MAking Sustainable Tourism possible: a Project

It is now widely acknowledged that the competitiveness of the tourism sector is closely linked to its sustainability, since the quality of tourist destinations is strongly dependent on the condition of their natural and socio-cultural resources. However, management system that balances economic development, environmental protection and the preservation of local heritage is becoming increasingly complex, especially for Mediterranean small and medium sized accommodation enterprises (SMAEs). In this framework, the MAking Sustainable Tourism possible (MAST) project aims to facilitate and support Mediterranean SMAEs in implementing a sustainable management system, which is clearly becoming a key element for the long-term success and competitiveness of companies in the sector. To this end, a study will be conducted across the five partner countries (Italy, Spain, Greece, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina) that, guided by the ISO 21401:2018 standard, will lead to the development of a sustainability protocol and a self-assessment tool, which can be easily implemented within the SMAEs. The expected results are thus focused on the transition towards a more sustainable tourism, promoting management approaches that combine the preservation of natural and cultural heritage and the creation of value for local communities and tourists. The project represents a novelty compared to current practices in the accommodation sector, as it proposes a study aimed at defining solutions that balance the specificities of all sustainability dimensions. To date, most tourism professionals and scholars have proposed the sustainability of accommodation facilities based almost exclusively on the environmental dimension, causing a delay in the full development of a sustainable organisational culture.