ConsumeLess Plus – An Eco-project to Strengthen the Tourism Sector
The ConsumeLess Plus project: A model 4 resilient destinations toward tourism recovery: Less is more, was launched at the beginning of June 2021 and concluded in June 2022. Funded under Interreg Mediterranean, the project has a budget of €399,975.00 and is 85% co-financed by both ERDF and IPA funds. The scope of the project is to build on the successful results of the ConsumeLess Project, which was closed in 2019.
The project is led by the Lead Partner (“giver” partner), the Energy and Water Agency and involves 5 other project partners, including:
- Ambiente Italia Srl (Italy; “giver” partner);
- Larnaca-Famagusta District Development Agency (ANETEL, Cyprus, “receiver” partner);
- Institute of Agriculture and Tourism (IPTPO, Croatia, “receiver” partner);
- Municipality of Kotor (Montenegro, “receiver” partner);
- Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nice Côte d’Azur (CCI NICE, France, “receiver” partner).
ConsumeLess Plus transfers a ready-to-use model to 4 new receiving partners in the Mediterranean regions of Croatia, Montenegro, France, and Cyprus, taking advantage of the lessons learnt from managing the related label (through the previous ConsumeLess project) using a well-structured marketing strategy and a consolidated network (Italy, Malta, Spain, Greece, and Albania). The project helps these territories to adopt a sustainable approach integrating environmental, social, and economic related issues, into the tourism sector, thus encouraging contemporary new business models and connectivity. The model involves public and private actors called to work in synergy (Local Committee), jointly committed for the minimization of resource use (energy, water) and waste production, as well as the preservation of the ecosystem services and the valorisation of local communities, becoming a ConsumeLess destination. The well-being of the community, including natural and human capital, thus citizens and guests, and the enhancement of the local economy, are common key factors between the ConsumeLess model and the European inputs for the tourism re-qualification.
The model (i.e., guidelines, handbook, tutorials, protocols, communication material, etc.) is available in 5 languages (English, Italian, Greek, Spanish and Albanese) and the marketing strategy promoting the ConsumeLess destinations has already reached hundreds of thousands of people, around Europe. Therefore, everything is ready to enhance this Mediterranean community of sustainable destinations, with the 4 new territories from Cyprus, French, Montenegro, and Croatia. Receivers will set up the Local Committee (MoU), launching the label to engage facilities of the tourism sectors in their regions, which will be involved in the marketing strategy and events, to highlight how ConsumeLess can be part of the solution for the tourism recovery.
Another key deliverable of the project is to animate the project’s tailor-made web platform, which aims to promote important information to tourists, and exhibits all the above-mentioned materials and outcomes. These include the committed facilities that signed up with the project, the destinations of these regions to be promoted and guides tourists on how to become a “ConsumeLess Supporter” and a “ConsumeLess Traveller”.
For more information visit:
https://www.consumelessmed.org/ & https://consume-less.interreg-med.eu/.
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