OUR WORK
To effectively address the current challenges for a more Sustainable Tourism in the Mediterranean area, a shift of paradigm in governance is needed.
The integrated and complementary actions and activities of the two Governance Projects are structured around 4 complementary pillars to navigate from the transfer and uptake of Projects results to the policy advocacy objectives and namely: Community Building, Capacity Building, Knowledge Sharing and Amplification, Political Engagement and Integration.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
Community building is ensured through internal coordination and collaboration activities that foster synergies, participation and peer exchange among projects and stakeholders.
The MED Clusters & Working Groups
Strategic networks to promote the dissemination of the results of the Community of projects and the participation of actors, beyond the Sustainable Tourism Community.
Regular meetings (online and in presence), during the year.
Four Thematic Areas of work
Explore the MED Clusters’ composition and work
ORIENTATION PAPERS
MED Cluster Nature&Biodiversity
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Annual Meeting of the Sustainable Tourism Community | University of Tirana October 1-2, 2025
Kick Off Meeting | International University of Rome, April 10-11, 2024
Joint Annual Fora
Annual events focusing on specific aspects of sustainable tourism per each edition. Each edition brings together key actors of the sector, both at institutional and at technical level.
III° Joint Annual Forum in Varna – November 2025
II° Joint Annual Forum in Almeria – November 2024
I° Joint Annual Forum in Ljubljana – November 2023
CAPACITY BUILDING
Capacity building focuses on strengthening institutional and technical skills through the development of concrete tools and learning resources. This includes the Interreg Euro-MED Academy, the MOOC on transferring, the Blueprint for Tourism Climate Action Plans and the Practices Handbook exploring how ICZM and MSP can support sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean, all supported by dedicated training sessions.
Blueprint for Tourism Climate Action Plans and Training Sessions
The Blueprint for Tourism Climate Action Plans. A Guide for Regional Authorities and Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) aims to provide clear and adaptable guidance to Mediterranean Tourism Regional Authorities and local and regional DMOs on how to develop a strategy for acting on climate, inspiring and enabling actions supporting adaptation to changing conditions and the reduction of emissions from tourism. It does this by providing the essential guidance necessary to create a Climate Action Plan.
The Blueprint is published as a tool in the European Climate Pact resources.
Read more and download the Blueprint in English and Catalan.
On the occasion of the II° Joint Annual Forum and in the beginning of 2025 (online) a training was organised to help destinations design and carry out effective Climate Action Plans.
Developed and led by leading experts, the training blends practical tools, real-world examples, and interactive learning. It supports Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), public authorities, and other key actors in stepping up their climate action. Read here for more information.
Practices Handbook
The Handbook Unpacking the Potential of Integrated Coastal Zone Management & Maritime Spatial Planning processes for Sustainable Tourism in the Mediterranean explores how IZCM and MSP can support sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean. It examines the legislative framework of ICZM & MSP, showcases best practices in maritime leisure regulation, urban planning, sustainability, and tourism impact monitoring, and highlights strategies integrating tourism into coastal and marine spatial plans.
Read more and Download the Handbook in English and French
A session of training focusing on the Handbook was organised during the Annual Meeting of the Sustainable Tourism Community held at the University of Tirana on October 1-2, 2025
Sustainable Tourism Policy Labs
Focused on influencing public policies for transforming tourism considering technical and political stakeholders.
4 key concepts identified to provide knowledge and support to policy-makers:
- Regional Sustainable Tourism Governance
- Climate Change and Tourism
- Tourism Innovation
- Circular Economy in Tourism
Interreg Euro-MED Academy Modules and Courses
The Mission will contribute to enrich the Interreg Euro-MED Academy with the production of Modules and Courses.
A first course released titled “Mainstreaming How to better share and disseminate the achievements of sustainable tourism projects in the Mediterranean” offers a practical and engaging learning experience for professional and stakeholders committed to sustainable and resilient tourism in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
Interreg Euro-MED Academy: Course categories | Interreg Euro-MED Academy
KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND AMPLIFICATION
Knowledge sharing and amplification are driven by the MED Clusters, the Sustainable Tourism Policy Labs, the Join the Med platform and the Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (NSTO).
Join the Med
A knowledge hub acting as a visual database integrating all the information, inputs and results of the Mission, together with other programmes and initiatives related to Tourism in the Mediterranean. Explore the Join the Med hub
Join the Med appears on the Tourism Transition Pathway platform
Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories Hub
The Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories provide structured workspaces to exchange experiences, analyse regional policies and consolidate results, including the preparation of a Guide Manual for STOs.
It brings together actors, policy makers and institutions in the MED Region sharing data on sustainable tourism and specific tools along with best practices encouraging the transfer and reuse of knowledge
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS
The economic dimensions of sustainable tourism. Reflections from a Mediterranean Community of projects
This publication highlights how 30 Interreg MED projects of the 2014-2020 period collectively advance sustainable tourism across Mediterranean regions by diversifying tourism products, improving social well-being and fostering innovation. It demonstrates how the Sustainable Tourism Community functions as a cooperative network driving socioeconomic and environmental transformation in coastal destinations. The work was presented at the FEUT 2023 International Conference on Economic Restructuring for Sustainable Development in Albania.
