ECOSEAROUTES is a transnational project funded by the Interreg Euro-MED Programme under the “Greener Mediterranean” priority that focuses on the Mediterranean area as the largest global tourism destination and on the issues deriving from hosting such a popular maritime tourism industry.

• High touristic pressure in MED ports and environmental damage, especially due to the seasonal trends of tourism flows;
• Vulnerability of natural protected sites located near touristic ports;
• Poor touristic appeal of hinterland regions of MED countries compared to overcrowded seashores, are the main common challenges identified among the partners.

The core aim of ECOSEAROUTES is to reduce environmental pressure caused by mass tourism in coastal areas. By encouraging visitors to explore inland destinations as well, the project helps to distribute tourism flows more evenly, lowering the burden on popular seashores and nearby natural protected sites. At the same time, it enhances the visibility and economic value of less-visited inland areas. To achieve its goals, the project activates four sets of coordinated actions under a highly transnational approach:

1. Setup of a MED-wide eco-nautical route connecting touristic ports committed to a shared sustainability standard (ECO-SEA-ROUTE)
2. Establishment of local tourist itineraries aimed to encourage visits to the hinterland of coastal destinations, co-designed through participative methodologies validated transnationally and stakeholders activation (ECO-SEAROUTES Itineraries)
3. Valorisation of the developed Itineraries through the collaborative setup one Community Heritage Hub for each targeted territory
4. Dissemination and capitalisation-oriented activities aimed to ensure the diffusion and replication of the project action

ECO-SEAROUTES sets the main objective of decreasing environmental pollution and environmental pressure on natural coastal areas by developing and disseminating a new tourism model that:

(a) improves the management and interconnections of MED touristic ports and their neighbouring coastal destinations to counteract the impact of mass tourism, and

(b) connects over-exploited nautical and seaside destinations with the neighbouring inland territories to minimise human pressure and re-distribute tourism flows

The man identified challenges to address are:

• high touristic pressure in MED ports and environmental damage, especially due to the seasonal
• trends of tourism flows;
• vulnerability of natural protected sites located near touristic ports;
• poor touristic appeal of hinterland regions of MED countries compared to overcrowded seashores.

• Puglia Region
• AETIB – Balearic Islands Agency for Tourism Strategy 
• DAFNI 
• Port of Saint Florent
• Port of Kotor
• CMMI- Centre of excellence in Marine & Maritime Research, Technology Development and Innovation 
• The Phoenicians Route RdF
• PED-IN
• Municipality of Chiclana de la Frontera
• University of Maribor