In the framework of EBSOMED, GACIC, in collaboration with ASCAME, organizes its first EU Med Roadshow "The Mediterranean Tourism Forum – MEDITOUR 2019" to be held on July 13 and 14, 2019, in Alexandria, Egypt.

Tourism is one of the most important economic sectors in the Mediterranean region, particularly for countries (or regions within countries) with limited industrial or agricultural development. The tourism sector contributes in the region to 11.3 % of total GDP, 11.5 % of employment, 11.5% of exports and 6.4% of capital investments. Tourism is on the rise in the Mediterranean Countries and is expected to receive 420 million tourists by 2020.

Tourism Businesses of the Mediterranean face a lot of new challenges to cope with the digitalization of the tourist, human-made pressures to environmental and social sustainability of destinations as well as the economic viability of the sector.

Despite a rising awareness about these challenges digital tourism promotion and sustainability principles are not yet widely applied in the facilities and destination management. Therefore, several problems are still unsolved, numerous challenges are not yet tackled, and many issues remain open.

The Forum will tackle the main challenges to Tourism SMEs in the region, and demonstrate tools to stay ahead in the fast changing market.  It will give special attention to Mediterranean women in Tourism and inform BSOs and their members on ongoing donor funded projects for sustainable tourism and will facilitate their participation in such initiatives. MEDITOUR - The Mediterranean Tourism Forum, building on the success of the previous 7 editions, will bring together ministers, government officials, key stakeholders, representatives of the international organizations, tourism companies, tour operators, hotel chains and press to Alexandria, Egypt to discuss and share the latest challenges and opportunities ahead in the Mediterranean tourism industry.

The objective of this event is to update Southern Mediterranean Tourism SMEs and BSOs on the major developments in the field of digitalization of tourism and sustainable tourism, the two topics considered the major challenges tourism SMEs in the region are facing. Also, informing BSOs and their members on ongoing donor funded projects for sustainable tourism and facilitate their participation in such initiatives.

Mediterranean countries have recently approved global sustainability objectives. Those institutional commitments are strongly contributing to tackle some of the issues identified previously, but inherent societal characteristics and exponential development of the tourism sector create the need for a dedicated set of actions that should be embedded in a possible Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Tourism (MSST) to be approved by regional and national stakeholders such as countries, private sector, civil society and NGOs, and scientists.

The new digital tourist has created a paradigm shift in tourism due to the emergence of digital tools and techniques. Digital technologies have the potential to give small tourism businesses in emerging destinations direct access to a global market of travel consumers for the first time, vastly expanding their prospects. Companies not digital tools- savvy will fall behind.

More generally, the Roadshow aims at improving sustainability of the economy of both North and South partner territories, support of SMEs, human resource development, entrepreneurship, and access to finance, job creation & investment promotion using a proven & guaranteed model (franchise), maximization of flows of goods & capitals among the territories, strengthening the cross-border partnership between SMEs and SMEs clusters resulting in better integration and real & sustainable effects on local development, supporting Mediterranean character through the valorisation of endogenous resources & know-how, and promotion of integration of productive chains, increasing Quality & security of products & services offered to Mediterranean communities, promoting CSR of SMEs, and protection of consumers as well the respect of IPR  and creating a cross-border sustainable network of key actors that would carry on the initiative way after the project is concluded.

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