Blue Tourism: Balancing Attractiveness, Biodiversity and Local Acceptance

On 23 September 2026 in Nice, Green Shipping Day will open its thematic discussions with a panel dedicated to blue tourism, a particularly strategic issue for Mediterranean coastal and island territories.

Entitled “09:40 – Blue Tourism at a Crossroads: Balancing Growth, Biodiversity and Local Acceptance”, the session will explore the conditions needed for a more responsible development of maritime and coastal tourism, at a time when destinations are facing growing pressures: increasing visitor numbers, coastal congestion, port-city relations, biodiversity protection, the expectations of local communities and the need to adapt economic models.

Blue tourism remains an important economic driver for many coastal regions. Alongside attractiveness and growth, it must now give greater consideration to local acceptance, reducing environmental impacts and strengthening dialogue between operators, ports, local authorities, destinations and environmental organisations.

Nice provides a particularly relevant setting for this discussion, at the heart of a Mediterranean region where tourism, maritime mobility, coastal attractiveness, environmental pressures and the need to balance different uses all come together.

The panel will bring together four speakers with complementary areas of expertise.

Stéphanie Lericollais Moreau, Director of Institutional Relations – European Union and France, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), will bring the perspective of an organisation representing the cruise industry in its dialogue with French and European institutions, public authorities, and maritime and tourism stakeholders. Her experience in public affairs, European policy and institutional dialogue will provide insights into the evolution of the cruise sector, its regulatory constraints, its role in local economies and the conditions needed to strengthen dialogue with ports and destinations.

Marisa Costa, Sustainability Manager – MysticInvest Holding, will share the experience of a group operating in both river and ocean cruising, with an approach focused on ESG, environmental compliance, sustainable business transformation and the implementation of decarbonisation roadmaps. Her contribution will explore practical ways of integrating sustainability into the operations of a maritime tourism operator, beyond general commitments.

Dr Xenia I. Loizidou, Director – ISOTECH LTD Research and Consultancy, will bring scientific and territorial expertise based on more than 35 years of experience in coastal engineering, natural systems management, the marine environment, climate change and sustainable development. Her international experience will help place blue tourism in a broader perspective, covering coastal dynamics, territorial resilience, ecosystem protection and the governance of competing uses.

Finally, Lucile Courtial, Secretary General – Beyond Plastic Med, will address the protection of the marine environment and the fight against plastic pollution in the Mediterranean. A marine biologist, she has coordinated the Beyond Plastic Med initiative for several years. Originally launched by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the initiative supports practical solutions to tackle plastic pollution across the Mediterranean basin. Her expertise will anchor the discussion in one of the most visible and sensitive environmental challenges facing coastal destinations.