The PortCREW project was showcased at the III Sun&Blue Congress on Blue Tourism and Economy, held in Almería on 19–20 November 2025. Sun&Blue has quickly become a key European meeting point for institutions, destinations and projects working at the intersection of tourism and the blue economy, bringing together representatives from 37 countries and hosting 11 international side events in its 2025 edition.
PortCREW took part in the side event “Management and decentralisation of tourism flows in maritime and blue destinations”. In this session, we presented the project’s main objectives and highlighted how PortCREW supports the transition towards smarter and greener tourism models in the Mediterranean (MED) area. Particular emphasis was placed on how better coordination between ports, destinations and tourism businesses can help spread visitor flows beyond traditional hotspots, reduce pressure on local communities, and generate more balanced benefits across territories.
During the discussion, we explored how data, digital tools and collaborative governance can contribute to more sustainable management of passenger arrivals in port cities. The PortCREW approach – combining evidence-based analysis of cruise and ferry traffic with practical pilot actions in partner territories – was presented as an example of how MED destinations can move from diagnosis to implementation, aligning with EU priorities for sustainable tourism and the blue economy.
The panel provided a valuable space to exchange experiences with other Interreg Euro-MED and European projects working on similar challenges. This context allowed us to situate PortCREW within a wider community of initiatives promoting more resilient, low-impact and innovation-driven coastal tourism models.
Many thanks to ECO-SEAROUTES, the Port Authority of Melilla and Split Dalmatia County for the enriching discussion and for sharing concrete examples from their territories. Their contributions helped illustrate how port authorities, regional governments and tourism stakeholders can work together on issues such as shore power, alternative routes, and visitor management in historic centres. We also extend a special thanks to Josep Rodríguez and the Interreg Euro-MED Sustainable Tourism Mission for their continued support and for facilitating synergies among MED projects at Sun&Blue.
More information about the event is available here (in English):
https://sunandbluecongress.com/en/news/sunblue-congress-2025-strengthens-european-cooperation-in-tourism-and-the
