Costa Nostrum Sustainable Beaches

Project

267431

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Submitted

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NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS AWARDS : existing completed examples

Project title

Costa Nostrum Sustainable Beaches

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Description

Multiple awarded startup, Costa Nostrum, was established, with the purpose of promoting and implementing the private protocol “Certification Standard for Sustainable Management and Development of the Mediterranean Beaches – Costa Nostrum Sustainable Beaches”, through the effect of which the sustainable management and development of each beach may be achieved in an objective manner and succeeding to “convert” a simple beach, into a worldwide top destination, with a sustainability certification.

Where was your project implemented in the EU?

When was your project implemented?

Has your project benefited from EU programmes or funds?

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Please provide a summary of your project

Mediterranean beaches constitute an important natural heritage for the region and a top worldwide tourism destination, which experiences both the benefits and consequences of such an influx, as every summer, about 100 million tourists visit it. Costa Nostrum (= our coast) Sustainable Beaches is an innovative dynamic certification standard based on specific indicators and criteria allowing the sustainability classification and assessment of each beach through an objective grading scale. It consists of three main pillars: The initial study of the certified beach incorporates suggestions on the sustainable development and management of the beach based on its capabilities, infrastructures, and its characteristics. Secondly, the beach assessment - certification is following, with 39 objective criteria – indicators (social, economic, and environmental). Finally, the third pillar is the worldwide promotion of the beach through our website and mobile app, which also is a free online information portal for the Mediterranean tourists, in regard to the infrastructure, classification, and characteristics (natural – technical) of all certified beaches, allowing visitors to search & choose for an awarded beach depending on their personal requirements avoiding unnecessary wanderings. It can be applied in all Mediterranean beaches, public or “privately” exploited, organized or non-organized.    

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of sustainability and how these have been met

The main focus of the protocol is the protection and enhancement of coastal flora and fauna, as well as, the sustainable management and development of each certified beach. Through the initial study of each beach, we are able to identify the endemic species of flora present on the beach and to propose ways of protecting them, highlighting them, and in some cases spreading them. Through our ways of reaching out to the general public (billboards, our website, and our mobile app) we strive to increase the beach visitors’ environmental awareness and to make known to them the incredible natural wealth of each beach. Making known to the general public the most important species of flora and fauna present on each certified beach, we seek to raise awareness of their protection and emergence. At the same time by setting some principles for sustainable waste management within the coastal zone, we are helping the management body of each beach to solve a very important problem. In collaboration with the managing authorities of each Certified Costa Nostrum Sustainable Beach, we strive to protect, preserve and restore the biodiversity of each beach through specific actions. It is estimated that we contributed, through our interventions, to an increase of about 30% of the total number of endemic species and hundreds of recycled materials were collected on the certified beaches At the 1st cooperated hotel, we had the chance a Careta Careta turtle to try to get to the beach. Due to the interventions, we had made on the beach, as well as, the training and information we had provided to all hotel staff, the turtle was able to move smoothly between the sun loungers of the hotel and lay her eggs in the sand. The necessary nest protection measures were immediately taken. As a result, at the end of the summer, dozens of small turtles sprang out of their nest and ran safely to the sea, surrounded by excited hotel guests.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience beyond functionality and how these have been met

