Held on 3 September 2026 and organised by the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria with the Municipality of Pomorie, the workshop opened with Mayor Ivan Aleksiev stressing that tourism growth needs to go hand in hand with protecting local cultural and natural heritage rather than working against it. Professor Dora Papatheochari of the University of Thessaly introduced the principles of blue and circular economy integration in tourism, followed by a participatory session led by Tonia Koutsopoulou identifying the specific barriers Pomorie faces in moving toward more sustainable tourism.

A second session, presented by representatives from Malta's Energy and Water Agency and NAMRB, walked through RECIRCLE MED's Blueprint methodology, with input from representatives of Cefalù (Italy) and Bar (Montenegro) sharing how they're tackling similar challenges in their own territories. The day closed with a co-design session where stakeholders worked directly on drafting Pomorie's local Blue Action Plan, identifying gaps and opportunities specific to the town.

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