourism community of the Interreg MED Programme have been invited to participate to the CETT Smart Tourism Congress. The international congress is divided in three sessions: Professional Day, Entrepreneurs Day and Academic Day. Several members and projects of NECSTouR are involved during the first one, including of course CETT, the main organiser, then Andalucia, Tuscany and the Barcelona Province (DIBA), lead partner of the Horizontal Project and moderator of the first workshop.
Report: Sustainable Mobility in Tourist Destinations (EU Week of Regions 2020)
The two Interreg MED communities - Sustainable Tourism (STC) and Urban Transport (UTC) - joined forces during a workshop exchanging good practices from both catalogues of replicable solutions on sustainable mobility in the Mediterranean area.