Two specific criteria of the total of 39 criteria are relevant to the infrastructures and the portal equipment on the certified beaches. In order for the beaches' management body to gain the credits for the specific criteria, the infrastructures and the portal equipment, such as umbrellas and sun chairs should be aesthetically pleasing and in harmony with the natural beauty of each certified beach. Moreover, through the photographing of the flora and fauna of each coastal zone (on the beach and underwater) and producing “points of interest” for every beach visitor and of course by highlighting the myth of every beach, as well as, by informing the bathers about the environmental significance of the coastline, the protected species of the coastal flora and fauna, how to protect and to preserve them, the local myths and traditions of the area and about the significance & uniqueness of the nearby wetland, we are trying to increase the environmental awareness for a very fragile ecosystem, as well as, to create a unique tourist experiential experience and a unique two-way bond with every bather. The specific two-way bond is unique and has several beneficial results for the environment, the local community & economy & of course for the tourists and it’s the first time that something like that is created. We are trying to highlight the hidden and forgotten treasures of each beach and we urge the bathers to find them and to learn about them. We are interested in, every parent being able to take his child and by snorkeling (not diving), or by barefoot to be able to discover and see all these hidden treasures. We want every bather to learn about the beaches’ endemic protected species of flora and fauna, to see them and if it is possible and to protect them. Finally, with the use of our online non-stop auditing procedure of each certified beach, each bather is free to express his opinion concerning the certified beach which have visited.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of inclusion and how these have been met

Our main key objectives are mainly two. Firstly, to implement our protocol in as many beaches as possible and our work to be widespread all over the Mediterranean Sea and the world. Until today we have certified as Costa Nostrum - Sustainable Beaches, 12 beaches, and at the moment we are at the procedure of certifying the 13th beach. Until the end of summer is planned more beaches to be certified. Although that our business plan was to certify beaches on the Italian coastline during last summer, unfortunately, due to coronavirus pandemic, we had to postpone our plans for the next summer, 2022. However, due to our deep knowledge about the operation of the beaches, we had the opportunity, last May (2020), to release first worldwide a protocol for the operation of the beaches due to coronavirus.  Finally, until the end of May, a crowdfunding campaign, with the support of The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), as part of the Chamber’s participation in the “Blue Crowdfunding” project co-financed by the European Program Interreg MED 2014-2020 of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), will be launched and it will contribute to the dissemination of our work and on a global level, as well as, it will help us to certify beaches all over the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, shortly, we are planning to release a new subprotocol about kids’ friendly certified sustainable beaches. At the same time, our work is widespread all over the world, as we have thousands of followers in our social media, which are increasing day by day and the unique visits to our official webpage are reaching the value of more than 40000, with an increase of about 4500 visits the last couple of months.

Please give information on the results/impacts achieved by your project in relation to the category you apply for

Costa Nostrum company was awarded as one of the best 10 startup companies of the 3rd cycle - 2015, of the incubation-acceleration program by a Greek private bank - EGG. In December 2017 Costa Nostrum was awarded the “Treasures of Greek Tourism 2017” award, for its overall contribution to the development of a sustainable tourism model in Greece, while In May 2019, we were awarded in the international innovation contest MEDITERRANEAN HERITAGE OF HUMANITY which took place in Italy, winning the 1st prize in the category of SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY AND RECOGNITION PROGRAMS. Moreover, in January 2019 we were invited by the European Union, through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to present our work at a special event for Blue Invest in Mediterranean 2019, Blue Economy, which held in Malta. Costa Nostrum was among the 20 companies from the wider European and Mediterranean area and the only Greek startup company which participated in this event, following a relevant evaluation process by European bodies and organizations. In the summer of 2019 the Costa Nostrum - Sustainable Beaches protocol was selected by the Region of Crete to be presented as one of the Region's 3 "Best Practices" for environmental protection and waste reduction at the beaches in the European BLUEISLANDS - INTERREG MED program, in which the Region of Crete participates as a partner. The same summer, 2019, Costa Nostrum protocol was selected by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), as an innovative Good Practice concerning the Blue Growth pillar of E.U, within the framework of the Mistral (Interreg Mediterranean) European program, among 29 more Greek and European proposals. Finally, during 2020 Costa Nostrum distinguished, in the final phase of the European Business Awards for the Environment (EBAE), in the category BUSINESS AND BIODIVERSITY, organized in Greece by PASEPPE on behalf of the Directorate General of Environment of the European Commission.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the project and civil society have been involved in the project and what has been the impact of this involvement on the project

