BioTourS “Biodiversity and Tourism Strategy to protect cetaceans”

Start date: 01/09/20

End date: 28/02/22

Duration (months): 18

Total budget:  € 722.500,00

Number of partners: 6

Partners: Jonian Dolphin Conservation (LP); National Tourism Agency (PP2); Municipality of Termoli (PP3); Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre Tehnopolis (PP4); Dalla Luna NGO (AP5); University of Montenegro – Institute for marine biology (AP6);

Description:

BioTourS project aims at introducing best practices in sustainable cross-border tourism, tackling new challenges in environmental and marine safeguard as well as preserving the natural heritage of the Adriatic-Ionian area. The main objective of this project is to involve youngsters in cross-border touristic activities aiming at raising awareness on cetacean conservation. The cross-border approach is needed since BioTourS aims at fostering a transboundary cetaceans’ conservation Programme, able to put in practice a tourism sector and joined conservation strategy and governance, to boost the research and development in this sector and maximize countries' tourism and economical conservation efforts. By combining the implementation of high technological tools with standardized survey techniques and the direct involvement of youth in Citizen Science activities (ie. in Pilot actions), BioTourS will improve the baseline knowledge on cetaceans which is currently heterogeneous and defective in the Programme Area. At the same time, the project aims to ensure the dissemination of environmental awareness at different levels, affecting positively on local economies through ECOTOURISM-related activities. As the marine areas addressed by the project belong to the three involved countries, a cross-border approach is essential since only joint coordination can lead to an effective application of actions and strategies. In this way, BioTourS will be able to deliver best practices for eco-tourism management in Adriatic Sea, becoming a benchmark for other countries and becoming exploitable beyond its deadline. The main output foreseen is the creation of a Citizen Science tourism model, for expanding science knowledge on dolphin conservation and tourism management, which will be benefitted by tourism operators and youth workers.

Activities:

• WP - Preparation
• WP - Management
  • Activity A.M.1 - Technical Coordination and Project Management (09.2020 - 02.2022)
  • Activity A.M.2 Administrative and Financial Management (09.2020 - 02.2022)
  • Activity A.M.3 Monitoring and Evaluation 09.2020 - 02.2022)
  • Activity A.M.4 Project closure (02.2022 02.2022)
• WP T1 -  Towards An Adriatic Common Identity
  • Activity A.T1.1 Territorial Analysis on cross-border sustainable tourism development (09.2020 - 04.2021)
  • Activity A.T1.2 Cross-border round tables for tourism cooperation (09.2020 - 04.2021)
  • Activity A.T1.3 Capacity building on dolphin conservation and sustainable tourism (01.2021 - 10.2021)
• WP T2 - Pilot Action - Scientific Tourism For Marine Environmental Protection
  • Activity A.T2.1 Creation of Cetaceans Education Centre (01.2021 - 02.2022)
  • Activity A.T2.2 Cetacean Youth Camps "Researcher for a day" (03.2021 - 02.2022)
  • Activity A.T2.3 The Biotours model (02.2021 - 02.2022)
• WP - Communication
  • Activity A.C.1 Start-up activities (communications strategies) (09.2020 02.2022)
  • Activity A.C.2 Media relations (09.2020 - 02.2022)
  • Activity A.C.3 Public Event(s) (09.2020 - 02.2022)
  • Activity A.C.4 Digital activities (09.2020 - 02.2022)
  • Activity A.C.5 Promotional material (09.2020 - 02.2022)

Design Contribution

• Operational coordination of the project (start, implementation and closure)
• Operational management of relations with the JS and Ma of the INTERREG IPA CBC Italy-Albania-Montenegro 2020 program
• Operational management of relations with partners
• Definition and management of project activities, participating where necessary in the planned project meetings
• Legal and financial project management in its various phases
• Financial management and definition of technical, financial and administrative documentation related to project reporting, ensuring the sending of project technical-financial reports via the EMS platform.
• Support for the drafting of technical and financial reports, in accordance with the guidelines and formats provided by the JS and with the timing envisaged by the Interreg IPA CBC Italy-Albania-Montenegro 2014-2020 program

For more information please contact: Mr Giorgio De Vitis [devitisgiorgio@gmail.com]