Creative Tourism as an All-Inclusive Solution: Spotlight on the UfM’s Conference in Athens

On July 2–3, 2025, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in close partnership with the German Development Cooperation and with support from the European Commission, convened a pivotal conference in Athens, Greece, dedicated to Employment-Related Opportunities and Challenges in the Tourism Sector. This high-level event is part of a broader UfM strategy to catalyze inclusive economic growth and labor market resilience across the region.

As one of the world’s leading tourism destinations—with over 400 million visitors annually and nearly 30% of global tourism revenue—the Mediterranean holds vast potential to shape a future of decent job creation, cultural vitality, and environmental sustainability. Yet realizing this vision calls for bold innovation and multifaceted approaches.

In this context, Caroline Couret, representing the Creative Tourism Network®, shared insights from international programs entrusted to CTN by partners such as GIZ, UNESCO, and national ministries. These initiatives position creative tourism as an all-inclusive solution—one that not only elevates local creative talent and cultural assets, but also fosters social inclusion, empowers youth and women, and complements traditional tourism models with regenerative impact.

Her intervention, offered in the spirit of exchange and learning, echoed the UfM’s commitment to:

• Investing in skills and vocational development,
• Encouraging private-public partnerships,
• Championing sustainability through innovation.

The projects presented aimed to showcase how creative tourism can offer communities a voice and a pathway—through participatory experiences, capacity building, and locally-rooted storytelling—to take an active role in shaping their economic futures.

The conference reaffirmed the Union for the Mediterranean’s role as a driving force for collaborative progress and visionary leadership. Its ability to convene diverse stakeholders and foster regional dialogue serves as an inspiring model for transforming the tourism sector into a true engine for inclusive development.

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