The Mediterranean as an innovative, integral and unique destination for Slow Tourism initiatives

Programme 2014 - 2020 Mediterranean Sea Basin ENI CBC

Date of latest update: 2024-03-25

Description

Description (EN):

Most models of tourism in the Mediterranean area are based on mass tourism and follow a fragmented vision of the region as a sum of different markets. Med Pearls aims at internationally positioning the Mediterranean as a unique and integral destination to experience the Med lifestyle through SlowTourism (ST), inviting travellers to discover sustainably and responsibly new destinations while taking time to have direct contact with local communities. The project will deliver a set of 26 new ST products created by local Destination Management Companies (DMCs) and ICT enterprises thanks to financial and technical support called Product Development and Innovation Facilities. The idea is to create similar experiences based on the typology of products and themes agreed among partners, therefore, visitors will live similar experiences, of the same quality, in any of the 13 areas targeted by Med Pearls. The project will address both local and international markets, like the USA, Canada, Northern Europe, Russia or Asia, organising a comprehensive commercialisation and marketing strategy.

Achievements (EN):

Started in September 2019, the Med Pearls project was born with a specific goal in mind: To internationally position the Mediterranean as a unique and integral destination to experience the Med lifestyle through SlowTourism, inviting travellers to discover sustainably and responsibly new destinations while taking time to have direct contact with local communities. Contrary to most models of tourism in the Mediterranean basin, which are based on mass tourism and follow a fragmented vision of the region, the Med Pearls wanted to become a revolutionary conception. One in which the whole of the Mediterranean was branded under one concept, that integrated and built synergies between the different Med countries with the goal of promoting a more sustainable form of tourism. Today, spanning across six diverse countries -Egypt, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Palestine and Spain- the project has made a lasting impact. Through collaborative efforts, we have developed and nurtured slow tourism experiences in contrasting 13 pilot areas, unlocking the hidden treasures and authentic cultures of these remarkable destinations. These experiences aim to transform the way travelerstravellers engage with the Mediterranean, andMediterranean by want fto fostering a deeper connection and while enhancing a more meaningful exploration. Up until now, Slow Tourism has remained a fairly new concept that evolved from the Slow Food and Cittaslow movements that dated back to the 80’s and 90’s. However, in 2020 the Med Pearls project undertook the major exercise of compiling bibliography on the matter and define the concept. By studying in great detail, the strategies of 6 different Slow Tourism destinations, the project was able to draw conclusions one what Slow Tourism is; and how to help the project beneficiaries and any tourism agents willing to incorporate it to their portfolio of products. Complementary to this, the project also published a series of studies on the demand of this type of tourism in 7 outbound markets, and guidelines on how to promote and commercialise sustainable destinations in with innovative tools. The project's dedication to promoting sustainable tourism has resulted in the creation of 19 slow tourism products and approximately 200 unique experiences. These carefully crafted offers, have provided travellers with unforgettable moments, and immersed them in the local traditions, heritage, and natural beauty of the Mediterranean. Together with the caring collaboration of our partners, and the professional input of the participating DMCs, these products and experiences are a testament of our commitment to sustainability and enriching travel encounters. The Med Pearls project has not only focused on the creation of experiences but has also played an important role in shaping the brand identity of the Mediterranean. The creation of the Breathing Land brand, launched in 2022, has captured the essence of the region, evoking a sense of harmony, authenticity, and tranquillity. This new brand aims to become a referent for responsible and slow travellers seeking a genuine connection with the Mediterranean's cultural and natural wonders. Our communication and promotion efforts have been extensive and diverse. From dynamic online marketing campaigns to attending prestigious travel fairs like the WTM (World Travel Market), we have strived to raise awareness and showcased the extraordinary offerings of our destinations. Furthermore, the different familiarization and press trips have allowed us to share the stories and experiences first-hand, inspiring wanderlust in travel agents, tour operators and travel reporters from different parts of the world. Thus, developing connections with the local companies of the regions, and the demands of the international market. In our commitment to technological innovation, the project has also assisted in the development of 10 ICT solutions that aim to innovate in the promotion of Slow Tourism in the project destinations. These solutions have harnessed the power of technology to enhance visibility, streamline information sharing, and facilitate the distribution and promotion efforts of the local travel agencies that have created the products. Through these advancements, we have embraced the digital era while staying true to the principles of sustainable and slow travel.

Website: http://www.enicbcmed.eu/projects/med-pearls

Expected Results (EN):

390 people trained on Slow Tourism products development, marketing and promotion . 2 facilities for product development and innovation in the Slow tourism sector . 26 Slow Tourism products and 6 ICT solutions created. 40 marketing and visibility initiatives to promote the developed tourism products and destinations . 13 action plans for the implementation of Slow Tourism strategies in pilot areas.

Expected Outputs (EN):

3.1 - 3.1: Roadmap for the implementation of a Med Pearls Slow Tourism strategy in all concerned terr, 4.1 - 4.1: Slow Tourism Product Development Facility, 4.2 - 4.2: Slow Tourism Innovation Facility, 4.3 - 4.3: 'Competitive Slow Tourism' Training Package, 4.4 - 4.4: Med Pearls BRIDGES, 5.1 - 5.1: Slow Tourism Products (Pearls), 5.2 - 5.2: Slow Tourism ICT Solutions, 5.3 - 5.3: Network of Slow Tourism Med Pearls, 6.1 - 6.1: Med Pearls Promotion and Commercialization Package, 6.2 - 6.2: Med Pearls Cross-Selling Strategy.

