Unlocking economic potential in challenging times: UfM Conference on Tourism explores the cross-cutting benefits of tourism for the region
2-3 July 2025, Athens, Greece. Tourism accounts for over 11% of employment in the Mediterranean region, making it a key economic driver. On 2–3 July 2025, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in partnership with the German Development Cooperation and the European Commission, convened a regional conference under the title “The Tourism Sector: Employment-Related Opportunities and Challenges”. The event gathered 100 participants from 24 UfM Member States, including policymakers, business leaders, academics, and practitioners. The goal: promote successful initiatives and foster cooperation across sectors to shape a more resilient, inclusive tourism sector.
Three thematic panels shaped the discussions during the UfM tourism conference. The first panel focused on skilling and job creation, addressing the gap between tourism training and real market needs by emphasizing vocational programs, lifelong learning, and aligning education with industry demands, with input from EU institutions, universities, training providers, and tourism professionals. The second panel examined private sector engagement and innovation, exploring how businesses transform tourism through entrepreneurship, sustainable investment, digital tools, and customer-centered services, supported by case studies of start-ups and accelerators reshaping the tourism value chain. The third panel covered sustainable and eco-tourism, discussing how tourism can remain profitable while protecting cultural and natural assets, supporting local economies through community-based initiatives, and promoting sustainable growth models in rural and coastal areas.
The conference included a field visit to AKMI SA VET School. Participants explored tourism labs and joined masterclasses on artificial intelligence in tourism education and reskilling for tourism SMEs. These practical sessions connected policy with real-world application, demonstrating how local institutions prepare workers for the evolving tourism sector.
During the conference, the AGORA Networking Corners offered structured peer exchange opportunities throughout both days of the conference. Participants engaged in focused discussions across four thematic areas: skilling and job creation, private sector engagement and entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable and eco-tourism. These interactive spaces allowed attendees to explore practical solutions, share local experiences, and identify common regional challenges. Conversations centered on improving workforce readiness, supporting inclusive entrepreneurship, leveraging digital transformation, and advancing environmentally responsible tourism models.
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