ASCAME is one of the 8 partners of the RECIRCLE MED Project, an Interreg EuroMED Programme’s project which aims to promote sustainable tourism in Mediterranean coastal areas by integrating blue and circular economy principles through local engagement, cross-border cooperation and tailored actions that address key environmental challenges. The RECIRCLE MED Project is a new project born from the idea to transfer the main results of the REBOOT MED (EMFAF) and INCIRCLE (Interreg MED 14/20) projects to foster the transition to a more circular and efficient economy, including solutions towards a blue and circular tourism model related, among others, to waste and water management issues. This is closely linked to ASCAME, as one of the former partners of the REBOOT MED Project.
Building on the outcomes of past initiatives, RECIRCLE MED provides a structured, step-by-step transfer process to assist coastal destinations in developing and implementing local action plans. Through collaboration, knowledge exchange and capacity-building, the project fosters systemic change towards a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable tourism model. With a budget of €1.5 million and partners from the EU member states and IPA countries, the project contributes to the Euro-MED Programme’s priorities while fostering synergies with key Mediterranean actors committed to advancing circular and sustainable tourism across the region.
The core project activities are organized into three phases (also known as Work Packages) as follows:
- Design: Integration of tools, development of the RECIRCLE MED Blueprint, design of the transfer methodology, and identification and mobilization of relevant stakeholders.
- Transfer: Adaptation and implementation of the Blueprint at the receiving destinations, to create Blue Action Plans for Circular Tourism and engage appropriate stakeholders in awareness-raising and training.
- Offset: Aiming to enhance the visibility of the transferring outcomes and promote the political externalities of the project and its objectives.
Kick-off & Steering Committee
All the partners of the RECIRCLE MED Project, including ASCAME, came together for the official in-person Kick-off & Steering Committee Meeting, held in Volos (Greece) on June 5- 6, 2025. This was the first physical gathering of the consortium, marking a dynamic start to the project’s implementation phase. The meeting, organized by the project’s lead partner, the University of Thessaly, provided an excellent opportunity for partners to strengthen collaboration, align project objectives, and discuss methodology, tools, and upcoming activities.
Dedicated sessions focused on the three core work packages -Design, Transfer, and Offset- with particular attention to stakeholder engagement, knowledge transfer, and the development of destination-specific action plans, and parallel communication and management activities. Beyond the work planning, the event fostered a spirit of teamwork and a shared commitment to promoting circular and sustainable tourism across the Mediterranean.
On the first day, in the framework of the Steering Committee Meeting, Ms. Estela Delgado, ASCAME’s Area Project Manager, and Mr. Luis Miranda, ASCAME’s Project Manager, explained ASCAME’s activities, mainly devoted to transferring and disseminating project results. In addition, they took advantage of this scenario to present as well the two ASCAME’s Associated Partners taking part in the RECIRCLE MED Project: the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Tangiers – Tetouan – Al Hoceima.
Towards a sustainable tourism model in the Mediterranean
The prevailing linear tourism development model in the Mediterranean has led to numerous negative externalities related to increased energy and water consumption, waste generation, degradation of land and marine ecosystems, pressures on the natural and cultural capital, etc., and is now endangering the sustainability of the tourism sector itself. At the same time, the emerging trends in the tourism industry call for new and innovative tourism services, the diversification of the tourism product, and the increased digitalisation of the sector.
The Mediterranean, as a territory characterized by rich cultural heritage, activities of leisure boating and small-scale fisheries, and a number of protected areas, offers the potential for the development of an integrated blue and circular economy model. However, implementing both circular and blue economy principles requires the active participation of all relevant stakeholders, representing public authorities, private actors, businesses, as well as tourists and residents. In addition, it calls for a behavior change, which can only be achieved through awareness raising and guidance to foster the change to sustainable tourism models.
In this context, RECIRCLE MED seeks to address the common challenges towards a sustainable tourism model in the Mediterranean and enhance and transfer the existing and generated knowledge to rethink the tourism sector.