Towards a mega-territory of sustainable rural tourism: CLUSTERATLAS4MED successfully delivered 8 Rural Living Lab sessions in the Cap Bon region, Tunisia

Organised by the Cap Bon Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Cap Bon) over recent months in Nabeul, the 8 sessions of the Rural Living Lab under the CLUSTERATLAS4MED project, have officially concluded. Beyond the local assessment, this collaborative approach serves as a decisive new starting point to propel and continue the project across all partner countries in the Mediterranean.

Publication Date
16/09/2026
Reading Time
2 minutes

Exemplary Collaboration of the Quadruple Helix

The success of these 8 sessions is fundamentally rooted in the engagement, reactivity, and proactive idea-sharing of the Quadruple Helix stakeholders. By bringing together public institutions, businesses and support organizations, research/academia, and civil society, the Rural Living Labs successfully fostered a unique dynamic of collective intelligence.

From the initial mapping phase, which was collectively thought out and validated, the free exchange of ideas guided the creation of the 12 final outputs. These efforts highlighted the wealth of local natural, agricultural, and cultural heritage while establishing the foundations for a high-performing ecosystem.

Addressing Challenges and Structuring the Ecosystem

Through rigorous groundwork, participants transformed identified challenges into concrete solutions:

  • Visibility for rural tourism offerings through a joint digital communication strategy.
  • Cooperation strengthened by the creation of a structured network of stakeholders.
  • Support for SMEs via personalized digital assistance.

To carry this vision forward, a robust governance model has been validated:

  1. The Cluster (Strategic Level): Structured as an Economic Interest Group (EIG) involving the private sector, civil society, and institutions, it steers strategy and partnerships.
  2. The Spoke (Operational Level): Serving as a unique, local point of contact, it ensures daily operational support and guidance for SMEs on the ground.

A New Starting Point for a Mediterranean-Wide Dynamic

The deep aspiration emerging from these efforts is to take the Cap Bon project far beyond its regional borders. By aligning with the global CLUSTERATLAS4MED strategy, this pioneering collaborative experience helps build an interconnected mega-territory.

More than just a simple conclusion, these Tunisian RLLs mark a true new starting point to continue the CLUSTERATLAS4MED project across all partner countries. The methodologies, tackled challenges, and validated roadmap now serve as a shared reference to build lasting bridges across the entire Mediterranean, making data-driven innovation the cornerstone of the future of rural tourism.

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Last Update

16/09/2026