On 25–26 June 2025, the Regenera4MED project participated in the event “Paths That Last – Collaborating for Sustainable Tourism in the Mediterranean” held in Split, Croatia. This event was part of the Mediterranean Multi-Programme Mechanism (MMM), a strategic initiative now bringing together nine Interreg programmes, including the recently integrated South Adriatic IPA.
The Mediterranean Multi-Programme Mechanism: Coordinating for Greater Impact
Launched in 2019, the Mediterranean Multi-Programme Mechanism (MMM) aims to strengthen cooperation and coordination among Interreg programmes operating in the Mediterranean region. In response to common challenges faced by territories – such as green transition, sustainable tourism, climate resilience, and shared governance – the MMM offers an integrated approach to maximize the impact of European funds.
Specifically, the initiative facilitates:
- Capitalisation of results and exchange of good practices between projects,
- Networking of managing authorities and beneficiaries,
- Building concrete synergies through joint calls or common initiatives,
- And ultimately, greater coherence of European actions in the Mediterranean.
This collaboration is particularly relevant for Mediterranean territorial actors, who share similar challenges but often operate within distinct programme frameworks. Thanks to MMM, they can co-design better adapted solutions, avoid duplication, and collectively influence public policies at different levels.
While the MMM addresses various Mediterranean challenges, sustainable tourism is currently its primary thematic focus and was therefore the main topic of the Split event, reflecting its recurring importance across the involved programmes.
Bringing Regenerative Tourism to the Table
Regenera4MED partners – Catalan Tourist Board, B.Link, and CPMR-Intermediterranean Commission – actively participated in the workshops on:
- “Tourism and Green Transition” and
- “Shared and Strategic Governance of the Tourism Offer.”
Two other parallel workshops were held on:
- “Social, Inclusive and Accessible Tourism” and
- “Innovative Tourism Products.”
These interactive sessions enabled participants to identify common challenges and share existing solutions implemented in their territories. They also aimed to prepare a future joint call, based on project results and synergies between actors.
Among the key messages emerging from the discussions – strongly aligned with Regenera4MED’s regenerative approach were:
- The importance of rooting tourism strategies in local identity and landscapes;
- The need to promote shared, multi-level governance to ensure long-term transition;
- The use of community maps to involve residents and encourage responsible tourism;
- Strengthening local capacities and promoting open data sharing among stakeholders.
These elements reinforce Regenera4MED’s core conviction: to go beyond mere sustainability, tourism must regenerate ecosystems, empower local communities, and create lasting value for future generations.
Concrete perspectives for territories
The event was also the opportunity for the MMM to announce:
- the upcoming launch of a joint call and
- the organisation of peer exchange visits.
These concrete initiatives will help anchor the lessons learned from projects across programmes on the ground and strengthen transnational cooperation for a more sustainable, responsible tourism adapted to the realities of Mediterranean territories.
