More than 150 representatives of tourism management at state, regional and local level from eleven Mediterranean countries, speakers from the world of academia and research and other European projects met in person on 8 and 9 June in Barcelona as part of the 2nd edition of the Convention on Sustainable Tourism in the Mediterranean.
The hybrid event was also followed by 200 attendees online.
During the nine thematic sessions, the participants debated on the main challenges and the current situation of the tourism industry in the world and in the Mediterranean area.
Valentina Superti, Director for Tourism and Proximity at DG GROW (Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs) of the European Commission, presented the Transition Tourism Pathway 2030 as the roadmap defined by European tourism stakeholders to manage the priorities of the next decade and as a tool to give orientations for action.
One session was dedicated to tourism and climate change and how the tourism industry must respond to the already visible impacts it is having. It featured some of the driving forces behind the Glasgow Declaration, such as theUnited Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Tourism Declares. The discussion revolved around how to move from words to action and how destinations should implement climateaction plans that are integrated into their day-to-day management and, as a result, lead to an improved tourism experience.
The Convention was also an opportunity for the MED Sustainable Tourism Community, an initiative financed by the European Interreg programme and which brings together more than 200 entities working on 30 projects on sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean, to present some of the main products developed in its six years of life, including the catalogue of results of Community projects, the handbook on the use of European funding for sustainable tourism and theInterreg Euro-MED Academy training programme.
Gloria Lazaro, programme officer at Plan Bleu, presented the catalogue of best practices on capitalisation of the Sustainable Tourism Communityas a source of inspiration for decision makers in the Mediterranean with 8 cases showcasing clear and concrete solutions already implemented in Mediterranean destinations.
The event was also the opportunity to discuss the green and digital transition towards sustainability, the need for cooperation in the Mediterranean region, the crucial role of monitoring data and the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.
More information about the event is available here.
