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UNOC official side-event "Shaping Blue Tourism: Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Pathways" key highlights
June 9th 2025 | Official UNOC3 offsite event | West End Hotel | Nice
Building Momentum for a Sustainable Blue Tourism Future at UNOC 2025
On Monday, 9 June, during the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC2025) in Nice, we had the pleasure of co-organising the event “Shaping Blue Tourism: Regional Collaboration for Marine Resilience” at the West End Nice Hotel. The session gathered a diverse and dynamic group of stakeholders working to advance sustainable coastal and marine tourism, with an emphasis on regional collaboration, environmental sustainability, and social equity.
The event kicked off with opening remarks from Julien Rochette, Director of the Ocean Programme at IDDRI, and Janique Etienne from the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM), who set the tone by highlighting the critical role of tourism in the ocean-climate nexus and the growing need for integrated regional approaches.
Session 1: Strengthening Collaboration through Regional and International Initiatives
Moderated by Céline Kauffmann (IDDRI), the first session examined how to enhance cooperation among international and regional initiatives to develop more sustainable tourism models. We were honoured to hear from:
- Jared Bosire, Head of the Nairobi Convention
- Jeremie Fosse, Co-Founder and President of Eco-Union
- Cyrielle Lam, Head of Mobilisation and Communication, Ocean & Climate Platform
- Arild Molstad, Author, Photojournalist, and Ecotourism Advisor
- Alexandre Musso, Chief of Staff to the Chief Sustainability Officer, Group Accor
Each speaker brought invaluable insights into how cross-sector partnerships, local empowerment, and innovative policy approaches can reshape the future of blue tourism.
Session 2: From Ideas to Impact – Implementing Blue Tourism on the Ground
The second session started with Robin Degron, Director of Plan Bleu, who offered a keynote presentation on lessons learned in the Mediterranean. Then the panel was moderated by Angelo Sciacca (IDDRI), focused on practical strategies for fostering sustainability and equity in tourism at the local level. Between the panellists:
- Fabrice Bernard, Conservatoire du Littoral
- Dylis McDonald, CANARI
- Robin Farrington, Our Blue Future (GIZ)
- Mercedes Muñoz, IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation
Joshua Rambahiniarison, CORDIO East Africa
Their experience across regions—from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and the Western Indian Ocean—offered powerful examples of place-based solutions that integrate ecological protection and community development.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Anne-France Didier, President of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD), and Julien Rochette (IDDRI), who emphasised the importance of maintaining the momentum and growing the coalition of stakeholders committed to transforming tourism into a force for marine resilience. Then participants gathered for a coffee reception at La Palmeraie, where the conversations continued informally and connections were deepened.
This event served as a testament to the power of collaboration in driving a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future for coastal and marine tourism. We extend our sincere thanks to all co-organising institutions, including IDDRI, FFEM, Plan Bleu, IUCN, Eco-Union, and the Ocean & Climate Platform, as well as to all the partners who made this event possible. A special thank you to all the speakers and panellists for sharing your experience, vision, and dedication.