Thematic information

Tourism

Thematic Objective: Business and SME development

Partners (8)

Lead Partner: Agència Catalana de Turisme - Catalan Tourist Board

Department: Department of EU Programmes

Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 105, 8008 Barcelona, Spain

Legal status: n/a

Website: http://www.act.cat

Total budget: EUR 718 170.09

ENI budget: EUR 646 353.08

ΔΗΜΟΣ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗΣ - Municipality if Thessaloniki

Name: ΔΗΜΟΣ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗΣ - Municipality if Thessaloniki

Department: Directorate of Cultural and Touristic Services / Tourism Department

Address: Vasileos Georgiou A’ 1, GR-54640 Thessaloniki, Greece

Legal status: n/a

Website: http://www.thessaloniki.gr

Total budget: EUR 341 289.34

ENI budget: EUR 307 160.41

شركة الاستكشاف للسياحة والسفر - Discovery Travel & Tourism LLC

Name: شركة الاستكشاف للسياحة والسفر - Discovery Travel & Tourism LLC

Department: Destination Management Company / Travel and Hospitality Group

Address: Abdul Kareem Moath, 11184 Amman, Jordan

Legal status: n/a

Website: http://www.discovery1.com/

Total budget: EUR 462 227.16

ENI budget: EUR 416 004.44

APS MEDITERRANEAN PEARLS

Name: APS MEDITERRANEAN PEARLS

Department: Board of Director

Address: VIA LUIGI STURZO 64, 95131 Catania, Italy

Legal status: n/a

Website: http://www.mediterraneanpearls.it

Total budget: EUR 446 502.44

ENI budget: EUR 401 852.20

اتحاد منظمات الاعمال المصرية الاوروبية

Name: اتحاد منظمات الاعمال المصرية الاوروبية

Department: Not applicable

Address: 7,El Fardos St., Alga Scan building 4, SmouhaAlexandria, Egypt

Legal status: n/a

Website: http://www.ceeba.org

Total budget: EUR 268 852.48

ENI budget: EUR 241 967.23

الاتحاد العام للغرف التجارية المصرية – الغرفة التجارية المصرية بالاسكندرية - Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce – Alexandria Chamber

Name: الاتحاد العام للغرف التجارية المصرية – الغرفة التجارية المصرية بالاسكندرية - Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce – Alexandria Chamber

Address: Alexandria, Egypt

Legal status: n/a

Website: http://www.alexcham.org

Total budget: EUR 290 691.18

ENI budget: EUR 261 622.06

الحاضنة الفلسطينية لتكنلوجيا المعلومات والاتصالات - Palestine information & communications technology incubator

Name: الحاضنة الفلسطينية لتكنلوجيا المعلومات والاتصالات - Palestine information & communications technology incubator

Department: Startups

Address: Ougarit Bldg. 3rd Fl., Al-Irsal.Ramallah, Palestine

Legal status: n/a

Website: http://www.picti.ps

Total budget: EUR 198 164.00

ENI budget: EUR 178 347.60

جمعية الحياة البرية في فلسطين - Palestine Wildlife Society

Name: جمعية الحياة البرية في فلسطين - Palestine Wildlife Society

Address: Iskan St. Beit Sahour –Lower Hatoum street, P.O. Box 89Beit Sahour, Palestine

Legal status: n/a

Total budget: EUR 289 235.98

ENI budget: EUR 260 312.38

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Catalan Tourist Board

The Mediterranean as an innovative, integral and unique destination for Slow Tourism initiatives

Partners and Projects info

Municipality if Thessaloniki

The Mediterranean as an innovative, integral and unique destination for Slow Tourism initiatives

Partners and Projects info

Discovery Travel & Tourism LLC

The Mediterranean as an innovative, integral and unique destination for Slow Tourism initiatives

Partners and Projects info

APS MEDITERRANEAN PEARLS

The Mediterranean as an innovative, integral and unique destination for Slow Tourism initiatives

Partners and Projects info

Confederation of Egyptian European Business Associations

The Mediterranean as an innovative, integral and unique destination for Slow Tourism initiatives

Partners and Projects info

Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce – Alexandria Chamber

The Mediterranean as an innovative, integral and unique destination for Slow Tourism initiatives

Partners and Projects info

Palestine information & communications technology incubator

The Mediterranean as an innovative, integral and unique destination for Slow Tourism initiatives

Partners and Projects info

Palestine Wildlife Society

The Mediterranean as an innovative, integral and unique destination for Slow Tourism initiatives

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): The Mediterranean as an innovative, integral and unique destination for Slow Tourism initiatives

Project acronym: Med Pearls

Project start date: 2019-09-01

Project end date: 2022-08-31

Project status: closed

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 3 015 132.67

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 2 713 619.40

Co-financing sources:

ENPI/ENI/NDICI: Amount, EUR 2 713 619.40.

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2014 - 2020 Mediterranean Sea Basin ENI CBC

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2024-02-09

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

80 / 80 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

610 / 610 (100%)

Notes on the data

Information provided by the Programme. Achievements were retrieved by Interact from the Programme website (http://www.enicbcmed.eu), or a website directly linked from it, on 2024-02-28. Fields project name (from 3 projects) translated from French into English using the European Commission's eTranslation machine translation service.

The projects which fields include an eTranslation English text are the ones with the following acronyms: RESMYLE, OENOMED and RE-MED.

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The Mediterranean as an innovative, integral and unique destination for Slow Tourism initiatives

Description

Thematic information

Partners (8)

Partners map

Summary

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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