The Blue Tourism Initiative continues to support sustainable and community-based tourism models across the Mediterranean through a new testing mission carried out in Al Hoceima National Park.

Led by the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation in collaboration with the Blue Mediterranean League for Youth, the mission focused on refining two ecotourism experiences currently being developed in the park: a marine itinerary and a mountain-based route inspired by the region’s rich natural and cultural heritage.

Over the course of two days, local stakeholders, tourism operators, conservation practitioners, and community representatives came together to assess and strengthen the proposed experiences using the MEET Network methodology. The process focused on key aspects of sustainable tourism development, including visitor experience, environmental sustainability, local governance, and the integration of conservation values.

Field visits and collaborative assessments took participants across coastal and mountain communities in the Al Hoceima region, where they engaged with local cooperatives, community-based tourism initiatives, and protected area interpretation sites. These exchanges provided valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges of developing tourism products that are both environmentally responsible and economically beneficial for local communities.

The mission also offered an opportunity to test the coherence and quality of the visitor experience while identifying ways to strengthen storytelling, local participation, and the connection between tourism activities and conservation objectives.

Through these collaborative efforts, both ecotourism experiences are being further refined into more integrated, sustainable, and market-ready tourism products that reflect the unique landscapes, biodiversity, and cultural identity of the region.

By supporting locally rooted and nature-positive tourism initiatives, the Blue Tourism Initiative continues to promote tourism models that contribute to both community well-being and biodiversity conservation across the Mediterranean.