Who we are

A regional centre for evidence-based sustainable tourism

The Research and Monitoring Centre for Coastal and Maritime Tourism in the Eastern Mediterranean (RMCMED) is a regional initiative established by the Hellenic Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with UN Tourism(World Tourism Organization), and endorsed by the Ministers of Tourism of Albania, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece and Montenegro through the Joint Statement signed in Messinia, Greece, on 7 October 2024.

The Centre's institutional basis in Greek law is Article 5 of Law 5061/2023 ("Provisions for the strengthening of sustainable tourism development", Government Gazette A 179 / 30 October 2023), which created an Observatory for Coastal and Maritime Tourism in the Mediterranean within the Hellenic Ministry of Tourism.

Mission

RMCMED exists to:

  • Measure the activity and impact of coastal and maritime tourism in the Eastern Mediterranean.
  • Collect statistical data through a shared, methodologically coherent approach.
  • Monitor the evolution of the sector along the three dimensions of sustainability — economic, social and environmental — and with respect to the principle of inclusiveness.
  • Evaluate the sustainability of tourism development in coastal and island destinations.
  • Support policy-making, strategic planning and destination management with timely, reliable evidence.
  • Improve the competitiveness and resilience of the coastal and maritime tourism product across the region.

What we do

In line with its founding law and the commitments expressed in the Messinia Joint Statement, the Centre's work programme covers five core functions:

  1. Methodology — developing and maintaining a coherent methodological framework for measuring, collecting and evaluating coastal and maritime tourism data, aligned with existing international measurement standards and with the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST).
  2. Research and monitoring — carrying out periodic research and measurement of sustainable tourism development in the region, including accessible tourism.
  3. Best practices and governance — consulting with local tourism stakeholders and formulating best-practice guidance for the governance and management of sustainable tourism in Mediterranean coastal and island destinations.
  4. Capacity building — supporting the training of human capital in tourism destinations, with emphasis on specialised knowledge in the various forms of coastal and maritime tourism.
  5. Knowledge exchange — facilitating the exchange of data and know-how among Mediterranean countries and disseminating the results of the Centre's activity.

How we are organised

The Centre is integrated into the Research Directorate of the Hellenic Ministry of Tourism, which provides administrative support and processes the data the Centre collects so that it can feed back into national and regional policy on coastal and maritime tourism.

Its work is coordinated by a five-member Coordination Committee, established by decision of the Minister of Tourism and composed of:

  • the Head of the General Directorate of Tourism Policy;
  • the Head of the Research Directorate;
  • the Heads of the Department of Studies and Documentation and of the Department of Tourism Statistics;
  • one representative of the Strategic Planning Directorate.

The Committee is responsible for designing and implementing the actions required to deliver the Centre's mandate.

Who we work with

RMCMED operates as a cooperative network. Its partners include:

  • National administrations — Ministries of Tourism and national tourism authorities of participating Eastern Mediterranean countries.
  • UN Tourism — under the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Hellenic Ministry of Tourism in June 2021 and renewed in June 2024.
  • Regional and local authorities — engaged through consultations in coastal and island destinations.
  • The research community — universities and research institutions contributing methodological and analytical capacity.
  • Industry and stakeholders — particularly at the local level, ensuring that the Centre's work is grounded in operational realities.

Our values

The Centre's work is guided by three commitments expressed in the Messinia Joint Statement: a culture of awareness and responsibility for the sustainability of coastal and maritime tourism; a foundation in scientific evidence for policy and strategic planning; and active dissemination of insights and best practices to all actors involved in the sector.