NaTour4CChange and its partners actively participated in the Sun & Blue Congress, a dynamic three-day event held from 20 to 22 November 2024 in Almería, Spain. The congress offered a unique platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and advancing sustainable tourism practices.
Day 1: Engaging with the Sustainable Maritime and Cultural Tourism Task Force
On the opening day, the NaTour4CChange partners took part in a vibrant side event hosted by fellow project partner CPMR (Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions), focusing on the Sustainable Maritime and Cultural Tourism Task Force. This interactive session brought together tourism stakeholders, sustainable tourism experts, regional representatives, and conservation professionals for a lively dialogue. As a consortium, NaTour4CChange actively exchanged insights on challenges facing the Mediterranean and brainstormed innovative solutions to enhance sustainable tourism.
Day 2: Capacity Building and Climate Action Planning
The second day began with participation in Interreg Euro-MED’s Sustainable Tourism Mission Side Event titled “Climate Adaptation in Tourism: Building Capacity and Policy Integration.” This session explored regional and local strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation, emphasizing the importance of capacity building.
Later, NaTour4CChange hosted its private session where regional partners delved into a toolkit developed by The Travel Foundation to assist regions in drafting their Climate Action Plans. Representatives from Junta de Andalucía, Generalitat de Catalunya, and associate partner Sustentur shared good practices in sustainable tourism, enriching the session with their insights. The day concluded with an internal consortium meeting to align on upcoming activities and milestones.
Day 3: Field Visit to Cabo de Gata – Nijar Natural Park
The final day featured a field visit to Cabo de Gata – Nijar Natural Park, Europe’s only area classified as a hot desert (BWh in the Köppen climate classification). The visit highlighted the region’s unique natural beauty, ecological challenges, and the impacts of climate change on its environment and tourism sector.
Key stops included:
- Arrecife de las Sirenas (Mermaid’s Reef): The iconic lighthouse and rocky landscapes.
- San Jose Village and Playa de los Genoveses: Showcasing the region’s cultural charm and one of the most magnificent beaches.
- Playa de Monsul: A natural wonder and significant tourist destination.
Special thanks to Gloria García for her insightful guidance and to Experience Cabo de Gata and Iñaki García for facilitating an authentic ecotourism experience.
All in all, the Sun & Blue Congress proved to be an invaluable opportunity for NaTour4CChange to foster collaborations, exchange knowledge, and share its commitment to nature-based solutions in the face of climate change. The consortium came out of this experience inspired and energized, ready to take the next steps toward sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean.
