Dr. Izidora Marković Vukadin, PhD, from the Institute for Tourism, participated in the Global Ecotourism Forum held from 22 to 24 October 2025 in Barcelona, organized by the Generalitat de Catalunya and numerous international partners.
The Forum brought together experts, policymakers, and representatives of international organizations to exchange knowledge and experiences on the future of sustainable, eco-, and regenerative tourism. Special emphasis was placed on developing policies that promote the preservation of natural resources, the empowerment of local communities, and the implementation of innovative approaches such as Nature-based Solutions in tourism.
As part of the Forum, a side event of the Interreg Euro-MED project “NaTour4CChange”—for which the Institute for Tourism is the lead partner—was organized in collaboration with the CPMR Intermediterranean Commission, with the support of IUCN, Plan Bleu, and other international institutions.
The event was also attended by Jelena Šobat, Head of the Sustainable Tourism Sector at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MINTS), an associated partner of the project.
During the event, project activities were presented, focusing on connecting tourism and nature, strengthening sustainable tourism management in areas of high environmental value, and reducing the impacts of climate change through an ecosystem-based approach. Representatives of partner regions from Andalusia, Zadar County, Sardinia, Crete, and Bosnia and Herzegovina shared experiences and good practices in implementing climate and tourism strategies.
Hosting this event within the Global Ecotourism Forum provided additional visibility for the NaTour4CChange project and highlighted the contribution of the Institute for Tourism to the development of the European sustainable tourism strategy and the promotion of ecotourism as a key form of responsible destination development.