After the hardships of the main years of the pandemic, 2022 has been an exciting year for the project. Despite some challenges encountered, we were able to reach new milestones and see how our resilience and hard work paid-off.  For this reason, we want to finish the year by giving ourselves a moment to reflect and share with you some of the key milestones achieved during 2021 under the ENI CBC MED; and also take the chance to say thank you to everyone involved in making the project possible by wishing a happy new year to the whole MED community!

One of the first milestones achieved during 2022 was the release of more than 200 slow tourism experiences across the Mediterranean developed by the DMCs involved in the project. Their thorough work has finally seen the light and is now published in our also new website www.breathingland.com. This one has also been developed this year and serves as a platform to promote all the destinations and products created by Med Pearls through a common umbrella brand: Breathing Land.

Furthermore, following the launch of the Breathing Land brand, throughout 2022 different communication campaigns have taken place. First in the new social media channels of Breathing Land. Then with the publication of 28 videos on Youtube to promote the different destinations of the project. And currently a new digital marketing campaign is happening.

In March, we were able to meet altogether in Catalonia for the the Med Pearls Bridge Event. A 3-day event attended by around 80 participants from tourism and technology companies, representatives of project destinations and project associates. The central axis of the event was the relationship between technology and tourism, and taking advantage of the Mobile World Congress, visitors visited the fair during the first day. During the others they carried out activities and meetings the Catalan destinations of Anoia and Les Garrigues.

Moreover, in May the call for the creation of technological solutions (ICT) to help promote the slow tourism products created as a result of the project. was opened. This one was addressed to SMEs and entrepreneurs from the various territories participating in the project, and a total of 6 grants have been awarded. The 6 companies are already working on the creation of the solutions and will start presenting them at the beginning of 2023.

Last but not least, October and November were also exciting months for the project, as we attended our first international travel exhibitions and the first familiarisation trips were organised. First we attended the TTG Travel Experience in Rimmini (October 12 to 14) and the World Travel Market in London (December 7 to 9). Two important fairs where the project had a very good opportunity to network with tour operators and media alike that were keen in discovering more about Breathing Land, while promoting and raising awareness of our brand. On the other hand, the first familiarisation trips of the project took place as well. During November Catalonia hosted a fam trip targeted at German tour operators, followed by a press trip aimed at reporters from France. In these two trips, the groups were able to discover the destinations of the project, as well as to meet with the different local companies (hotels, DMCs, restaurants, experience providers) that participate also in the project and give travellers the chance to discover the benefits of slow tourism to the territory. But we are not stopping here, as during 2023 the other Med Pearls countries will also organise their own trips, and we will attend new travel exhibitions. 

With that being said, we want to close by saying that exciting things still await us for the next year 2023. Although the project will end up finishing in May, we will still be able to present new things like the ICT solutions, and to showcase everything that has been achieved we will meet again each other in Jordan for our final Bridge Event. So thank you to everyone involved!

Happy holidays, and from everyone here at the Med Pearls Project we want to wish you a great start of 2023!

Check regularly: www.enicbcmed.eu/projects/med-pearls

And our social media:

@MedPearlsProj - Med Pearls Project (Facebook) - medpearlsproject (Instagram)