The Blue Tourism Initiative (BTI) partners (IDDRI, eco-union, and the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation), in collaboration with Diputació de Barcelona, organise the in-person side event within the framework of the III MED Sustainable Tourism Convention, hosted by the Barcelona Provincial Council in partnership with the Community4Tourism, under the Mediterranean Sustainable Tourism Community.

The side event, entitled “Advancing Sustainable Blue Tourism in the Mediterranean – Towards the MED Blue Tourism Flagship Initiative,” will present the main results and lessons learned from actions implemented in Morocco (Al Hoceima National Park), Tunisia (Djerba Island), and Lebanon (Tyre Coast Nature Reserve, Palm Islands Nature Reserve, and the Anfeh saltpans). The session will showcase how the initiative has supported improved visitor management in sensitive coastal areas, the creation of local ecotourism governance structures, capacity building for tourism operators, and the integration of biodiversity considerations into hospitality practices. Building on these results, the event will explore the transition from project implementation to long-term impact through the Mediterranean Blue Tourism Flagship Initiative, part of the 2026–2035 Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) under the Barcelona Convention.

The event will be held at the Auditorium Pati Manning, Carrer de Montalegre, 7, Barcelona, Spain, on June 17th 2026, from 17.30 to 19 pm CEST.

             >>>  Link to the Agenda <<<<     

        >>>  Link to the Registration Form <<< 

This event aims to:

• Foster interactions and the exchange of experience among coastal and marine areas.
• Enhance the transition of the project to long-term impact through the MED Blue Tourism Flagship Initiative;
• Allow participants, including policy-makers, to reflect on policy actions to advance towards a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable blue tourism sector in the Mediterranean
• Foster networking opportunities and partnerships across tourism stakeholders in the Mediterranean.