The instrument that brings the network together
The Join Statement in the Research and Monitoring Centre for Coastal and Maritime Tourism in the Eastern Mediterranean (hereinafter referred to as “RMCMED”) takes the form of a Joint Statement, signed by Ministers of Tourism — and representatives of Ministers of Tourism — in Messinia, Greece, on 7 October 2024, at the launch event of the RMCMED.
The Joint Statement is the political and operational instrument by which national administrations express their endorsement of the RMCMED and their commitment to its work.
Founding context
The Joint Statement is grounded in the Memorandum of Understanding between the UN Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism of the Hellenic Republic for the establishment of a Research and Monitoring Centre for Coastal and Maritime Tourism in the Eastern Mediterranean — signed in June 2021 and renewed in June 2024 and June 2026.
What signatories commit to
By signing the Joint Statement, participating countries reaffirm their mutual interest in enhancing cooperation in the field of sustainable coastal and maritime tourism, acknowledge the contribution of tourism to economic development and social prosperity, and confirm a common interest in researching and monitoring sustainability in coastal and maritime areas across their territories.
Signatories state their commitment to:
- Enhance the development of coastal and maritime tourism along the lines of the three dimensions of sustainability — economic, social and environmental — and with respect to the principle of inclusiveness.
- Encourage scientific feedback as a basis for policy and strategic planning.
- Promote cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean to develop sustainable coastal and maritime tourism.
- Build on previous work and prioritise measuring and monitoring as a foundation for evidence-based policy making.
- Collect and disseminate relevant, accurate, timely and reliable data at the coastal scale across member countries.
- Develop a coherent methodological framework for measuring the impact of maritime and coastal tourism in coastal destinations from an economic, social and environmental perspective, in line with the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST).
- Elevate coastal and maritime tourism in the position to constitute a driving force for the development of inland and mountain regions.
- Ensure the engagement of the research community, the industry and stakeholders involved, especially at the local level.
The Joint Statement also positions signatories as catalysts for the industry — fostering a culture of awareness and responsibility, actively disseminating insights and best practices regarding sustainable coastal and maritime tourism, providing expertise for the effective implementation of sustainable tourism activities, and creating essential tools to support shared commitments to raise awareness, gather data and monitor tourist activity.
Founding signatories
The Joint Statement was endorsed in Messinia on 7 October 2024 by:
| Country | Signed by |
|---|---|
| Republic of Albania | Luela Hajdaraga |
| Republic of Croatia | Monika Udovičić |
| Republic of Cyprus | Kostas Koumis |
| Hellenic Republic | Olga Kefalogianni |
| Montenegro | Simonida Kordić |
Joining the network
The Join Statement is open to additional Eastern Mediterranean countries that wish to join the network and contribute to its work. Interested administrations are invited to contact the RMCMED's secretariat at the Hellenic Ministry of Tourism (Research Directorate).
Document
The full text of the Joint Statement is available below as a downloadable PDF.