Tourism and sustainable development
A significant field of activity aggravating pressure on coastal areas
Tourism is a high contributor to Mediterranean economies, through the number of international and domestic tourists as well as through its positive or negative impacts on the environment and on civil societies. Tourism is at the heart of the Development/Environment issues in riparian countries, and more specifically as regards coastal areas. This is demonstrated by the fact that, as early as 1970, over 58 million international tourists visited the Mediterranean riparian countries; their number increased to 153 million in 1990 and to 228 million in 2002. According to WTO and Plan Bleu forecasts, levels could reach 396 million by 2025. |
Revenues from international tourism, at USD BN 5.5 in 1970 to USD BN 134 in 2002, represent a large share of the currency inflow in many countries. Furthermore, the development of domestic tourism has been strong in the North and is still today strong in the Eastern and Southern Mediterranean countries, due to many factors, such as higher standards of living, increasing population mobility and social progress. |
In the Mediterranean, the model for tourism is largely based on coastal resorts, attracting large international tourist populations to the coastal areas of riparian countries. The number of international and domestic tourists was estimated at 96 million in 1984 (51 million international and 45 million domestic), at 132 million in 1990, at 176 million in 2000 and is expected to reach 312 million in 2025. Tourism-related activities tend to increase pressure on coastal areas and contribute to coastal development around the Basin. |
 Cumulative density of population in the coastal region ... |
Understanding the extent of the phenomenon and exploring possible futures
Initially, (1980-1989-1995), the work of Plan Bleu contributed to furthering the understanding of the impact of tourism in riparian countries and enabled the exploration of possible futures, based on scenarios, to further quantify the impact (see publications).
Since 1996, Plan Bleu is the support center of Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development for the topic : "Tourism and Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean". In this framework, Plan Bleu organized a workshop (17-19 September 1998, Antalya, Turkey) attended by the main stakeholders, to promote exchanges of experience on the basis of case studies. These workshop lead to recommendations and action plans which were later adopted by the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (Malta, 1999) (Download the report of the workshop : vol. 1, vol.2, vol. 3, and Recommendations).
Recommendations cover three main areas (control of environmental impacts, promotion of tourism as a factor of sustainable development, development of Mediterranean cooperation) and describe specific action plans.
These include the production and dissemination of practical reference documents, such as the PAP/RAC (Split, Croatia) Guide of Best Practices to assess carrying capacity.
Plan Bleu has produced a report on these issues, with the support and contributions of a group of Mediterranean experts : "Dossier on tourism and sustainable development in the Mediterranean" (See publications).
Furthermore, in its latest publication "A sustainable future for the Mediterranean", Plan Bleu describes tourism as a cross-regional issue in the whole document and particularly within the thematic chapters (water, transport, rural areas, urban areas, coastal areas).
Finally, with European funding, Plan Bleu has conducted in-depth analysis of tourism and heritage issues (Tourisme et patrimoine en Méditerranée, Plan Bleu, 2000), as well as of island tourism and has produced information sheets on tourism in the Balearic Islands (Les Baléares : un laboratoire du tourisme en Méditerranée).
See the Plan Bleu's publications on this topic.
