Tunisia strengthens its commitment to sustainable coastal tourism as part of the WestMED Initiative
On 12 May 2026, the WestMED Initiative hosted its national event “Sustainable Coastal Tourism in Tunisia: From Coastal Protection to Value Creation and Blue Jobs” at the ASBU Royal Hotel in Tunis, under the chairmanship of the Tunisian Minister for Tourism.
This event was organised by the WestMED’s Tunisian National Hub, in coordination with WestMED’s Tunisian Initiative’s National Coordinators – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, and the General Secretariat for Maritime Affairs.
The presence of the Minister for Tourism at the official opening of the seminar demonstrated the Tunisian authorities’ commitment to developing a model of sustainable, resilient and job-creating coastal tourism, in line with national policy on the blue economy and regional cooperation initiatives in the western Mediterranean.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad was represented by Mr Zyed Bouzouita, Ambassador and National Coordinator of the WestMed Initiative, who emphasised the importance of Tunisia’s integration into the Mediterranean region through its commitment within the framework of the WestMED Initiative to promoting a sustainable blue economy.
Furthermore, the Ambassador highlighted the projects spearheaded by Tunisia as part of its co-chairmanship of the Initiative for the years 2025–2026, including the creation of a Technical Group tasked with strengthening blue skills and the regional support being provided for the project, currently under development, relating to the creation of a Regional Observatory for Maritime Professions in Tunis.
The seminar brought together a wide range of institutional, economic, academic, financial and civil society stakeholders to discuss issues related to ecotourism, water sports, recreational boating, the modernisation of coastal infrastructure and the promotion of Tunisia’s maritime heritage.
The proceedings were structured around several thematic sessions focusing in particular on:
- the challenges of sustainable coastal tourism and ecotourism in Tunisia;
- integration between the hotel sector, ports and water sports;
- public–private dialogue;
- investment, skills and blue entrepreneurship.
Participants also highlighted several key developments achieved under the WestMED Initiative, notably:
- the establishment of the WestMED Technical Group on Blue Skills, which held its first kick-off meeting on 27 April 2026, with the aim of creating a regional observatory for blue skills in Tunisia;
- the strengthening of synergies between the WestMED Initiative and the Interreg NEXT MED programme;
- the forthcoming organisation of a national capacity-building workshop for the blue economy community in Tunisia;
- as well as the allocation of an additional budget of €8.25 million under the next Interreg NEXT MED call for projects dedicated to sustainable coastal tourism.
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants adopted a 2026–2030 roadmap for the development of sustainable coastal tourism in Tunisia, centred on four priorities:
- the development of skills and blue economy sectors;
- supporting sustainable investment and innovation;
- promoting maritime heritage and ecotourism;
- strengthening governance and public–private partnerships.
This event marked an important step towards consolidating an integrated national vision for sustainable coastal tourism and positioning Tunisia as a committed player in the sustainable blue economy in the western Mediterranean.
For more information contact the WestMED National Hub Tunisia: tunisia@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
Tunisie : 2e destination mondiale du tourisme médical
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