TRANSPORT SERVICES, RENTING SERVICES – LEISURE, FOOD AND BEVERAGES SERVICES, CULTURAL AND CREATIVE INDUSTRY, ACCOMMODATION SERVICES, TRAVEL AGENCY AND ORGANIZATIONAL SERVICES
The lack of understanding of the changing tourism demand and the opportunities presented by the twin transition was identified as a major gap. As perceptions of tourists change and their needs evolve, new challenges and opportunities rise for tourism SMEs. The need for awareness programs to educate on the changing tourism landscape was highlighted as a challenge. Professionals have the need for tools to make well-placed observations, acquire insights and leverage their new knowledge. The lessons learnt underscore the importance of staying abreast of market trends and leveraging the opportunities presented by the twin transition.
The DestiMED PLUS project is a significant initiative that aims to promote integrated planning in coastal tourism. It focuses on applying holistic policies that link tourism with conservation, particularly in the context of ecotourism products in Mediterranean Protected Areas (PAs). The project recognizes the need for robust governance and legislative frameworks across the entire Mediterranean area for ecotourism to thrive. A key component of the project is the establishment of a Med Ecotourism Consortium (MEC), comprising conservation and tourism actors from regional administrations. The MEC works to capitalize on tools and strengthen policy frameworks for ecotourism, allowing regions to exchange best practices and develop an integrated ecotourism model for the Mediterranean that can be adopted by their territories and scaled up.
Lessons Learned:
Harmonization of Monitoring Tools and Online Learning: Existing monitoring tools should be harmonized to maintain an informed overview. This may allow local and regional authorities to measure sustainability and improve participatory governance.
Strengthening Governance and Legislation Frameworks: For ecotourism to thrive, governance and legislation frameworks must be strengthened across the whole Mediterranean area. This includes enhancing cross-sectoral local and regional policies and improving integrated planning strategies that can integrate insights of variable demand.
