1. Certification Standard for the Sustainable Management & Development
Blue Invest in Mediterranean
24/01/2019 Malta
Certification Standard for the
Sustainable Management & Development
of Mediterranean Beaches

2. Our Team… Vasilis Zisimopoulos CEO – Founder Athina Kypriotaki
Beng Mechanical Engineer, MSc
Athina Kypriotaki
PR Manager
BSc Psycology, MSc
Elli Syfaki
Economic Analysis Consultant
BSc in Economics, MSc
Dimitris Poursanidis
Scientific Consultant
PhD Marine Ecology
Nikos Stivaktakis
IT & New Technologies Department
BSc in Computer Science, MSc

3. The Problem… Habitat destruction and biodiversity loss.
Substandard beach waste management.
Pollution of seawaters close to the shore.
Overpricing & Poor services provided.
No beach access to people with special needs.
Bathers may exceeds carrying capacity.
Not well maintained beach facilities.
No proper beach signage for the potential dangers, resulting in several drownings every summer.
Every summer 200 millions tourists are visiting Mediterranean Sea. Until 2025 => 355 millions every summer.

4. The Solution???… The adoption and implementation
of the certification standard
Costa Nostrum – Sustainable Beaches!
Similar protocol for the sustainable management, development, certification and promotion of beaches does NOT exist globally.
A very powerful “two-way bond”; bather – beach and a very personalized tourist experience could be achieved.

5. Why a Beach to Certified as Costa Nostrum –
Sustainable Beach???

6. Our Business Plan…? Extra Funding is Needed ≈350,000€
Total Number of Mediterranean Beaches – Customers > 8,000

7. Thank you ! We Make Beaches Sustainable …
You Enjoy Sustainable Beaches!!!
Thank you !

8. Costa Nostrum Vs Blue Flag…
Costa Nostrum considers Blue Flag award as indicator, while simultaneously attempting to achieve – including other indicators– the sustainable development of both beaches and wider region.
It doesn't only focus on the environmental protection of the beaches.
Is addressed to all beaches, by objectively classifying them.
Visitors could take part to beach evaluation through questionnaire.
Takes into account the carrying capacity of each beaches.
Enables the annually beach improvement and contributes to an increase in rank of the beach management body.
We can “work” in cooperation or independently with Blue Flag.
We can certify beaches which can not be certified by Blue Flag Program.

9. Impacts – Benefits… Environmental Social Economic
Protection & Conservation of the environment, the natural resources & of protected species.
Sustainable waste management.
Use of Renewable Energy Resources.
Reduction of urban sprawl & encroachment of the coastal zone.
Raises of environmental awareness.
Better management of wastes such as nappies and cigarette butts.
Increased satisfaction of bathers.
Better service quality.
Conservation & promotion of local culture.
Better control of the businesses operating within the coastal area and the employees.
Increased security, resulting from the information provided.
Increased social cohesion since specific social groups will have equal access
Increased income for the beach “owner”.
Creation of new jobs.
Increase in other types of tourism - ecotourism.
Increased added value for the awarded beach.
Connecting bathers with the mainland & its cultural/quality identity - direct economic effect of the region.
Promotion of local business worldwide.
Surplus value on land adjacent to less popular beaches.

10. Our Products…
An innovative certification standard allowing the sustainability classification and assessment of each beach.
Promotion of local crafts around the certified beaches through our free online information portal (website & mobile application) for tourists visiting the Mediterranean

11. What Costa Nostrum – Sustainable Beaches Certification Standard is…?
Classification of each awarded beach
Initial Study
An original and innovative "Tool“, a study for the establishment of a beach as sustainable.
A certification standard for measuring the Degree of Sustainability which achieved at each certified beach.
Promotion of the awarded beach
A portal (site & mobile application), which are informing the tourists about the characteristics of each Costa Nostrum Sustainable Beach.

12. Our Innovation…
Prevention of the main causes of the environmental impacts.
It has an objective system of evaluation and ranking of each beach.
It can be applied to all beaches, with same highly positive results.
Specific proposals - studies are made with respect to sustainable development, management and promotion of beach.
It’s allowing the annual improvement and beach classification.
Non stop evaluation of the standard, its implementation and of the beaches by the bathers through online & app questionnaires.
Bather can select a beach which meets his requirements, avoiding unnecessary wanderings.

13. Channels – Go To Market…
Β2Β Meetings with municipalities & hotels owners
Meetings - Conferences - Exhibitions - Articles
Word of Mouth
Cooperation with Tour Operators, Travel Agencies, like TUI
Information Boards, Flags, Questionnaires Surveys, Brochures
Website, app, social media, s, promotion videos
Co-organizing the 8th International Sandy Beach Symposium; 1st time on Mediterranean shores in Crete
Cooperation with international organizations like Green Destinations & We Do Local
Our positive results of our work