Project focus on coastal and maritime tourism as a sustainable industry

Re-imagining and re-building coastal and maritime tourism as a sustainable industry is the driver behind REBOOT MED. This two-year flagship project focuses on the post-COVID-19 recovery of the Western Mediterranean tourism sector. Led by Petra Patrimonia Corsica and co-funded by the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), REBOOT MED aims to generate growth, create jobs and provide a better living environment for Mediterranean populations.

Due to its popularity as a tourism destination, the Mediterranean Sea is under huge environmental pressure. This has been caused by the large number of visitors to Mediterranean coastal areas, who have increased the demand for water, food, and energy. Tourism has also caused pollution, waste, and habitat degradation. Hence, there is a demand for solutions to create sustainable blue tourism.

REBOOT MED is developing several ecotourism packages and policy recommendations in the Western Mediterranean area. The project seeks to build capacity and raise awareness of the competitiveness and sustainability of coastal and maritime tourism. The target will be tourism SMEs, coastal communities, and potential pioneers who will be key players in the sustainable blue economy. The project will capitalise on lessons learned through their dissemination.

Project aims

By 2024, REBOOT MED is expected to promote cross-border and interregional cooperation and be replicable throughout the Mediterranean. It should also inspire new policy measures to recover tourism services in coastal and island territories. Moreover, this initiative will increase tourism activities involving local businesses and coastal communities while raising awareness of the Western Mediterranean as a sustainable, safe, and high-quality destination.

Lastly, it will aim to decouple tourism from seasonality by diversifying the Western Mediterranean's maritime and coastal tourism products. This is a priority to reduce the environmental pressures caused by the industry in the region.

this project is expected to contribute to the “Initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy in the western Mediterranean”, the “New approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU”, The European Green Deal objectives and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information