(Moloni, P.; Koutsopoulou, A.; Papatheochari, T.; Niavis, S. (2023). The economic dimensions of sustainable tourism. Reflections from a Mediterranean Community of projects. Πρακτικά του Economic Restructuring for sustainable development. Impact of tourism in this process. Tirana, Albania, 15-16 December 2023)
Linking tourism-related types of Mediterranean destinations with the cohesion policy objectives. The case of Interreg MED
This publication analyses how different types of Mediterranean tourism destinations align with EU Cohesion Policy priorities by examining the allocation of Interreg MED Sustainable Tourism projects and funds during the 2014-2020 period. It identifies six destination typologies and compares them with regional development categories to reveal patterns, imbalances and development needs across the area. The work illustrates how project distribution reflects both tourism potential and regional disparities. It was presented at the 62nd ERSA Congress on Regional Science Dialogues for Peace and Sustainable Development in Spain.
(Papatheochari, T.; Koutsopoulou, A., Niavis, S., Coccossis, H. (2023). Linking tourism-related types of Mediterranean destinations with the cohesion policy objectives. The case of Interreg MED. 62nd ERSA Congress. Alicante Spain 28 August – 1 September 2023)
From an Integrated Tourism Model to a Place Branding Strategy. Perspectives of Mediterranean Tourism Experts
This publication explores how tourism models developed by Interreg MED projects during the 2014-2020 period—WINTERMED, EMbleMatiC, DestiMED/DestiMED PLUS, SuSTowns and TOURISMED—can be transformed into place branding strategies for Mediterranean destinations. Drawing on expert interviews from the Sustainable Tourism Community, it analyses how branding elements can strengthen the promotion and sustainability of these models. The findings highlight the value of aligning tourism models with place-based identity, stakeholder engagement and destination branding. The work was presented at the 10th ICSIMAT Conference in Greece and was published in Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics.
(Papatheochari, T.; Koutsopoulou, A.; Moloni, P.; Niavis, S. (2024). From an Integrated Tourism Model to a Place Branding Strategy. Perspectives of Mediterranean Tourism Experts. In A. Kavoura; T. Borges-Tiago; F. Tiago (Eds.) Strategic Innovative Marketing and Tourism, 995-1004, Springer)
SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES
Join the Med Creating a multipurpose platform for enhancing sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean
This publication presents Join the Med, a multipurpose platform created to enhance sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean by gathering tools, best practices, knowledge, and stakeholder networks from Interreg Euro-MED projects. It showcases how the Sustainable Tourism Community works through shared resources, policy hubs and interactive mapping that support replicability and policy uptake across destinations. Designed as an open, practitioner-focused hub, the platform strengthens cooperation and visibility of Mediterranean sustainable tourism initiatives. The work was presented at the 64th ERSA Congress in Athens.
(Papatheochari, T.; Niavis, S.; Koutsopoulou, A., Moloni, P., Coccossis, H. (2025). Join the Med: Creating a multipurpose platform for enhancing sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean. 64TH ERSA Congress. Athens Greece 26-29 August 2025)
Developing a typology of measures to confront seasonality in Mediterranean tourism destinations
This publication develops a typology of measures to address tourism seasonality in Mediterranean destinations, drawing on evidence from Interreg MED Sustainable Tourism projects of the 2014-2020 period. It analyses how these projects applied diversification, destination promotion and capacity-building measures to mitigate seasonal concentration. The findings highlight the role of the Sustainable Tourism Community in testing and validating policies across different regional contexts. The work was presented at the 63rd ERSA Congress in Portugal.
(Moloni P., Niavis S., Papatheochari T., Koutsopoulou A. (2024). Developing a typology of measures to confront seasonality in Mediterranean tourism destinations. 63rd ERSA Congress. Terceira Island Azores 26 – 30 August 2024)
Contribution of a Mediterranean Sustainable Tourism Community of Projects to the UN Sustainable Development Goals_A Methodological Approach
This publication (in Greek) presents a methodological approach for assessing the contribution of the Interreg Euro-MED Sustainable Tourism Community to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It draws on projects from the 2021-2027 period to map project results against SDG targets and indicators. The work demonstrates how coordinated project outcomes can be systematically linked to global sustainability objectives and support policy-relevant evaluation. It was presented at the 7th Panhellenic Conference on Spatial Planning and Regional Development in Greece.
(Koutsopoulou, A., Papatheochari, T., Moloni, P., Niavis, S., Coccossis, H. (2025). Contribution of a Mediterranean Sustainable Tourism Community of Projects to the UN Sustainable Development Goals: A Methodological Approach (in greek). 7th Panhellenic Conference on Urban and Spatial Planning and Regional Development, Volos, 25-28 September 2025)
POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT AND INTEGRATION
Finally, Political engagement and integration are promoted through the Cross-Network Alliance on Sustainable Tourism and the White Papers, which translate project evidence into policy recommendations and support their uptake at policy level.
Besides, the MED Sustainable Tourism Conventions host the strategic debate on tourism agendas and policies.
Cross-Network Alliance on Sustainable Tourism
MED Sustainable Tourism Conventions
The MED Sustainable Tourism Conventions are a platform for strategic debate on tourism agendas and policies and the role of Mediterranean cooperation in the transition towards more sustainable, resilient and inclusive tourism models. The Conventions provide at the same time the space to showcase the solutions and knowledge generated by the projects of the Sustainable Tourism Mission.
The first two editions of the MED Sustainable Tourism Convention took place in June 2019 and in June 2022 in the framework of the previous programming period.
The third and fourth editions of the MED Sustainable Tourism Convention will take place in June 2026 (18&19) and June 2029. All the editions are organised in Barcelona.
