Together with the working team of our project partner, the Region of Crete, on February 12th we visited the Regional Unit of Lasithi for the INTERREG Euro-MED project NaTour4CChange.

NaTour4CChange brings together 10 partners from 6 countries with a shared vision: reconnecting tourism with the natural environment and nature, leveraging ecosystems to address climate change in Mediterranean coastal destinations. For Greece, the project’s pilot areas are the Zakros mountains (Natura 2000 protected area GR4320016 – Ori Zakrou) and the Koufonisi island (Natura 2000 protected area GR4320017 – Nisos Koufonisi, Gyro Nisides kai Nisides Kavalloi) in southeastern Crete.

With the contribution of Mr. Vaggelis Perakis, Coordinator of the Sitia Geopark, we visited the Natural History Museum of Zakros as well as the Alatsolimni, in the nearby area of Xerokambos.

Earlier, a meeting was held with the Deputy Regional Governor of Lasithi, Mr. Ioannis Androulakis, at the offices of the Region of Crete in Agios Nikolaos, where we discussed both the current status and the future of the project, its objectives, and the challenges the Regional Unit is facing on both tourism and environmental fronts.

Finally, the teams of HSPN and the Region of Crete visited the Sitia Town Hall, where a constructive discussion took place with the Deputy Mayor of Sitia, Mr. Konstantinos Lymperiou, regarding the current actions and prospects of the project in the area.

By reaffirming the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and local dialogue in enhancing sustainable tourism development and adapting coastal areas to new environmental challenges, NaTour4CChange continues with the goal of creating innovative strategies that will ensure an environmentally responsible and resilient tourism future for Crete and the Mediterranean.