On 29–30 April 2026, the Blue Tourism Initiative brought together public institutions, tourism stakeholders, civil society organisations and hospitality partners in Djerba, Tunisia, for a two-day workshop dedicated to consolidating achievements and shaping the next steps towards a more biodiversity-friendly tourism model on the island.

The workshop was organised in collaboration with Association pour la Sauvegarde de l’Ile de Djerba – ASSIDJE, AJEM – Association Jlij pour l’Environnement Marin, Iberostar Wave of Change and IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, with the support of the Ministry of Environment, CRT Djerba and CRDA Médenine. The event marked an important milestone in transforming pilot actions implemented between 2024 and 2026 into a long-term operational framework for sustainable tourism in Djerba.

Day 1 – Capitalising on results and lessons learned

The first day focused on reviewing the progress achieved through the Blue Tourism Initiative in Djerba and identifying pathways for long-term impact and replication across the Mediterranean. Discussions included:

• Mediterranean benchmarking and exchanges with other BTI pilot destinations
• Presentation of environmental and biodiversity guidelines for hotels, alongside preliminary assessments carried out with hotels participating in the Djerba Hotel College
• Sustainable visitor management approaches and carrying capacity analysis at the Ras Rmal Ramsar site
• Support provided to tourism operators in adopting biodiversity-friendly practices that contribute to the conservation and enhancement of the Ras Rmal Ramsar site, in line with its co-management agreement
• Synergies with ongoing Mediterranean initiatives and opportunities for scaling up and replication.
  
  

Day 2 – Structuring the next phase and exploring funding opportunities

The second day was dedicated to collaboratively shaping the future of the Blue Tourism Initiative in Tunisia and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the actions initiated in Djerba. Participants worked on:

• Co-designing a future project proposal building on the results, partnerships and lessons learned from the pilot phase
• Exploring financing opportunities through blended funding mechanisms and international donors
• Defining shared priorities and a roadmap for the continuation and scaling up of the initiative

These two days provided a valuable space for dialogue, collaboration and collective reflection, reinforcing a shared commitment to promoting a tourism model that protects biodiversity while supporting resilient local development across the Mediterranean.