Participation of the ICBSS at the AMU UNESCO Chair International Conference 2026 “New challenges for UW nature and cultural heritage tourism during the Ocean Decade”
5 February 2026
On 31 January – 1 February 2026, ICBSS Junior Project Manager, Ms. Elpida Besi, participated in the AMU UNESCO Chair International Conference 2026 “New challenges for UW nature and cultural heritage tourism during the Ocean Decade”, held at the premises of the Aix-Marseille University (AMU) in Aix-en-Provence, France.
The International Conference was organised by the UNESCO UNITWIN Network for Underwater Archaeology and the UNESCO Chair in Maritime and Coastal Archaeology (MoMArch , Aix-Marseille University ), in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Underwater Cultural Heritage 2001 Convention and three EU-funded projects focused on relevant topics: the uBlueTec, TOURAL and ecoRoute.
Focused on the protection and promotion of underwater nature and cultural heritage, the event brought together scholars, practitioners, policy makers and community leaders to discuss the intersections of open accessibility and sustainable underwater tourism, the impacts of climate change, upskilling and reskilling for the new generation, the Blue Economy, and community engagement.
In this context, a special session took place on the activities and results of the TOURAL project, of which ICBSS is a project partner. On behalf of ICBSS, Ms. Besi presented the TOURAL Living Labs, a series of participatory workshops through which diverse stakeholders collaborated to develop solutions about alternative tourism sectors, including underwater tourism, that reflect the real needs and opportunities of the local communities across the six TOURAL Pilot Sites. The outcomes of this co-work process will feed the development of sustainable tourism business models and services, as envisaged under the project.
As part of the International Conference’s activities, participants visited the new Cave Cosquer reconstruction in the Villa Méditerranéenne in Marseille. Classified as a historical monument, the Cosquer Cave is a prime example of prehistoric cave art. As the Cosquer Cave is in danger of disappearing due to rising sea levels, this replica of the submerged cave has been open to the public since 2022.
For the Conference’s Book of Abstracts, including the abstract on the TOURAL Living Labs HERE
More information about the AMU UNESCO Chair International Conference 2026 HERE
More information about the TOURAL project HERE
The ICBSS leads WP2 on Cultural and Creative Tourism (CCT) Analysis & Policy Pathways aiming at stakeholders' engagement and co-creation of policies and business models.
