On 25 September, DestiMED launched the first of seven pilot tests taking place Fall 2017 in and around Mediterranean protected area communities. Local cooperation teams created new ecotourism packages, and welcomed a group of industry experts who evaluated and provided feedback on the quality, sustainability, and market viability of the packages.

The testers also helped collect data for an innovative approach to measuring and reducing the environmental impact of tourism on the natural resources that sustain protected area communities. This new tool is based on the established Ecological Footprint framework, and is being developed during DestiMED project by IUCN in collaboration with globally-recognized research organization Global Footprint Network.

DestiMED is an EU-funded cooperation project of the Interreg Mediterranean Sustainable Tourism Programme. The project brings together a network of 13 protected areas in six Mediterranean countries, and provides them with the tools they need to create transformative travel experiences that generate positive outcomes for local communities, while minimizing the impact of tourism on local natural and cultural resources.

DestiMED builds on the success of a previous project called the MEET Network (Mediterranean Experience of Ecotourism), a non-profit association and Destination Management Organization (DMO) established with the intent of fostering a regional network that will coordinate, enhance and market Mediterranean ecotourism experiences to international markets.

"Our aim is to interact constructively with our natural resources and to broadcast our legacy positively, while protecting the River Ebre as an icon of our lands", said Josep Aragonés, Terres de l'Ebre Biosphere Reserve Director. "For this reason, projects like DestiMED that advocate sustainable tourism are fully aligned with our objectives as a protected area".

● Colline Metallifere Tuscan Mining Park (Italy)

● Kornati National Park (Croatia)

● Menorca Biosphere Reserve (Spain)

● Nature Park Lastovo Islands (Croatia)

● Samaria National Park, Crete (Greece)

● Terres De L´Ebre Biosphere Reserve (Spain)

● Torre del Cerrano Marine Park (Italy)

The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation is one of the partners of this project led by the Lazio Region. The other partners are from the Mediterranean basin: FEDERPARCHI - Europarc (Italy), the Mediterranean Protected Area Network (MedPAN), WWF Adria, WWF Mediterranean Programme, and National Agency of Protected Areas (NAPA) in Albania. IUCN-Med plays an important role in the coordination of the communication work package, and the definition of the Mediterranean Ecotourism standards and the investigation of a related monitoring tool to assess the sustainability of ecotourism in protected areas.

For more information: Jeremy Sampson

Photo: © IUCN-Med