The recognition of the Adriatic brand should be increased through shared and targeted promotion initiatives.
A common front should be made to raise awareness of the European Union on issues of interest to support and develop in the area.
Building a path of actions aimed at identifying the best possible synthesis between protection and conservation of environmental resources and efficiency of production processes.
These are some of the main messages of the "Adriatic Sea Tourism Agenda", an open and shared platform of ideas, solutions and initiatives of cruise operators, ferries and the boating industry to promote sea tourism in the Adriatic.

The initiative was launched as part of the fourth edition of the Adriatic Sea Forum - cruise, ferry, sail & yacht, an event conceived and organized by Risposte Turismo this year in partnership with the Central Adriatic Ports Authority, held in Ancona.
The main objectives of the Agenda, which aims to enrich itself over time with new contributions and reflections by those working in the area, are the sharing of intervention priorities on which to work in order to allow the Adriatic to fully realize the potential that distinguishes it, identification of possible areas of action to increase its competitiveness in the international tourism scenario and the awareness of all stakeholders of the need to work together, respecting their peculiarities, to achieve new growth horizons.
“Adriatic Sea Tourism Agenda - states Francesco di Cesare, the President of Risposte Turismo - aims to be a tool for comparison, sharing and creation for all those who believe in the potential of maritime tourism in the area and want to take an active part in its future growth, sustainable and respectful of the territories and communities that live in them”.
“Our hope - continues Cesare - is that this initiative will lead to the realization of concrete projects in the future. As Risposte Turismo, we will continue to study the phenomenon, carrying out in-depth studies into its characteristics and evolutions, to contribute to its discovery and, at the same time, be a support for all the realities involved in it.”
Among the feasible actions already identified by the operators, the creation of a platform reserved for cruise companies to be able to quickly assess the availability of berths in the Adriatic ports, the continuation of work on the ferry appeal (product and promotion) as an element of a vacation experience and not just as a transport solution, and the sharing of a common strategy to support the nautical sector to face the growing competition of the neighboring areas.

The improvement of professionalism of the port operators involved in the management of passenger traffic is also of particular importance in order to respond efficiently to new customer needs.
The document, which will be available in the next few days on the website www.adriaticseaforum.com, arises from the union of the results of three technical work tables dedicated to cruise lines, ferries and boating industry respectively, which were held in one of the forum's moments , involving some of the protagonists of the maritime tourism supply chain in the Adriatic.
As in the previous editions, the forum also represented an important opportunity for participants, debates and training, as well as a useful moment of business networking for the operators present at the event.

Among the contents addressed on the final day of the forum are the current positioning and the potential for growth of the Adriatic in the segment of giga yachts, the competitiveness of the ferry business in a changed framework of the mobility and transport offer and the innovations that could characterize the cruise industry in the Adriatic in the near future.
The event also allowed all participants to get updates on the European programs dedicated to the EUSAIR area and strategy five years after its launch. As for the European Union's commitment, the survey carried out by Risposte Turismo within the Adriatic Sea Tourism Report showed that there are ongoing funded projects dedicated to maritime tourism in the Adriatic for a total value of almost 20 million euros.

During the final day of the forum, the memorandum on the European project Remember was signed, an initiative that aims to enhance the cultural heritage of the Adriatic area.
Numerous Italian and Croatian partners were involved: Central Adriatic Ports Authority, Marche Polytechnic University Dicea-Construction, Civil Engineering and Architecture Department, Port Authorities responsible for the ports of Ravenna, Venice and Trieste, Port Authorities of Dubrovnik and Zadar, Croatian logistics-Kip cluster, Zadar National Museum, Split and Dalmatia Development Agency.
With Remember, tourist routes and interventions to enhance the historical and monumental heritage will be carried out, which will be part of a joint promotion strategy that will have cruise lines as a primary target. "The project has a strong innovative dimension - says Rodolfo Giampieri, President of the Central Adriatic Ports Authority, the leader of the project – it will allow to set up eight" virtual museums "in the ports of Ancona, Ravenna, Venice, Trieste, Fiume, Zara, Split, Dubrovnik. These are the interventions in order to make the monumental heritage and knowledge of each port interactive. It’s also a coordinated initiative to promote a shared approach to tourist diversification of passenger and cruise flows, and to preserve and promote the awareness and attractiveness of Adriatic ports".
“The fourth edition of the Adriatic Sea Forum - adds Francesco di Cesare, the President of Risposte Turismo - highlighted the need to undertake a shared promotion of the Adriatic brand, still little known and perceived by the demand from Northern Europe and beyond.”

“What should also be pursued - underlines Cesare – is a greater homogeneity between the rules that each Adriatic country assumes in environmental and fiscal matters to contribute to guaranteeing a truly unique space in which to move and vacation.”
“It is important to continue investing in the infrastructures of ports and marinas - concludes di Cesare - always paying close attention to the real chances of meeting the demand to avoid an excess of offer. Working in this direction, the Adriatic has all the qualities to stand as a candidate and become an example of world excellence in sea tourism.”
“Being a partner of the Adriatic Sea Forum in Ancona was a great opportunity to open up to an even more European and international vision of all issues related to sea tourism and the blue economy - continues Rodolfo Giampieri, the President of the Central Adriatic Ports Authority - themes that already see us as protagonists, cruises, ferries, boating industry, that are part of our overall strategy to increase and stimulate the development opportunities of these assets so that they have a positive impact on the city and on the whole territory. Tourism, in fact, represents a strong educational factor, which drives change and transformation and allows for the creation of widespread economic wealth.”

Barabino & Partners S.p.A.