The Global Ecotourism Forum 2025 was successfully concluded from October 22 to 24 in the village of Sant Fruitós de Bages and the Monastery of Sant Benet, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia (Spain).
The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (HSPN) participated in the Round Table on the second day of the Forum, in the session “Good Practices and Innovative Experiences for Inclusion and Accessibility in Ecotourism.” The presentation was delivered by Stamatina Syrigou, National Coordinator of the Blue Flag Programme. Ms. Syrigou referred to the long-standing Greek experience of HSPN through the Blue Flag Programme, highlighting the contribution of its international criteria to ensuring safe, well-organized, and accessible beaches for all, promoting inclusion, continuous awareness-raising, communication, and education.
Within the framework of the GEF 2025, HSPN also participated as a partner of the NaTour4CChange in the project’s side event (the 2nd International Experience Exchange Workshop) co-organized with the Task Force on Cultural and Maritime Sustainability in Tourism of the Intermediterranean Commission (IMC) of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR).
The event began with the relaunch of the Mediterranean Ecotourism Consortium (MEC), initially established under the Interreg MED DestiMED PLUS project, focusing on policies that support the development of ecotourism.
Subsequently, the Regional Climate Action Plans from five of the project’s pilot areas were presented: Andalusia (Spain), Zadar County (Croatia), Sardinia (Italy), Neretva Canton (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Crete (Greece). Each partner showcased how the results of climate assessments are translated into concrete adaptation and mitigation strategies.
The second session featured an exchange of ideas among participants, with interventions by representatives from the South Aegean Region (Greece), the Catalan Tourism Agency, and Visit València, followed by a World Café session. The broader discussion focused on transferable good practices and the challenges faced by Mediterranean destinations in integrating climate action into tourism policies. The event concluded with closing remarks from the CPMR and the European Commission (DG Environment), underlining the importance of a coordinated policy approach and enhanced cooperation for a sustainable, resilient, and climate-smart tourism development in the Mediterranean.
The Global Ecotourism Forum 2025 was organized by the Government of the Autonomous Region of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya).
