12 June 2026

Regenera4MED Partners Meet in Liguria to Advance Regenerative Tourism Across the Mediterranean Partners of the Interreg Euro-MED project Regenera4MED gathered in Spotorno, Liguria, on 10–11 June 2026 for the project's 3rd Steering Committee meeting, hosted by the Liguria Region. The two-day event brought together representatives from six pilot destinations and project partners from across the Mediterranean to review progress, exchange experiences, and define the next steps towards a regenerative tourism model that creates positive impacts for communities, economies, and ecosystems. Regenera4MED aims to introduce and test innovative approaches to regenerative tourism in six pilot destinations located in Catalonia, Liguria, Abruzzo, Corsica, Crete, and Split-Dalmatia. The project seeks to move beyond sustainability by actively contributing to the restoration and enhancement of local environments and communities while fostering resilient tourism systems. During the meeting, partners reviewed the implementation of the project's Regenerative Tourism Programme and shared progress achieved in the pilot regions. Significant advances were reported in stakeholder engagement, governance development, vulnerability assessments, and capacity-building activities. Pilot destinations highlighted how local actors are increasingly collaborating to co-create regenerative tourism solutions tailored to the specific characteristics and needs of their territories. A key focus of the Steering Committee was the development of the Regenerative Tourism Journey (RTJ) Tool, led by the University of Peloponnese and ZRC SAZU. The RTJ Tool is designed as a self-assessment, reflection, and decision-support instrument that helps destinations understand their current position on the regenerative development pathway, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and define practical next steps. During collaborative workshops, partners explored how the tool can support destination managers, tourism providers, local authorities, educational institutions, and communities in planning and implementing regenerative tourism strategies. Discussions highlighted that the RTJ Tool has the potential to become a valuable Mediterranean-wide resource by providing aggregated insights on regenerative tourism maturity, supporting evidence-based policy development, and facilitating knowledge exchange among destinations. Participants emphasized that the tool's greatest value lies not only in measuring progress but also in enabling continuous learning, stakeholder dialogue, and long-term transformation. The Steering Committee also examined the broader impacts already emerging from Regenera4MED activities. Partners identified increased stakeholder awareness, stronger cooperation networks, enhanced local capacities, and the creation of practical tools and methodologies as important achievements that are laying the foundations for long-term regenerative development beyond the project's duration. The University of Peloponnese presented the project's carbon footprint monitoring activities, demonstrating the consortium's commitment to environmental responsibility and continuous improvement. The presentation highlighted the successful collection and validation of emissions data across partner organizations and provided recommendations for reducing carbon emissions related to travel, events, office operations, and project activities. In addition to technical discussions, participants took part in benchmarking sessions, collaborative learning activities, and a local discovery experience in the Liguria pilot area, exploring regenerative tourism practices through the lens of local culture, nature, and community engagement. As the project moves forward, partners will continue implementing co-ideation activities, mentoring programmes, storytelling initiatives, peer learning actions, and pilot interventions designed to strengthen regenerative tourism ecosystems throughout the Mediterranean region. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen collaboration, accelerate the implementation of pilot activities, and ensure that the knowledge, tools, and partnerships developed through Regenera4MED continue to support regenerative transformation long after the project ends. About Regenera4MED Regenera4MED is an Interreg Euro-MED project dedicated to promoting regenerative tourism across the Mediterranean. Through collaborative governance, stakeholder engagement, capacity building, innovative assessment tools, and pilot actions, the project aims to create tourism models that generate positive value for local communities, cultural heritage, and natural ecosystems while strengthening regional resilience and sustainability.