During the 3rd United National Ocean Conference (UNOC) held from 9th to 13th June 2025 in Nice, France, the OBF Blue Tourism Innovation Team through the Blue Tourism Initiative hosted a UNOC official side event on 9th June 2025 focusing on ‘Shaping Blue Tourism: Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Pathways’.
The side event brought together global experts to explore how tourism can drive marine resilience and social equity. The event highlighted regional collaboration, on-the-ground solutions, and cross-sector partnerships to shape a sustainable blue tourism future.
Experiences across regions – the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and the Western Indian Ocean – offered relevant examples of place-based solutions that integrate ecological protection and community development.
The session on ‘International and regional initiatives on Blue Tourism: How can we strengthen collaboration for more sustainable coastal and marine tourism?’ highlighted the importance of regional governance to leverage blue tourism opportunities. With moderation by Céline Kauffmann (IDDRI), panellists shared key governance insights from marine regions, including Jared Bosire (Nairobi Convention), Jeremie Fosse (Eco-Union), Cyrielle Lam (Ocean & Climate Platform), Alexandre Musso (Group Accor) and Arild Molstad).
The session on ‘Advancing blue tourism on the ground: How can we foster environmental sustainability and social equity?’, instead, highlighted the practical strategies for fostering sustainability and equity in tourism at the local level. The panellists shared their experiences across regions offering relevant examples of place-based solutions that integrate ecological protection and community development, reinforcing the region’s vital role in shaping sustainable coastal and marine tourism. The panellists consisted of Robin Farrington (OBF), Fabrice Bernard (Conservatoire du Littoral), Dylis McDonald (CANARI), Mercedes Muñoz (IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation), and Joshua Rambahiniarison (CORDIO East Africa). Angelo Sciacca (IDDRI) moderated the session. The event, co-hosted by IDDRI, Eco-Union, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, FFEM, Nairobi Convention, CORDIO East Africa, IUCN, Ocean & Climate Platform, the Travel Foundation and CANARI, served as a testament to the power of collaboration in driving a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future for coastal and marine tourism.