All the 12 beaches that we have certified until today are among the most visited beaches of the island of Crete. The island of Crete welcomes every summer, more than 6 million tourists. Therefore, thousands of tourists - bathers have affected positively by the upgrading provided services and the environmental upgrading of the specifically certified beaches. Both the bathers, as well as, the local civil society have involved directly in the project, as through our procedures we inform the bathers about the importance of the coastal ecosystem and we are trying to increase the environmental awareness at both tourists and the inhabitants. The local myths about the coastal area - the beach are getting known and we are trying to involve each bather in the preservation procedures of the local flora and fauna. Through our non-stop online questionnaire survey, more than 6000 questionnaires have answered, and 6000 bathers have told us their opinion about the certified beach that have visited. In more details, the bathers’ satisfaction degree concerning the sustainable waste management procedures has reached the value of 81%, while the bathers’ satisfaction degree concerning the cleanness of the certified beaches, as well as, the cleanness of the sea bottom and sea waters, close to the shore, have reached the values of about 85% and 84%, respectively. Taking into account, also, the degree of satisfaction (more than 70%) of bathers in terms of environmental information about coastal flora and fauna, that until recently was non-existent, it is easy to understand that the bather, from a simple beach visitor, he becomes a well-informed and environmentally aware citizen, in which the implementation of the private protocol Costa Nostrum - Sustainable Beaches has played a significant role. Moreover, the total satisfaction degree for all the certified beaches haw reached the value of 80+%.

Please highlight the innovative character of the project

Similar protocol for the sustainable management, certification, and promotion of beaches does NOT exist globally. We seek to achieve the sustainable development of both the beaches and the wider coastal area and to prevent the environmental causes, instead of "curing" them, by proposing specific actions depending on the unique characteristics of each beach. It is a dynamic upgrading system that can incorporate solutions, depending on the needs and characteristics of each beach, aiming at all beaches, with objective classification and categorization. It takes into account the carrying capacity of each beach and allows its annual scoring upgrade. It creates an experiential two-way bond between the bather and the beach and a very personalized tourist experience. It gives practical beach management tools to their managers and a healthy competitive environment is created. The specific protocol is “designed” to be able to be implemented in all kinds of beaches, organized or non-organized, public or private, even at the beaches which are located in protected natura areas, with the same positive results. Through the photographing of the flora and fauna of each beach (on the beach and underwater) and producing some “points of interest” and by highlighting the myth of every beach, we are trying to create a unique tourist experience and a unique two-way bond for every bather. The specific two-way bond is unique and it’s the first time that something like that is created. We are trying to highlight the hidden and forgotten treasures and we urge the bathers to find them and to learn about them and to protect them. Through the non-stop online questionnaire survey of each certified beach, the proper implementation of the protocol, as well as, the certified beach, can be evaluated by the visitors of each beach. The results of the specific questionnaire are a powerful tool for the beach management body. 

Please explain how the project led to results or learnings which could be transferred to other interested parties

other interested parties As it has been mentioned, until today, 12 beaches have been certified as Costa Nostrum - Sustainable Beaches. In every beach certification procedure several professionals, such as marine and coastal researchers, project managers, economists, travel journalists, marine biologists, and others, are taking part, in order for every unique aspect of each beach to be identified and to be covered. This has resulted in a deep knowledge of the coastal ecosystem, which is transferred to the local organizations and inhabitants of the coastal community.   Through the dissemination of our work, all the beaches’ management bodies, as well as, thousands of bathers at the certified beaches have realized the significance of the coastal ecosystem and the environmental awareness have been raised significantly in both the bathers - visitors of the certified beaches, as well as, to the wider coastal area.  Moreover, by participating in dozens of scientific conferences and webinars about the Blue Economy, as well as, to several environmental seminars, we have succeeded to inform thousands of people about the uniqueness of every beach - coastal area, and the importance that it must be given, concerning the management procedures of the beaches, in order the sustainable development and management of both the beaches and the wider coastal area to be succeeded.    

Is an evaluation report or any relevant independent evaluation source available?

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that the proposed project has not been proposed for the Awards more than once under the same category and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.