The community program TOURISMED – Fishing TOURISm for a Sustainable development in the MEDiterranean area aims to enhance fishing tourism among the Mediterranean coastal regions of Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Albania, France, and Spain. The project examined fishing tourism activities as an alternative income source for fishermen, through the professional organization of new forms of tourism use of the sea and the pilot implementation of an effective fishing tourism business model. This model will improve the quality of life for fishermen while providing sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean.

The business model  allowed fishermen to touristically utilize traditional fishing activities through maritime tourist routes, promoting local products, and exploiting the natural and cultural wealth of each region. The model will be implemented in Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Albania, and France, alongside targeted educational programs and an innovative online platform for promoting and networking tourism industry stakeholders. All these countries share the common challenge of finding new solutions to the concerning depletion of marine resources, the decline of the traditional fishing sector, and the negative consequences of tourism, such as social disintegration, loss of cultural heritage, and ecological degradation.

The project trained 90 fishermen from the partner countries in the implementation of the business model related to fishing and coastal tourism. The business model included a tourism activity package based on fishing principles and tourism activities adapted to the local conditions of each study region. Alternative tourism routes  developed, combining fishing activities, local traditions and gastronomy, local products, sea activities, and the exploitation of cultural and environmental points of interest. All the routes promoted via an online platform and a mobile app.

To effectively test the business model, local cooperation teams formed, involving fishermen, fishing associations, commercial associations, chambers of commerce, local economy representatives from the coastal zone (e.g., restaurants, cafes, taverns, hotels, shops), environmental and tourism organizations, as well as research institutions and local government authorities.

The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg V-B Mediterranean – MED Cooperation Programme 2014-2020 and national resources. It was implemented in collaboration with the University of Piraeus, Department of Maritime Studies, Marine Research Laboratory.

For more information: https://tourismed.interreg-med.eu/