Twelve ecotourism packages are ready to be part of the Mediterranean Experience of Ecotourism (MEET) catalogue according to the evaluation of an experts meeting held in Malaga at the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation premises on 8-9 July, to discuss ecotourism principles and minimum criteria for inclusion of packages in the final MEET Catalogue.
Eighteen protected areas in 6 countries will be the first ones to be tested by selected outbound tour operators (especially from North America, Canada, Australia and UK) in a round of familiarization trips that will be organised next September to November.
The selected packages are:
Lebanon
- Jabal Moussa, Tannourine and Ehden Nature & Biosphere Reserves (Lebanese Myths, Forests & Adventure)
- Al Shouf and Tyre, Lebannon (Cedars to Sea: The ancient Phoenician playground)
France
- Port-Cros Natural Park (The Undiscovered French Riviera)
- Cevennes National Park (Hike Up a Gourmet Appetite in Cevennes )
Greece
- Regional Marine Park of Northern Karpathos, Saria and Astakidonision (The untouched heart of the Greek islands)
- Samaria National Park (Crete - From Mountains to the Sea: Trail of the Gods)
Jordan
- Dana Biospfere Reserve (Spirit of the Jordanian Desert)
- Ajloun and Mujib Biosphere Reserves (Wet ‘n' Wild Jordan)
Italy
- Monte Rufeno Nature Reserve (Central Italy's undiscovered beauty)
- Sinis Marine Protected Area (Discover the unspoiled west coast of Sardinia)
- Dune Costiere Regional Park, Italy (Ancient Olive Groves & Roman Roads)
Spain
- Cap de Creus, Aiguamolls & Montgri Natural Parks (Salvador Dali-inspiring Natural-Cultural Landscapes)
Another 4 packages that include 6 rotected areas will need additional tests in the coming months in order to improve their quality and fulfill the MEET criteria before being presented to International Tour Operators.
The final goal of the project is to prepare a Catalogue that will gather a selected collection of ecotourism packages featuring undiscovered naturalist journeys in some of the most unique protected areas in the Mediterranean region.
The MEET Project, a three-year project funded by European Union (ENPI-CBC Mediterranean Programme 2007-2013), aims to improve the cooperation between Mediterranean Protected Areas in the sustainable tourism field and to develop an integrated strategy in order to set an eco-tourism development model for the Mediterranean region. The project is led by Federparchi (Italy), and IUCN-Med is a partner in the consortium, in charge of the coordination of the MEET Network.
For further info: Carla Danelutti
Photo: Cap de creus, ©Núria Sendrós Rius
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