Start date: 01-02-2017
End date: 31-07-2019
TOURISMED is a project aimed at testing and transferring a fishing-tourism business model in the coastal territories of Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Albania, France and Spain to promote a sustainable approach to tourism, preserving the marine ecosystem and culture and tradition fishing in the MED region.
These areas face the common challenge of identifying new solutions for the worrying depletion of marine resources, the decline of the artisanal fishing sector and the negative impacts on tourism of such a social displacement, loss of cultural heritage and ecological degradation.
In response to these issues, the goal of the project is to promote fishing-tourism as a sustainable coastal and maritime tourism practice in the MED region. The expected changes include a better exploitation of resources by artisanal fishermen, a diversification of revenues in the sector and a greater enhancement of the traditional coastal heritage and local fish gastronomy. The project will produce a pilot test of the model and assessment tools to allow replication in the area concerned.
A training course will involve fishermen to put tourist itineraries in synergy with local tour operators. The final model will be promoted with an online tool aimed at customers interested in starting a fishing-tourism activity, while an interactive map of the itineraries will be used to reach tourists. Protocols with public bodies and fishing associations (MoU) will be followed according to specific recommendations to ensure the sustainability of the project impacts.
General Objective:
The general objective of the project is to promote fishing-tourism as a sustainable coastal and maritime tourism practice in the MED region.
Specific Objectives:
Preserve and enhance the maritime culture and traditions of artisanal fishing
Contribute to local economies through innovative and alternative eco-tourism products
Encourage sustainable exploitation of the marine ecosystem and fish resources
Main results:
90 fishermen trained to manage a sustainable company based on the sea
6 tourist itineraries linked to the traditional maritime heritage and the enhancement of local fish products
1 fishing tourism tourism model
6 regional fishing-tourism consortia that adopt the business model
Target groups:
1. Public authorities – through networking and focus groups, thus contributing with feedback on the business model. They will be included in the workshop to discuss the final version after the pilots.
2. Fishing associations / fishermen – will have an active role in the pilots through a training course and the realization of the tests.
3. Tour operators – will be involved in the focus groups and pilots by recruiting customers. They will also provide feedback on the model.
4. General public as tourists who will participate in the pilot activity and contribute to the evaluation of the services.
The Partnership:
LP: Municipality of Trabia, Italy
PP1: International Promotion Sicily-World – PRISM, Italy
PP2: Promimpresa srl, Italy
PP3: Delphi Partners & Co, Cyprus
PP4: University of Piraeus, Greece
PP5: Cyprus University Of Technology, Cyprus
PP6: Durres Municipality, Albania
PP7: Italian Chamber of Commerce for France in Marseille, France
PP8: PETRA CORSICA HERITAGE – Cooperative pour le développement de l’emploi dans les métiers du patrimoine, France
PP9: Haliéus, Italy
PP10: Valenciaport Foundation, Spain
Web: https://tourismed.interreg-med.eu/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/tourismed.interregmed
"The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein."