News
Workshop on sustainable tourism for beneficiaries from our three pilot countries in the Mediterranean
June 24th 2025 | Tunis, Tunisia
Last week, representatives from the Blue Tourism Initiative’s pilot countries — Morocco, Tunisia, and Lebanon — gathered in Tunis for a dynamic three-day workshop dedicated to advancing sustainable tourism across the Mediterranean.
Organised by the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation and Mubadarat UICN, with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) under the Tamkeen project, the workshop brought together 43 participants from civil society organisations and local actors across six Mediterranean countries. The goal was to strengthen their capacity to design and implement tourism projects that integrate Nature-based Solutions (NbS), enhance climate resilience, promote sustainable employment, and foster social inclusion, with a special focus on empowering women and youth.
Over three days, participants engaged in interactive training sessions covering:
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Climate adaptation strategies for tourism destinations
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Visitor management in and around protected areas
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Community-based tourism models
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Ecotourism development in protected areas
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Project planning and design tools
The group also explored real-world success stories during field visits to Ichkeul National Park and Ghar El Melh, where they experienced firsthand how sustainable tourism can support both conservation and local livelihoods.
On the sidelines, an internal meeting brought together local organisations involved in the Blue Tourism Initiative to exchange on implementation strategies, share progress, and reinforce collaboration. The meeting, attended by the IUCN Med programme manager and national coordinator, helped align efforts and build stronger partnerships for transformative change across the region.
