THE CONTEXT

The Mediterranean Sea, a rich and popular maritime area, is continuously undergoing dramatic changes as a result of mass tourism trends experienced especially before the Covid pandemic19 . The increase in the number of visitors to natural areas, for example, generates multiple environmental pressures in Mediterranean coastal areas, such as increased demand for water, food and energy resources, air and water pollution caused by human presence, increased waste production, land consumption and habitat degradation, unsustainable use of living resources, landscapes and coastlines.

Moreover, the Mediterranean Sea must be seen as a common sea and the Mediterranean and WestMed community must be helped to move towards the concept of co-responsibility of this common good.

In this regard, exchange of best practices must be promoted to address policy and decision-making in the future and help promote sustainable and balanced development of sea uses, sustainable tourism models in connection with small-scale fishery, cultural heritage, leisure boating and protected areas.Transitioning to a sustainable blue economy is the key for the marine environment’s health and the capabilities of future generations at Mediterranean and WestMed level. The transition to a sustainable blue economy is the key to the preservation of the marine environment and the capacity of future generations to maintain it in the Mediterranean and Western Mediterranean area. As each territory has added value that can be exploited on a local scale, the process of raising awareness among coastal populations and the support of tourist actions on existing local assets are essential opportunities and challenges for the capitalisation and sustainability of the actions implemented.

OUR OBJECTIVES

OUR PHILOSOPHY

THE REBOOT-MED’S OBJECTIVES

REBOOT MED is a 24-months flagship project aiming to encourage public-private partnership co-defining Blue Economy Action Plans for the Recovery of the tourism sector, and to incubate, accelerate and test new eco/blue economy tourism packages in 10 pilot areas in 6 WestMed countries: France, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco and Mauritania.

The cross-cutting objective of REBOOT MED is to support the implementation of the WestMed common roadmap for the development of a sustainable blue economy in the sub-basin to generate growth, create jobs and provide a better living environment for Med populations and tourism ecosystems.

REBOOT MED is implemented through 3 result-oriented pillars :

STREGHTHEN

Build capacity and awareness of the sustainability of the coastal and maritime tourism ecosystem and its competitiveness through local clusters and a series of exchanges organised in collaboration with the WestMed Initiative;

PROMOTE

Promote a sustainable development approach based on the exploitation of local assets and make tourism SMEs, coastal communities and potential pioneers actors of change by encouraging them to rethink coastal and maritime tourism in their territory.

SHARE

Share and capitalise on lessons learned at local and WestMed level.

THE EXPECTED RESULTS

Create durable partnerships/networks focusing on the chosen theme(s) involving EU and non-EU Western Mediterranean countries

Develop new and applicable policy pathways and recommendations or action plans to support public authorities (national and regional) and services

Resumption of tourism services in coastal and insular territories incorporating new, innovative services for the whole value chain and for destinations

Increased tourist activities that involve local enterprises and coastal communities

Increased awareness of the Western Mediterranean as a sustainable, high quality and safe destination

Resumption of tourism services in coastal and insular territories incorporating new, innovative services for the whole value chain and for destinations

Create new eco-tourism packages promoting cross border and interregional cooperation, with replication potential across the Mediterranean

Create public/private partnerships, start-ups, investments and job creation

Increased digitalisation of the maritime and coastal tourism sector in the Western Mediterranean

Diversify the maritime and coastal tourism products offered in the Western Mediterranean by making them less dependent on the seasons, in a responsible and circular economy

WHO IS REBOOT MED FOR ?

THE TARGET GROUPS

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PUBLIC BODIES

local, regional, national public authority, public bodies and their representatives and policymakers with competence relating to coastal and maritime tourism sector activities, such as Municipalities, Association/Union of Municipalities, Regional departments, Ministries, etc.

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