MEET Network
The Mediterranean Experience of Ecotourism (MEET) is a membership-based non-profit association of Protected Areas based in the Mediterranean Basin that is dedicated to strengthening the conditions for the region to become a leading ecotourism destination. The MEET approach encourages public and private stakeholders from the conservation and tourism sectors to work together and build high-quality ecotourism products that put the Protected Area at the heart of the traveller experience while benefiting conservation, respecting local culture and generating economic benefits for local communities. MEET is supported from projects funded by Interreg MED, ENI CBC MED and MAVA.
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The MEET Network unites protected areas across the Mediterranean in the form of a non-profit association that supports members by providing access to common tools for sustainable ecotourism development, capacity building and knowledge exchanges, and through advocacy to help the Mediterranean become a viable ecotourism destination. MEET also provides a common promotional platform and brand for selling quality and sustainably managed ecotourism products on the international marketplace, via its commercial partners and its B2B brokering. Membership to the network is available for protected areas across the Mediterranean, but also for organisations aligned with MEET’s values (NGOs, Tourism Boards, etc.).
Replicability conditions
The MEET Network provides continuity to all the methods and tools developed in different projects, becoming an organisation open to destinations that want to enhance collaboration between tourism and conservation in order to develop ecotourism experiences that benefit protected areas and their communities. The network also strives to help other regions to establish similar approaches in order to build international uptake and credibility. The MEET Model champions a robust measuring and monitoring system that ensures the quality and sustainability of the destinations and products. It can be easily replicated across Mediterranean protected areas, thanks to the availability of different materials and tools (MEET Manual, Ecological Footprint Calculator, etc.), as well as the support offered to members on market access. To join the network, protected areas and other organisations can fill the contact form on the MEET’s website.